Friendly & personable staff; quick check-in Only 1 ice machine & it's on the first floor. Average sized bathrooms with large towels but smaller than average sink + tub. Lovely decor, location, & theme. Double paned windows were a plus! Elevators are on the slower side & a bit tight. Modern smart TV (Samsung) but no Apps or chromecast/mirroring functionality. Sturdy & utilitous work station with fun lamp designs. The decorative/throw bedding could be cleaned more often (for those with dust/dander/environmental allergies). Overall enjoyable & would stay again in a larger configuration read more

Stayed three nights while attending a class at UC. Pros - Very close to the school so you can walk to the campus, lots of places to eat just blocks away, very friendly and accommodating staff. Cons - Room was quite small, parking situation is interesting. Overall I was pleased and the convenience of the location is worth it. read more

Cute bohemian hotel next to UC Berkeley campus. I stayed here for a work conference event. Rooms are small and tidy- reminds me of SF or NYC. Upon arrival, the hotel directed me to the special hotel parking in the back (I believe it was $30 a night- parking fee). Customer Service was friendly. This hotel has a bar and lots of room space for folks to study, read or lounge. Next door is a hipster coffee shop. Going into our room, it immediately felt cold. We called the front desk for them to close the window seal- there was a gap. Cold air was coming in. They immediately came to our room and "fixed it"- before, there was a towel or something holding the window gap sealed. I thought they would recommend we change rooms but whatever the guy did, the seal was closed and we were able to feel the heat. Decent stay. Comfy beds. Uber ride away to theaters and/or restaurants. read more

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Stayed here during a visit and a concert. All within walking distance to shops, campus and the Greek Theater. The hotel has its old charm. Decorated in a fun way. Yes things could be better like the size of the bathrooms or updating some of their hardware in the showers. But over all checking in was easy and staff was friendly. We loved all the quirky things about the hotel and we would stay again. read more

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We stayed here for the weekend while visiting Berkeley. The property is close to the Cal campus and many great restaurants and shops. What stood out to us was the friendliness of the staff. Tasha, at the front desk, helped us check in early and was very friendly. We will definitely stay here again. read more

Fantastic Customer Service! The Graduate is a charming and unique hotel close to the UC Berkeley campus. We loved the community aspect of sitting in the lobby and restaurant, encouraged by the complimentary coffee and evening drinks, but what makes it truly stand out is the exceptional customer service, especially from Tia, the manager. It's our go-to hotel every time we are in Berkeley. read more

I stayed at the Graduate Berkeley at the recommendation of my daughter who liked the location. On their website there are glowing 5 star reviews alongside one star reviews for an average of 4 stars. I felt that the prices of over $250 a night is not bad for a four star rating. I was definitely wrong. This place is dated with poor decor, poor plumbing, and smelly rooms. Your first clue is how difficult it is to identify the location. There is no readable signage. I went around the block 3 times trying to find anything that said "hotel". I later saw an old sign that said "Hotel Durant" about 30 feet above ground level. The lobby is dark and dank that resembles an attorney's office except for the smell. The Graduate Hotel was a disappointment as the entire hotel struggles to keep up with a 2 star hotel. The rooms may be considered "quaint" if they were at least functional but alas they are not. The shower is an unregulated "trickle" that changes temperature whenever someone else uses their shower or flushes their toilet. The window doesn't work as the portable ac unit sits in the center and uses the window for it's exhaust. I couldn't open a window to air out the stale air smell. The paper thin walls allow you to hear other tenants at all hours. There are some similarities to 4 star hotels however: the $5 water, the taxes and surcharges and the $35/ day parking charges. I would gladly except these charges if the amenities were forthcoming but they are not. Staff seem overly friendly but they look at you with disdain if you ask to have the room cleaned. In the four days I stayed the room was cleaned only once even though I asked it to be cleaned daily. In summary, this hotel could be a boutique hotel given its age but it is in dire need of an expensive remodel. The theme here is to advertise the "look and feel" of a posh hotel with fake 5 star reviews to bring you in then further extract money from you in any way they can. For my money if I wanted an older boutique hotel I would stay at the Claremont hotel which has larger, fully functioning rooms and room service or the newly remodeled Aiden down the street. Any Holiday Inn Express far exceeds this in functionality without the faux and nonexistent "ambiance" this hotel poorly imitates. Better luck next time suckers. read more

I was fortunate enough to stay at The Graduate Berkeley as apart of an artist residency the past 3 months and all I can say is it's been an absolute pleasure. Ever since I arrived, the staff has been consistently warm and friendly, even just in passing. John is an absolute class act and the GM, Christine, always made sure I was taken care of if I needed anything. Within a two block radius you can find an abundance of different kinds of restraunt's and eateries to try. Some of my favorites being Artichoke Basille's, Dumpling Kitchen, Punjabi Dhana, Rolling Pin donuts, and so many more. As someone who spends a lot of time working out of their room I was very pleased to have fast WiFi, a variety of TV channels, hot showers, and one of the comfiest beds I've ever slept in at a hotel. Also huge shoutout to housekeeping for always keeping my towels and toiletries stocked! Overall, I fell in love with this old building the longer I stayed and will absolutely be back! Thank you Graduate Berkeley! read more

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Clean and posh. The "student" theme is kitschy but cool, and affects pretty much everything in the place, from the paintings on the walls to the pennant you hang to tell people you don't want to be disturbed. The room is nice and plush. A big bed with lots of pillow, a big plush chair... they make a little space feel very roomy and homey. I liked their choice of colors as well. The thing I didn't especially enjoy was the noise. Construction right outside, vacuuming at 8:30AM (on a Saturday), people scraping the walls (???), lots of creaking and thumping overall. Not my favorite when I'm looking for a good night's sleep without an early wake up call. Additionally, parking in their private lot is $35... a night. That's some serious dough to shell out, but I think there may be alternative options for parking on the nearby streets. Not relevant for my purposes since I was just staying the one night. read more

Nice location when visiting your student. Cute room and friendly service. I liked dining at Henry's. I thought the food was delicious!

Love how this hotel has a sign on the door that says how "everyone is welcome here" :) Whoever decorated this hotel did an amazing job, this place is so beautiful compared to other hotels that are normally super boring and minimalistic. This place has so much personality and all of the staff are super nice! I also had the best experience at the attached cafe, best mocha I have ever had :)) read more

The worst hotel I've ever stayed at, bar none. And I'm 60 and have traveled extensively, all over the world. And I'm predisposed to like it bc I love Berkeley. Not worth explaining all the ways that this dirty, unsafe, unfriendly hotel sucks. It's also massively over priced. Seriously, do yourself a favor and don't stay here. Ever. Even if it's the only hotel in the Bay Area with availability. (My situation). There's a reason it's available. read more

Formerly "The Hotel Durant," and under new ownership. Small boutique hotel less than one block from the UC Berkeley campus. Bohemian. Lovely. Cozy. Work in progress. Loved the hotel lobby and it's unique, hip decor. So many interesting pieces to stare at. We weren't aware of the change in ownership when we booked. Some facilities not open, including the restaurant/bar (a bummer) and the fitness room (wasn't a problem for us during this stay). We definitely appreciated the steps taken to compensate guests, including having a complimentary wine and cheese hour nightly and a continental breakfast buffet in the morning. Did much to demonstrate care to the guests for the lack of services that would have been expected based on the advertising. Rooms are theme-decorated and well-done. However, they are small. Really quaint, but small so staying more than 2 nights might have become cramped. Convenience was key though. Service was very friendly and accommodating. Key question: would I stay here again? YES. Definitely. That says it all! read more

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Nice boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Berkeley! Rooms - funky and unique, just like the surrounding town. Cool decor. The bathroom was a bit small in our room - this property might be converted dorm rooms- but the ambiance made up for any quirks. The quirks actually made it more fun. Food - Henry's was outstanding. Bartenders made excellent cocktails and the burger by Chris Kroner's creation was awesome. Get extra cheddar mayo for your fries. Staff - helpful and friendly staff. Main elevator was broken but front desk agent delivered all our bags to our room. Overall- given the location in walking distance to everything "Berkeley" and given the uniqueness of the rooms, this hotel is a must stay! read more

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The Graduate Berkeley is a renovated historic hotel with a retro college vibe and theme which is fun. Conveniently close to Berkeley campus. Comfortable bedding which is a must for me. Standard rooms a bit on the smaller side, but overall a nice stay and fun theme! read more

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The hotel has been updated-ish. We had 2 adjoining rooms. One bathroom was fine, the other really needs to be redone. The tub was so chipped/grubby looking, we didn't use it. The hotel decor is cute and quirky but it also smells a bit funky, probably difficult to eliminate in an old building. Gym was tiny but had enough stuff we could get a workout in. My biggest reason for 1 star was that my husband left his AirPods in the room and even though he notified the staff the next day, they not only didn't ask the cleaning crew who cleaned our room but wouldn't go look to see if they were still there. We could literally see that they were still at the hotel and had been activated that morning on our "Find my phone" app. Still wouldn't do anything about it. A few days later I could see the employee's address where they took them on our app. I get it, his fault for being careless with an expensive item but you should be able to trust the cleaning crew to turn in items and management to hold the staff accountable. Really frustrating. read more

I was worried when I saw the 3 star average. I stayed here two nights recently and overall had an fantastic experience. You can't beat the location. It's a block away from Telegraph. Tons of food options. Very close to the Berkeley Fire Trails. My favorite place is run uphill. The room is cozy, with character .The tv has 50 Channels. I would say the time between switching stations would be improved. This was the only flaw. I love the Keurig coffee machine. Brightened up my mornings. The bathroom is old school with modern high end shampoo, conditioner and bath gel. The staff in the lobby is awesome. Smart, friendly, Professional. A delight to chat with each and every time I had a question. My biggest regret is not taking their bikes for a ride. Reason to return. My favorite though was the gym. I had it all to myself and had everything I need to complete an hour long calisthenic/weight training session. Plenty of variety for true gym ethusiasts with clean towels and fans blowing so you don't get all nasty. My fiancé said she'd return as well. Ignore the 3 star average and give this place a try. read more

How wonderful is our experience! John invited us with a warm hello and connection. Gorgeous room, internet for our Zoom worked excellent. Parking out front free overnight from 6 pm - 9 am. Questions answered with a positive attitude. I love coming up to the green halls and all the eclectic touches of this lovely hotel. Gorgeous day in Berkeley, city view out our window, two happy teachers. read more

Loved this place and would stay again. Staff is friendly and no complaints about anything. I was in the bay for one night and ended up staying in and the playing video games all night hah. read more

Graduate by Hilton Berkeley - You can hook up your hdmi capable devices to their TVs. - Hotels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Dirty shampoo dispensers. I'm sorry I didn't bring slippers or flip flops as I feel like the floors were dirty. For the daily price over thanksgiving weekend, I could've stayed at a chain and gotten the cleanliness I expected. Not to mention the size of the room (very small) and the armoire. Perfect if your height is less than 5 feet tall. read more

Bring your shower caddy and old student ID because this place feels like the college dorms. The rooms were very outdated and super small, so much so that I at my 5 feet 3 inches and wasn't able to close the bathroom door while sitting on the toilet because the door would knock my knees. Also, get ready for a bipolar shower temperature that'll scald you before blasting you with ice cold water, all beyond your control. Welcome back to college! read more

Like others have stated, the room is dated and small. My "select" room as ordered and paid for on Hotels.com did not have a view of campus and was not premium in any way. The staff at the hotel did not notice the upgrade paid and I did not bother to contest it after we already checked in. I did add a $35 parking fee to my room and was directed by hotel staff to park in the lot adjacent to the hotel, which I did. In the morning, I noticed a $78 parking ticket on my windshield and asked for clarification inside with the staff. They assured me that they would "talk to" the staff member(s) who told me to park there but would not adjust the price of room, but did subtract the $35 parking charge. I'm pretty sure you can do better than staying here, even if you need to be close to campus. read more

I stayed here. For two nights. Typical college hotel in a college town. It's a small step up from a dirty frat house. My room was poorly cleaned, very tiny & very outdated. Horrible small bathroom & extremely weak water pressure in the shower. Staff is okay. College kids everywhere, passed out in the stairwells & vomiting out front & out back. read more

This is my 2nd time to stay here and the 1st time was last spring when it had literally just converted from Hotel Durant to Graduate. I think I preferred my visit last time since Henry's, the hotel bar was closed and they gave us a free happy hour and free breakfast. Now you have to pay for overpriced drinks at Henrys since they are open. This is a popular hotel & bar for alumni and students alike. The rooms are small & quaint. The bed wasn't quite as comfortable as I remember but the towels are good quality and fluffy. It was homecoming weekend so prices were outrageous but that was the case all around the city. The tv was broken on our last stay and again this time. They tried to fix it but they need a serious AV upgrade in this hotel. There is a refrigerator and a Keurig coffee maker in the room so they get points for that. Elevators are slow but fortunately we were on the 2nd floor so could easily take the stairs.The front staff is friendly but a late check out is not in the cards. However, they will keep your bag for you until you leave. Will try a different hotel next time in Berkeley for comparison. read more

It's pretty cute in appearance and I personally enjoy the location. What I don't like about this hotel are the paper thin walls. There's little to no privacy, the doors take a lot of force to close so they sound like they're slamming, you can hear the faucets from surrounding rooms, and you're woken up by the housekeeping staff that start working well before 8am, even during the weekend. Positives: 1. They have pretty nice mattresses so if you can sleep through the noise you can at least get some comfortable rest. 2. The staff is very helpful and kind. 3. For a four night stay, we didn't have any problems finding street parking 4. There's a little independent cafe downstairs where you can get coffee and pastries read more

Stay somewhere else! Do not trust this hotel. They hide charges for unused amenities in their bill.

All of the people that work here are extremely nice, very responsive, and will go out of their way to make sure your stay is as comfortable as possible. Unfortunately, it's an uphill battle for them because there's a lot they can't fix. The Graduate chain's business model is that they take a run-down old hotel, slap in some cool furniture and movie posters, and pretend it's a boutique hotel that's themed "hip collegiate." This is actually probably a genius plan because it means they only need to do the most surface of renovations, mostly in the lobby. I don't know what the Durant Hotel (this Graduate's previous iteration) was like but I'm guessing pretty fun down So: the walls are paper thin (I hear my neighbor snoring), the bathrooms are gross (just like college! ha!), and the elevator is...sketchy. My room has: rusty radiators, a wall-mounted air-conditioner, and (confusingly) a portable floor air-conditioner that takes up an awful amount of space. It's possible to get to a comfortable temperature by sort of pitting them against one another. As for the noise issue, the nice folks at the desk can give you earplugs. The bathroom you'll just have to deal with. read more

The room was small and dark, with a window near the street. I was awakened by conversations and laughter every night. The shower keep losing hot water and running cold.I could hear people talking in the corridor. They charged $5. For a bottle of water. It is conveniently located near Cal but is overpriced and does not give a good experience. I will avoid this hotel next time I'm in Berkeley. read more

The Graduate is a fun, convenient hotel. I live in the Bay Area and stay at the Graduate when seeing shows at the Greek Theater, Cornerstone or UC Theater and don't want to deal with driving home late. We make it a little staycation. It's comfortable with cute decor. Good cocktails at the bar and many other bars and restaurants in walking distance. Eric at the front desk was super helpful with moving us to a new room due to a noisey AC fan and again helping me with stuff I left behind. read more

If we didn't get there around 1 am we would have left to another hotel. It was gross. Hairs in the bed hairs in the shower and smelled like dog food. It's old, dirty and outdated. The lobby looks nice but the rooms are horrible. Hella noisy as well. You can hear everything from the room above and next to you. You will not get a good nights rest here. Also their parking was full so we had to park in a public parking garage few blocks away. Do not stay here. read more

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I would give a five star the older bar tender is awesome the bar manager almost bumped into me when no one was around and didn't even excuse her self The whole time we were at the bar it seems the manager brain was somewhere else, all dressed in black walking around looking like a bulldog, I don't think I saw her simile once... this manager kills the place but otherwise drinks food and bartender is awesome read more

Beyond a waste of money. No clue how anyone could have anything but a barely "passable" experience at this place. It was bad enough back when it was the Durant Hotel but no better now. Dirty, busted, worn-out and lousy food to top it all off. Ugh. read more

This was SUCH a disappointing stay. The room was so overpriced for what we got and it was like the hotel was trying to charge us for every little thing. We paid $180 for a small, cramped room and a TERRIBLE bathroom (there were HOLES and CHIPPED PAINT around the drainage!!!). And then they tacked on $35 to park in their lot PLUS $25 for us to have our small service dog, all fees I would be willing to pay if it were a resort or at least somewhat nice. This place was such a rip off. We were hoping to just have a leisurely vacation in a nice place but this was such a let down. If you want to stay in a loud, overpriced dorm room then The Graduate Berkeley is for you. Will definitely not recommend. read more

Do yourself a favor and do NOT stay here . No parking, well they'll tell you their lot is full and you should figure it out on the street. Worst customer service like thanks I really know the area (sarcasm) cause I'm not from here and you tell me oh our lot is full go figure it out. In addition to the nastiest room there were hairs on the bed shower and stained pillow cases also rust in the shower. they also leave broken unplugged electronics really ? Did no one look at this room? read more

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Great place, super cool vibe, they are very accommodating and provide great service, John made sure we were totally taken care of and satisfied with our room and the amenities! Would highly recommend staying here and touring around the area and the near by Berkeley campus read more

When first checking into the hotel... we were excited. Walking into the lobby was nice and spacious and decor was awesome. Going into our room HELLO CLAUSTROPHOBIA! It was so tiny could barely move around. When we were examining the room the ceiling fan had so much dust on it. The floor was super sticky. Our towels all had some sort of stain on them. Even when we asked them to bring up more. All in all this experience was just terrible. Would not be coming back. Truly disappointed for the size of the room and the price for it. Also the additional parking we have to PAY FOR THAYS EXTRA. PICTURES ONLINE WERE NOT LIKE PICTURES IN PERSON. read more

not a healthy environment. rooms were dirty, drinks were watered down, my food was not seasoned or cooked all the way. only good part was the coffee shop area. read more

Indifferent to rude service. Grubby hallways, dusty rooms. I so wanted to love this hotel given its location across the street from my alma mater, Cal. pretty much everything was wrong.They didn't give us the three promised rooms. Our assigned rooms-nearly $300 a night-were not well cleaned. And when we went to dinner at 7:30 pm on a Saturday we were told the bartender was "on break." All with a shrug. After repeated complaints they did let us cancel one of our three rooms and double up. Then billed us anyway for the third room. Took four phone calls and an email to sort out. No apologies. Bottom line: find another hotel. read more

Room was cozy and eclectically decorated. Very kind and helpful morning and afternoon front desk staff. Easy check-in and very convenient location to UC Berkeley campus. read more

Graduate by Hilton Berkeley - Exterior of hotel at night - Hotels Near Me - Berkeley, California

This hotel has a cool retro bohemian feel and look. It is old and was probably one of the top hotels way back in the day. So, therefore, the walls are not soundproof and when doors slam outside, the floor shakes. There was a power my second day. fortunately, it was in the morning so we could see a little in the hallways. Everyone had to find the exits to get down four flights. Two flights of stairs had automatic safety lights but two flights did not. They used little lanterns for light. I kept thinking if there was a fire it would be tragic. Again, it's very nice but noisy. read more