Two Graduate Hotels Open; Other U.S. Debuts

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotels that recently opened across the U.S. include two university-inspired Graduate hotels, a pair of properties in California’s wine country and more.

Graduate Cincinnati and Graduate Storrs
Two Graduate hotels have opened on or near major college campuses. The 206-key, eight-story Graduate Cincinnati is located steps away from the University of Cincinnati campus and adjacent to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, while the 100-key Graduate Storrs is situated on the University of Connecticut campus and close to downtown Storrs, CT.

Designed to honor local legends and the city’s rich architectural and design history, Graduate Cincinnati includes a second-floor lobby that features re-creations of local landmarks, a life-size sculpture of Cincinnati Zoo’s famed hippopotamus Fiona and a mirrored front desk. Located on the second floor of the hotel, the lobby embodies the playful and inventive identity of the “Sing the Queen City” sculpture found in Freedom Park. On the hotel’s ground floor conference level, reclaimed basketball court flooring was sourced from Fifth Third Stadium, while guestrooms feature walls with geometric patterns in the university’s colors.

Graduate Storrs features a design inspired by UConn and its Huskies basketball team. The lobby includes reclaimed basketball court flooring, a leather basketball-textured front desk and a Husky sculpture. Guestrooms include shades of blue with collegiate plaids and art inspired by university legends; bed pillows featuring hand-embroidered basketball courts; and nightstands with a nod to alum Ron Palillo, who played the role of Arnold Horshack on the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter.

AC Hotel Santa Rosa Downtown
AC Hotels’s first hotel in California’s Wine Country, AC Hotel Santa Rosa Downtown, has opened. Owned by Bedford Lodging, the newly constructed hotel is located in Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square.

The property offers 142 guestrooms distributed over five floors. Each guestroom has a 55-in. flat-screen smart television with Pandora and access to streaming content; integrated work desk; leather sofa; and rainfall showerheads. Other amenities include a lobby bar and lounge with an outdoor patio and a fitness center.

The Winston
Highway West Vacations has opened The Winston in the Danish village of Solvang, CA, in the heart of Santa Ynez Valley wine country. Located in Solvang’s history Old Mill Clock Tower, the upscale, 14-room hotel features rooms and public spaces outfitted with curated pieces from around the world.

Each of the 14 rooms and suites are one-of-a-kind, with oversize headboards and bold colors, interesting textures and contrasting patterns, according to the property. Amenities include a bathroom minibar featuring upscale skincare, beauty and bath products; a private, guest-only honor bar; and complimentary breakfast delivered to the door.

Hyatt Place National Harbor
OTO Development, part of The Johnson Group, has opened its newest hotel, Hyatt Place National Harbor. Located within the 350-acre shopping, dining and entertainment destination of National Harbor, MD, the seven-story, 156-room all-suite hotel offers Bar Harbor restaurant, a fitness center and 1,900 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and event space.

Contributors to the project include general contractor Turner Construction of New York and architect and interior design firm //3877 of Washington. The property is on track to achieve LEED certification.

Hotel Carmichael
Hotel Carmichael, an Autograph Hotel Collection property managed by Coury Hospitality, has opened in Carmel, IN. The six-story, 122-room hotel offers 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, a French restaurant and the soon-to-open Feinstein Cabaret.

Located in Carmel’s City Center, the boutique hotel’s guestrooms offer flat-screen TVs with Beyond TV streaming capabilities, WiFi, complimentary bottled water, coffeemakers and Alexa personal assistants.

TownePlace Suites by Marriott Tuscaloosa University Area
Vision Hospitality Group Inc., in partnership with Eraa Hospitality, has opened the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Tuscaloosa University Area in Tuscaloosa, AL, the home of the University of Alabama. The 93-suite hotel marks Vision’s entrance into the state.

The hotel’s suites offer a full kitchen and HomeOffice Desk, and access to the brand’s borrowing program, which lends an array of domestic items from grilling utensils to board games. The property also includes an indoor saltwater pool, fitness facility and on-site laundry room.