{{short description|Hotel in Berkeley, California}} {{redirect|Durant Hotel|the former hotel (and current apartment building) in Flint, Michigan|The Durant}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox hotel | name = Graduate by Hilton Berkeley | logo = | logo_size = | logo_caption = | image = Hotel Durant in Berkeley.jpg | image_size = | caption = | former_names = Hotel Durant/Durant Hotel {{small|(1928-2017)}} | pushpin_map = | location = Berkeley, California, United States | address = 2600 Durant Avenue | hotel_chain = | coordinates = 37.8679420, -122.2563050 {{Coord|37.8680|-122.2563|region:US_CA_type:landmark|display=title}} | opening_date = 1928 | closing_date = | developer = | architect = W. H. Weeks | operator = Hilton Hotels | owner = AJ Capital Partners | number_of_rooms = 144 | number_of_suites = | number_of_restaurants = 1 | floor_area = | floor_count = 6 | height = | parking = Onsite | website = {{official website|https://www.graduatehotels.com/berkeley/}} | footnotes = <ref name=BHPP/><ref name=Pender/><ref name=Berkeleyside/><ref name=EBTimes/> }} The '''Graduate by Hilton Berkeley''' is a historic boutique hotel located in Berkeley, California in the United States. It is located in downtown Berkeley, just off campus of the University of California, Berkeley. The hotel is listed on the Berkeley register of historic places.
==History== The '''Hotel Durant''' was built, in the Spanish Colonial style, in 1928.<ref name=BHPP>{{cite web|title=Hotel Durant|url=http://berkeleyplaques.org/e-plaque/hotel-durant/|website=Berkeley Historical Plaque Project|access-date=14 August 2014}}</ref> It was designed by W. H. Weeks.<ref name=Simmons>{{cite web|last1=Simmons|first1=Christopher|title=Historic Hotel Durant to Be Sold: Named for Cal's First President, William Weeks Designed Boutique Opened in 1928|url=http://californianewswire.com/2012/09/04/CNW12358_235801.php/historic-hotel-durant-to-be-sold-named-for-cals-first-president-william-weeks-designed-boutique-opened-in-1928/|website=California Newswire|access-date=14 August 2014|archive-date=12 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812132857/http://californianewswire.com/2012/09/04/CNW12358_235801.php/historic-hotel-durant-to-be-sold-named-for-cals-first-president-william-weeks-designed-boutique-opened-in-1928/|url-status=dead}}</ref> It had 140 rooms and was both fire and earthquake resistant.<ref name=BHPP/> It also had one of the first basement garages in the area.<ref name="Fowler2002">{{cite book|last=Fowler|first=Carol|title=Insiders' Guide to Berkeley and the East Bay|date=1 November 2002|publisher=Insiders' Guides|isbn=978-0-7627-2373-7|page=49}}</ref>
It was named for Henry Durant.<ref name=Dineen>{{cite web|last1=Dineen|first1=J.K.|last2=Torres|first2=Bianca|title=Cannae Partners pays $9.5M for Eastern Outfitting building| date = 14 Sep 2012 |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/print-edition/2012/09/14/cannae-partners-pays-95m-for-eastern.html?page=all|website=San Francisco Business Times|publisher=American City Business Journals|access-date=14 August 2014}}</ref> The bar, Henry's Publick House, is also a tribute to him. When the hotel opened it was described as a "modern luxury hotel". Harry Truman stayed at the hotel once.<ref name=BHPP/>
===Hostage incident=== {{Main|Henry's Pub Hostage Incident}} In 1990, 33 hostages were held at gun point at Henry's for seven hours by University of California, Berkeley student, Mehrdad Dashti, who had schizophrenia. The hotel bar was raided by police during the hold up. Dashti killed one hostage and an additional seven people were wounded.<ref name=Gross>{{cite web|last1=Gross|first1=Jane|title=Berkeley Gunman Kills Student Taken Hostage|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/28/us/berkeley-gunman-kills-student-taken-hostage.html|website=The New York Times|access-date=14 August 2014}}</ref>
===Recent History=== As of 2006, the hotel was owned and managed by Creative Hospitality. In 2007, the property was purchased by Joie de Vivre Hospitality for $14 million.<ref name=Tate>{{cite web|last1=Tate|first1=Ryan|title=Hotel firm Joie de Vivre makes first East Bay foray|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2007/08/06/story5.html|website=San Francisco Business Times|date = 5 Aug 2007 |publisher=American City Business Journals|access-date=14 August 2014}}</ref> Joie de Vivre invested $9 million in renovating the property.<ref name=Dineen/> The hotel was in default in 2011 and the Royal Bank of Scotland took over as owner. Joie de Vivre continued to manage the property.<ref name=Torres>{{cite web|last1=Torres|first1=Bianca|title=Berkeley's Hotel Durant sells for $27.3M|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/real-estate/2013/02/berkeleys-hotel-durant-sells-for-273m.html|website=San Francisco Business Times|date = 14 Feb 2013 |publisher=American City Business Journals|access-date=14 August 2014}}</ref> In September 2012 it was put up for sale.<ref name=Dineen/> The property was marketed by HVS Capital Corporation. In early 2013, they sold the hotel for approximately $27.3 million to Gemstone Hotels & Resorts.<ref name=Torres/> Upon the purchase, 98% of the staff remained from the previous ownership. The hotel is frequented by visitors to the university.<ref name="Fowler2002"/> In September 2015 it was purchased from Gemstone Hotels and Elliott Management Co. by Chicago-based Graduate Hotels for $47.5 million and renovated extensively, particularly the lobby and restaurant.<ref name=Pender>{{cite news |last=Pender |first=Kathleen |date=23 Mar 2017 |title=After renovation, Berkeley's Hotel Durant keeps quirky charm |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/networth/article/After-renovation-Berkeley-s-Hotel-Durant-keeps-11021092.php |work=SF Chronicle |access-date=11 Nov 2018 }}</ref> Upon completion of renovations, the hotel was reopened as '''Graduate Berkeley''' in May 2017.<ref name=Berkeleyside>{{cite news |last=Mara |first=Janis |date=9 May 2017 |title=Storied Hotel Durant reborn as revamped Graduate Berkeley |url=https://www.berkeleyside.com/2017/05/09/storied-hotel-durant-reborn-revamped-graduate-berkeley |work=Berkeleyside |access-date=14 Nov 2018}}</ref><ref name=EBTimes>{{cite news |last=Lochner |first=Tom |date=31 Mar 2017 |title=Berkeley: Former Hotel Durant to reopen as Graduate Berkeley |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/03/31/berkeley-former-hotel-durant-to-reopen-as-graduate-berkeley/ |work=East Bay Times |location=Berkeley, CA |access-date=14 Nov 2018}}</ref>
Hilton Worldwide bought the Graduate Hotels brand in May 2024, and operates the hotel as '''Graduate by Hilton Berkeley'''. However, the Graduate Hotels structures are still owned by AJ Capital Partners.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.costar.com/article/1939406884/americas-hotel-pulse-hilton-to-buy-graduate-hotels-for-210-million | title = Americas Hotel Pulse: Hilton To Buy Graduate Hotels for $210 Million | last = Miller | first = Dana | date = 3 Apr 2024 | website = Costar.com | publisher = CoStar Group | access-date = 2 Sep 2024 }}</ref>
==Facilities==
The hotel's theme is based on the University of California, Berkeley. Lonely Planet describes it as "cheekily" in style. A mobile made of books hangs from the lobby ceiling. The walls of the lobby are decorated in yearbook photos from the university. Hotel rooms feature "dictionary-covered shower curtains and bongs repurposed as bedside lamps."<ref name=LP>{{cite web|title=Hotel Durant|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/california/berkeley/hotels/hotel-durant|website=Lonely Planet|access-date=4 December 2018}}</ref>
The gastropub inside the hotel is Henry's Publick House.<ref name=Torres/> In 2009, Henry's "Everything but the Kitchen Sink Bloody Mary" Bloody Mary was voted the best in the East Bay by ''East Bay Express''. The bloody mary features tomato juice made in-house and is topped off with a splash of Guinness.<ref name=EBE1>{{cite web|title=Best Bloody Mary|url=http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/best-bloody-mary/BestOf?oid=1372225|website=East Bay Express/Best Of The East Bay 2009|access-date=4 December 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Portal|San Francisco Bay Area}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Berkeley, California Category:Hotels in the San Francisco Bay Area Category:Residential buildings in Alameda County, California Category:Economy of Berkeley, California Category:1928 establishments in California Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1928 Category:Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in California Category:W. H. Weeks buildings Category:Berkeley landmarks in Berkeley, California Berkeley