Graduate by Hilton Princeton

Let’s get this out of the way: the interior design is phenomenal. They nailed it. It’s exactly what you want it to be, and what the Instagram reels have set you up for. Clubby and charming and irreverent, and the location is perfect, directly across from Holder Hall. Those are the pros. Is that enough? Do you care that the rooms are so lilliputian that there is nowhere to unpack a suitcase except in the tiny path to the door of your room, probably violating a fire code or two along the way? Do you mind that there is nobody to take your drink order in the lobby lounge, IF you can find a seat—because guess who has decided that the adorable lobby and free wifi make it a great place to study for midterms? Students, who are camped out with laptops like it’s a Starbucks, toting outside drinks to soak up the free wifi and comfy seating. Do you mind the that you will stand for 30 minutes waiting for the one barista to make your coffee at the lobby coffee bar in the morning, because he’s the one guy making custom coffee drinks for every single person in the hotel, plus the restaurant? The problem is this LOOKS like a high-end hotel. The prices suggest it’s a high-end hotel. But the service feels like any of the myriad mid-level hotels on Route One. Only with smaller rooms. The truth is the Graduate may not have incentive to actually function like the boutique hotel it appears to be at first glance. They can probably fill rooms based on location alone. But more thoughtfully functional rooms and quality service could have made this a GREAT hotel, instead of a nattily dressed orange-and-black disappointment.

I realize it is a new property but they have some major issues to address. Our supposed "upgraded room" was tiny and poorly lit. Actually extremely dark, plus there was dust on furniture and the small little windows we open were terribly dirty. The hotel allowed construction to go on in the room next to us and you could hear drills, pounding and saw noice. We had to ask several times for that to stopped but it went on from 1 pm-6 pm and we were unable to stay in our room with the noice. There is no way to reach housekeeping or restaurant from the rotary phone in the room. Plus the staff seem under trained to deal with guests. And no management was available. The restaurant is really just some big booths and some tiny tables for two. The food was not well prepared and the serving staff were not attentive nor trained very well. Location is great but there are a lot of changes that need to be made to serve its guests better.

THEY ARE SO SHORT STAFF, IT IS UNBELIEVABLE FOR GOD SAKE HIRE SOME PEOPLE FOR THE RESTAURANTS , FOR THE LUGGAGE BAGS, HIRE MORE FRONT DESK AGENTS. I NEVER SEE A MANAGER AROUND. THERE STAFF AND SERVERS SEEMS SO OVERWORKED. FRONT DESK LADIES WERE FRIENDLY.

The location and lobby ambiance are not worth the expense of this hotel. On our first day, the fire alarm went off with no word from the hotel staff whether it was an actual emergency or not. Everyone working at the hotel just kept on about their business like everything despite the loud alarm sound was completely normal. The room was poorly lit and extremely dark, there was a thin layer of dust on everything, we could hear the conversation of the couple in the room next door as clear as if they were standing in our room, we had to ask several times for fresh towels, parking is cheaper in the public lot than on site and there is no way to reach the front desk, housekeeping or restaurant from the rotary phone in the room. The restaurant is really just some big booths and some tiny tables for two in the bar area in the lobby with a very limited, mediocre bar food menu. We were told by the hostess the second day of our stay that we couldn’t make reservations for two as the tables for two cannot be reserved. Worse yet, when we called the hotel later that day from our cell phone to ask the latest time we could dine, we were told the kitchen closed at 10:30 p.m. and bar at 11 p.m. Much to our surprise, when we arrived at the restaurant at 9:20 p.m. we were told by a rude waitress that the kitchen closed at 9 and we couldn’t be seated. When we told the manager that we were told the kitchen closed at 10:30 he replied that we didn’t speak to the hotel directly, it was the answering service we had reached. What kind of hotel doesn’t have a line to the front desk? Or does the front desk transfer its line to an answering service?

This is a new hotel literally across the street from Princeton University. It is beautiful. The decor is all things Princeton in a classic sense. The rooms are nicely done with quality fixtures and linens. The hotel staff were super friendly. Many people stay at the Nassau Inn (which is just around the corner) but this is infinitely better and less expensive. You will not get this quality (amenities or staff) at the Nassau Inn. I speak from experience. The only challenge is the parking. They do have onsite valet ($38 per day) but the deck they are parking in is amazingly tight. Another guest who valet parked was assessing the damage caused to her back bumper when they drove it out. It does concern me and not sure how practical their deck will be long term if it continues to damage vehicles. There is another self park deck across the street but it’s $30 per day and it charges with each in and out. The valet staff are nice but again people expect their vehicles to arrive back to them in the same condition they left it. There is a nice restaurant and bar on site. We didn’t try it but may at some point. I will definitely be staying again. Great hotel! Well done Graduate!