Hilton’s Graduate brand has a new Ivy League locale

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Hilton's newly acquired lifestyle brand targeting towns and cities with a collegiate vibe now has a location near Princeton University.

Graduate Princeton officially opened this week by the Ivy League campus. The 180-room hotel is the first new hotel to open in Princeton, New Jersey, in nearly 90 years, the Graduate Princeton team boasts. Further, the arrival of Graduate Princeton nearly doubles the available hotel room count in town.

"When we started Graduate ten years ago, Princeton was at the top of our list," Ben Weprin, the founder of Graduate Hotels and CEO of AJ Capital Partners (which sold Graduate to Hilton earlier this year for $210 million), said in a prepared statement. "The history, the heritage, the backdrop, the charm, the sophistication — it's just the idea of what somebody envisions college looks like in America."

Graduate Princeton resides in a renovated Colonial Revival-style former dormitory. In addition to the guest rooms, the hotel features the Ye Tavern restaurant and 6,000 square feet of public space.

Like other Graduate hotels, the property gives a nod to influential alumni of the nearby university. You'll also find hints of Princeton itself in the decor, like a hand-carved wooden reception desk flanked by four wooden tiger statues (paying homage to the Princeton Tiger mascot). Orange and black floor tiles in the two-story lobby are in line with Princeton's colors, and you'll even find a collection of Reunion Jackets, which alumni receive at their 25th reunion, dotting the well-stocked bookcases.

In the guest rooms, travelers will notice the orange-and-black color scheme continues in the drapery and carpets. Framed artwork also depicts scenes of the university, and the campus arboretum inspires the bathroom wallpaper.

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"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," Kevin Osterhaus, president of Hilton's global lifestyle brands, said in the statement.

Hilton Honors members will be able to earn and redeem points at the hotel, and you can earn 1,000 bonus Hilton Honors points for stays through Feb. 1, 2025. Rates at Graduate Princeton start at $273, or 50,000 Hilton Honors points, per night.

Related reading:

• The award travelers guide to Hilton Honors
• How to choose the best Hilton credit card for you
• Hilton Honors elite status: What it is and how to earn it
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• The best hotel rewards programs in the world
• Best hotel credit cards