Berkeley
- The Hotel Durant (510.845.8981; www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/durant), reflagged and newly renovated by hotelier Joie de Vivre, is a full-service boutique hotel steps away from the University of California, Berkeley campus. After a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2008, the Hotel Durant is green-certified and features 143 guest rooms, meeting and banquet space for up to 90 guests and an on-site restaurant and bar, Henry’s.
- Situated in the Berkeley Theater District in downtown Berkeley is Hotel Shattuck Plaza (866.466.9199; www.hotelshattuckplaza.com), which has reopened after an extensive multimillion-dollar renovation. Originally opened in 1910, Berkeley’s oldest hotel will hold an official grand opening in August to mark its debut as the San Francisco Bay Area’s newest boutique property. The hotel features 10,000 square feet of meeting space, including a grand ballroom, and 199 guest rooms. Under the guidance of locally renowned chef Scott Howard, the hotel also features the restaurant Five, a Modern American Bistro. The restaurant features inspired classics using seasonal, organic and local ingredients.
- The 378-room Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center at the Berkeley Marina (510.548.7920; www.doubletree.com), overlooking the San Francisco Bay, is an IACC-certified facility that completed an extensive $10 million renovation in 2008, including updates to guest rooms, public spaces and meeting rooms.
- The David Brower Center (510.809.0900; www.browercenter.org), designed to inspire people to take steps toward creating a healthier, more sustainable world, opened in downtown Berkeley in May with the 180-person Goldman Theater, the Kinzie Conference Room and the Hazel Wolf Gallery, an impressive prefunction gathering area.
- Green-minded groups can now take advantage of unique “field trips” through East Bay Green Tours (510.704.0379; www.localbizblogs.com/greentours), which provides tours of Berkeley’s green economy. Berkeley is home to sustainable and pioneering businesses and organizations, including Global Exchange, Clif Bar, Chez Panisse, the Ecology Center and the Biofuel Oasis, to name a few. East Bay Green Tours provides one- and two-day flagship tours of innovative green-certified businesses.
Oakland
- The Fox Theater (www.thefoxoakland.com), an eclectic circa-1928 movie palace, recently reopened 42 years after shutting down as a 3,000-person capacity live music venue. The Den restaurant and bar is attached to the theater.
- The Cathedral of Christ the Light (510.832.5057; www.christthelightcathedral.org) complex recently opened with a conference center, a library, a public plaza and parking.
Tri-Valley
- Situated in a park setting, the new Shannon Community Center (925.556.4500) is a 19,700-square-foot, mission-style building. The center offers a state-of-the-art banquet hall that accommodates up to 400 people, as well as a modern teaching kitchen and flexible meeting rooms.