Berkeley City Club
2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704
The Story
If swimming in Julia Morgan's Hearst Castle masterpiece requires a $500 foundation membership and a $1,000 reservation for a single evening, her other great pool is considerably more accessible. The Berkeley City Club — known locally as "The Little Castle" for its unmistakable resemblance to its San Simeon cousin — has an indoor pool open to hotel guests year-round, and rooms start at a fraction of what you would spend on a single night's swim at the Neptune Pool.
A pool like a fever dream
Set beneath the original 1920s vaulted ceiling, the pool occupies the entire east wing of the building and features boldly painted ceramic tiles, Moorish storybook arches, and triplets of windows framed by classical columns. The original tilework survives intact, and the whole space is bathed in the kind of golden light that most pools could only dream of. It looks like something from a fever dream in which a Venetian palazzo and a Wes Anderson film set had a very beautiful child.
" It looks like a Venetian palazzo and a Wes Anderson film set had a very beautiful child.
Built by women, in eleven months
The building was commissioned in 1927 by a group of Berkeley professional women who wanted a clubhouse of their own, funded it entirely themselves, and had Morgan build the whole thing in eleven months. When it opened in 1930 it had over 4,000 members, all women; Amelia Earhart was among the guest speakers. It blends Moorish, Gothic, and Romanesque styles across six storeys and is both a California Historical Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places.
Signature Experiences
Swim in the Julia Morgan Pool
The indoor pool occupies the entire east wing beneath a vaulted 1920s ceiling, framed by Moorish arches, hand-painted ceramic tiles, and classical columns. Hotel guests can have it almost to themselves in the morning; non-swimmers can admire it from the observation deck above.
Cocktails at Morgan's Bar & Lounge
Order "An Architect in Paris," a cocktail named for Morgan's years at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts.
Dinner at Julia's Restaurant
French-Californian cooking on the second floor.
Famous Connections
Who Came Here
Plan Your Visit
Good to Know
- How to Book: Book a room direct at berkeleycityclub.com or by phone; pool use is reserved for overnight guests. Non-swimmers can view the architecture from the observation deck above.
- Best Time: Year-round; the pool is at its most atmospheric in the morning light. The club celebrates its centennial in 2030.
- Accessibility: The Berkeley City Club is a 1930 landmark building. Contact the club directly to confirm step-free access and accessibility for the pool and guest floors.
- Tip: The pool is open to hotel guests, so book a room to swim. Non-guests can still admire the architecture from the observation deck above.
