Graduate Hotels has announced plans for its new hotel in Princeton, New Jersey, slated to open in Spring 2024.

Marking the 34th hotel in the brand’s portfolio, joining other properties in university towns across the US and UK, Graduate Princeton will comprise 180 guestrooms, as well as a signature F&B offering and nearly 6,000ft2 of public space decorated in a Maximalist style.

Graduate Princeton is a part adaptive reuse, part newbuild project, sensitively restoring and expanding a 1918 building formerly used as a dormitory for university students. Design throughout the hotel will focus on intentional storytelling, inviting immersion and exploration at every touch point through rich textures, colours and tributes to the original Gothic architecture.

“We’ve had our eyes on Princeton since the very beginning. This historic, idyllic town is the perfect backdrop for a Graduate,” says Ben Weprin, founder and CEO of Graduate Hotels. “Our approach with this adaptive reuse project was to emulate as many of the original details as possible, and pay homage to the incredible heritage of the place with interesting and subtle design details – like our custom lamps inspired by revolutionary-war era cannons that were found buried behind the University’s Nassau Hall. The walls of this building are bursting with history, and soon our guests will be able to experience that for themselves.”

Hotel guests will discover subtle references to storied traditions and rites of passage synonymous with the Princeton student experience. A focal point of the interior design will be a two-storey library lounge, lined with a collection of vibrantly embroidered Senior Jackets – a token received by students upon graduating, featuring a 30ft custom-carved wooden communal table.

Meanwhile, the community-focused F&B offering – The Varsity Club – will serve up a blend of seasonal, traditional and comfort food, evoking a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of the classic American college experience.

Located on Nassau Street, Graduate Princeton sits directly opposite the historic university campus and will also double the number of available accommodations in the town.

Kevin Osterhaus, President of Graduate Hotels, comments: “The hotel’s location in the heart of Princeton’s historic district is unbeatable. The building’s architecture and history make it a landmark in the community and we are thrilled to have had the opportunity to restore and adapt it in order to welcome travellers and locals.”