Princeton’s Graduate Hotel Is Now Officially Open

PRINCETON, NJ – After a long delay, Princeton’s Graduate Hotel is officially open.

Located on Nassau Street, directly opposite campus, Graduate Princeton boasts 180 guest rooms and a restaurant, Ye Tavern.

The hotel pays homage to the town’s rich history in its architecture, and design. It transformed a 1918-era student dormitory into a boutique hotel.

“When we started Graduate 10 years ago, Princeton was at the top of our list,” said Ben Weprin, founder, Graduate Hotels, and founder & chief executive officer, 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.”

Weprin's firm restored, modernized, and expanded the 1918-era, Colonial Revival-style former university dormitory in partnership with architecture firm Stonehill Taylor.

The hotel’s interior design offers subtle references to the university and the town’s 275-year history throughout the hotel's public spaces and guest rooms.

The hotel has a Gothic-inspired lobby, where guests are greeted by a hand-carved wooden reception desk flanked by four wooden statues of the school’s mascot, the Tiger.

Floor tiles are in the University’s signature orange and black. The lobby is library-like, lined with thousands of books and a collection of colorfully embroidered vintage Reunions Jackets — a token received by alumni at their 25th Reunion. A 30-foot carved wooden study table, a staple in every Graduate, is reminiscent of the historic libraries on campus and serves as a place for visitors and students to study, gather, and connect. The names of Princeton’s storied eating clubs are painted in gold leaf on the library bookcases that frame the space.

On the opposite end of the lobby is Ye Tavern, the bar and restaurant, named after a storied 1930s-era bar that once occupied the site.

The guest rooms have references to the university’s color palette are carried through, with orange-and-white seersucker drapes complemented by an apricot-hued carpet. Bedside lamps are inspired by the Revolutionary War-era cannon buried behind Nassau Hall and beside a bespoke, custom wood-carved bed frame featuring hand-drawn illustrations referencing the University’s annual Cane Spree — Princeton’s first organized intramural event dating back to the 1860s.

Guest bathrooms feature custom wallpaper inspired by the campus’ renowned arboretum, paired with a framed sketch by Albert Einstein, a reference to his time working for Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study.

To celebrate its opening, the hotel is offering special a promotion - up to 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per night for stays from Aug. 1 through Feb. 1, 2025.

This offer is valid for reservations made directly through Hilton’s booking channels, including Hilton.com and the Hilton Honors app.

For more information on Graduate Princeton, visit www.hilton.com/en/hotels/pctgpgu-graduate-princeton/.

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