Hilton's New Graduate Hotel in Princeton, New Jersey

Step Back in Time at Graduate by Hilton in Princeton

The university-anchored hotel brand Graduate by Hilton, a worldwide hospitality firm, announced Graduate Princeton's debut. Graduate Princeton, which is situated right across from the school on Nassau Street in the centre of downtown, has 180 guest rooms and Ye Tavern, its trademark restaurant. The first new hotel to open in Princeton in almost 90 years, and only the second in the town's historic downtown, pays attention to the town's rich history, architecture, and design. With this opening, the number of hotel rooms in the area has nearly doubled.

“When we started Graduate ten years ago, Princeton was at the top of our list,” said Ben Weprin, founder of Graduate Hotels and founder & chief executive officer of AJ Capital Partners. “The history, the heritage, the backdrop, the charm, the sophistication — it’s just the idea of what somebody envisions college looks like in America.”

In partnership with the architecture firm Stonehill Taylor, Weprin's firm, AJ Capital Partners, has restored, modernized, and expanded the 1918-era Colonial Revival-style former university dormitory. Today, Graduate Princeton is a contemporary collegiate-inspired hotel with 6,000 square feet of public space, 180 guest rooms, and a signature bar and restaurant—all designed in the brand’s hyper-local, vibrant style. 

“Graduate Princeton provides a welcoming environment for guests to discover the traditions, history and hidden gems that make it one of the most popular university towns in the country,” said Kevin Osterhaus, president of Global Lifestyle Brands, Hilton. “Continuing our reputation for delivering top-tier hospitality, Graduate Princeton is a stellar example of how the brand honours the unique stories of these neighbourhoods and celebrates the passion and nostalgia that guests and fans feel when stepping through the doors of our hotels.”  

The interior design of Graduate Princeton encourages visitors to immerse themselves in the area's customs, history, and culture. The hotel's public areas and guest rooms are replete with allusions to the town's 275-year history and the institution. Every element of the design pays homage to notable alumni, regional architecture, and legendary customs emblematic of the Princeton student experience.

When visitors enter Graduate Princeton's Gothic-style lobby, they are welcomed by four wooden statues of the Tiger, the school's well-loved mascot, flanking a hand-carved wooden reception desk. The two-story lobby, which resembles a library and is lined with thousands of books and a collection of colourfully embroidered antique Reunions Jackets—a memento given to alumni at their 25th Reunion—is anchored by floor tiles depicted in Princeton's distinctive orange and black. Every Graduate has a 30-foot carved wooden study table, which is a common feature. It is modelled after one of the campus's old libraries and provides a space for guests and students to study, congregate, and connect. The room is framed by library bookcases that are decorated in gold leaf with the names of Princeton's illustrious eating clubs.

Ye Tavern, Graduate Princeton's trademark bar and restaurant, is located on the other end of the lobby. It is named for a legendary pub that originally stood on the location in the 1930s. Ye Tavern draws inspiration for its design from its namesake: the room's centrepiece is an elaborately carved wooden bar that echoes the lancet windows that can be seen all across campus. The centrepiece of the room comprises banquets with stone tops interspersed with leather-topped tables. Ye Tavern will provide classic American dishes, grab-and-go options, and beverages from the Prohibition era all day long.

The guest rooms have orange and white seersucker drapes and an apricot-coloured carpet, both of which are tributes to the university's signature colour scheme. The handmade, handcrafted wood-carved bed frame with hand-drawn graphics commemorating the University's annual Cane Spree, Princeton's first organized intramural event dating back to the 1860s, is next to bedside lights inspired by the Revolutionary War-era cannon hidden behind Nassau Hall. Every guest room has framed artwork over the desk that pays homage to the University's legendary heritage. The campus nursery-inspired custom wallpaper in the guest bathrooms. It is coupled with a framed sketch of Albert Einstein, which alludes to the scientist's time spent working at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study.

Graduate Princeton is a member of Hilton Honors, the guest reward program for Hilton's 24 brands, which boasts approximately 190 million members. Offering up to 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per night for stays at Graduate Princeton between August 1, 2024, and February 1, 2025, the hotel commemorates its launch with a special promotion. Reservations made directly through Hilton's booking channels, such as Hilton.com and the Hilton Honors app, are eligible for this promotion.