The New York Times
By Christian L. Wright
When it comes to non-student accommodations, many college towns offer little more than a weathered chain hotel. These five standouts provide more stylish (and studied) alternatives.
Graduate Hotels debuted in 2014 in a renovated foundry near the University of Georgia’s campus in Athens; now there are 19 Graduates, from Bloomington to Berkeley, each waving a collegiate pennant in its design. Each offers a kind of cool kitsch.
Graduate Providence
Near the Rhode Island School of Design and Johnson & Wales University, this 1922 landmark (formerly the Biltmore Providence) has been transformed into a bustling local hub, incorporating old and new, with an ornate ballroom, yoga on the terrace and a doughnut festival.
There’s an enormous portrait of André Leon Talley, the fashion arbiter who has a masters from nearby Brown University, in the lobby. The kaleidoscope of color carries through to the 294 bedrooms, with red leather headboards, tufted green velvet chairs, plaid throws and desk blotters with zebra-skin trim. Some suites have sleeper sofas to accommodate the whole family, which obviously includes dogs.