Graduate Hotels

{{Infobox company

| name = Graduate Hotels

| logo = 150px

| type = Private

| industry = Hospitality

| fate =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| founded = {{Start date and age|2014}}

| founder = Ben Weprin

| defunct =

| hq_location_city = Nashville, TN

| hq_location_country = United States

| locations = 35

| area_served = United States
England

| key_people =

| products =

| owner = Hilton Worldwide

| num_employees =

| num_employees_year =

| parent = AJ Capital Partners

| website = {{URL|GraduateHotels.com}}

}}

File:Graduate Hotel and The House jeh.jpg campus]]

Graduate Hotels is a collection of hotels located in college towns, primarily in the United States, launched in 2014 by Nashville-based real estate company AJ Capital Partners and now part of Hilton Worldwide.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/16/graduate-hotels-ben-weprin-rivals-hotel-giants-in-college-towns.html |title=This college town boutique hotel chain is the anti-Airbnb |publisher=CNBC |date=2018-02-20 |access-date=2020-04-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2018/01/04/graduate-hotels-graduates-bigger-chain/1002913001/|title=Graduate Hotels graduates into a bigger chain|website=USA Today|access-date=2019-10-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-18/college-town-hotels-go-boutique-with-new-rooms-graduate-study|title=Visiting Colleges? The Era of Staying in a Sad Hotel Is Over|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|access-date=2019-10-15}} There are currently 33 operating hotels in the United States and two in England.{{Cite web|url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/maryland/annapolis/ac-cn-graduate-hotel-1004-20191011-jh5hkcevgzcwdblz2jfq77nzq4-story.html|title=Loews Annapolis reopens as Graduate Annapolis following remodel|last=Felice|first=Selene San|website=capitalgazette.com|access-date=2019-10-15}}

History

File:Biltmore_Hotel_Providence_RI_2017.jpg]]

Graduate Hotels was founded in 2014 by Nashville-based real estate investor Ben Weprin and his firm, AJ Capital Partners.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2016/01/04/the-revivalist-a-young-hotelier-with-an-eye-for-an-aged-luxury-gem/|title=The Revivalist: Young Hotelier Ben Weprin Has An Eye For An Aged Luxury Gem|last=Brown|first=Abram|website=Forbes|access-date=2019-10-15}} The company launched the Graduate Hotels brand by acquiring and remodeling hotels in university-anchored towns across the country.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/14/business/the-education-of-a-brotelier.html|title=The Education of a Brotelier|last=Rosman|first=Katherine|date=2018-07-14|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-10-15|issn=0362-4331}} The first hotel opened in Athens, Georgia in 2014, centered around the University of Georgia.{{Cite web|url=https://skift.com/2017/05/30/boutique-group-graduate-hotels-finds-its-niche-in-university-towns/|title=Boutique Group Graduate Hotels Finds Its Niche in University Towns|date=2017-05-30|website=Skift|access-date=2019-10-15}}

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. agreed to buy Graduate Hotels in March 2024. AJ Capital Partners will retain real estate ownership of the existing Graduate properties under new long-term Hilton franchise agreements.{{cite web|last1=Clark|first1=Patrick|title=Hilton Agrees to Buy Graduate Hotels Brand for $210 Million|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-14/hilton-agrees-to-buy-graduate-hotels-brand-for-210-million|website=Bloomberg|date=14 March 2024|access-date=14 March 2024}}