Graduate by Hilton Princeton

I realize it is a new property but they have some major issues to address. Our supposed "upgraded room" was tiny and poorly lit. Actually extremely dark, plus there was dust on furniture and the small little windows we open were terribly dirty. The hotel allowed construction to go on in the room next to us and you could hear drills, pounding and saw noice. We had to ask several times for that to stopped but it went on from 1 pm-6 pm and we were unable to stay in our room with the noice. There is no way to reach housekeeping or restaurant from the rotary phone in the room. Plus the staff seem under trained to deal with guests. And no management was available. The restaurant is really just some big booths and some tiny tables for two. The food was not well prepared and the serving staff were not attentive nor trained very well. Location is great but there are a lot of changes that need to be made to serve its guests better.

We had our first and probably last dinner at the new Graduate hotel in Princeton. The service was good, the food was mediocre and the cocktails were terrible. The scotch with a lemon twist on the rocks had a minimal amount of scotch.....similar to some European cocktails. However, the fact they charged $2 for the lemon peal and another $2 for the ice was a first.....at least for us. IF you decide to go to the Graduate for dinner (which I do not recommend) do not order anything on ice or with a lemon peal.

The location and lobby ambiance are not worth the expense of this hotel. On our first day, the fire alarm went off with no word from the hotel staff whether it was an actual emergency or not. Everyone working at the hotel just kept on about their business like everything despite the loud alarm sound was completely normal. The room was poorly lit and extremely dark, there was a thin layer of dust on everything, we could hear the conversation of the couple in the room next door as clear as if they were standing in our room, we had to ask several times for fresh towels, parking is cheaper in the public lot than on site and there is no way to reach the front desk, housekeeping or restaurant from the rotary phone in the room. The restaurant is really just some big booths and some tiny tables for two in the bar area in the lobby with a very limited, mediocre bar food menu. We were told by the hostess the second day of our stay that we couldn’t make reservations for two as the tables for two cannot be reserved. Worse yet, when we called the hotel later that day from our cell phone to ask the latest time we could dine, we were told the kitchen closed at 10:30 p.m. and bar at 11 p.m. Much to our surprise, when we arrived at the restaurant at 9:20 p.m. we were told by a rude waitress that the kitchen closed at 9 and we couldn’t be seated. When we told the manager that we were told the kitchen closed at 10:30 he replied that we didn’t speak to the hotel directly, it was the answering service we had reached. What kind of hotel doesn’t have a line to the front desk? Or does the front desk transfer its line to an answering service?

Wow! What a great quick getaway! Very warm, welcoming hotel, the staff is very attentive, genuine, and ready to help! Upon check in the front desk team were super friendly, chatty, personable. The guest room felt like we were staying at our aunts house, very welcoming, warm, perfectly plump pillows, the bed was made beautifully, super soft towels, great shampoos, soaps. Drinks at the bar as well as the coffee station were amazing, all made with love! Great place to stay , we will be back!