The spa is lovely, and Jennifer is a gracious and amazing masseuse. I was very happy with the massage. Bridget at the front desk was a little sarcastic and insensitive. read more

I have stayed at other hotels in Athens, and I have stayed a Graduate Hotel in another city. This was the worst hotel experience I have ever had in Athens and the worst I have had in 10 years. These are my answers to the Graduate's survey of my satisfaction, especially to the question: "What are something we could do better"? Some things to be done better. 1. Honor the rate I was offered through Booking.com. I was overcharged almost 200 dollars because the front desk did not honor that rate. The front desk even had trouble finding my reservation, insisting: first, that no reservation was under my name; then that even though, yeah, there it is, what with a confirmation number and all, that they only had us for one night over Booking.com and then could "offer us the room" for the second night at the hotel's rate.... Really. Classy. Gouging. 2. Make sure that the front desk is staffed with courteous and knowledgable people. They were neither courteous nor knowledgable. Sometimes, they were not even present; when I went to check out, no one was at the front desk, and no one who worked there seemed to want to address me. 3. Make sure that the custodial crew knows the hotel's amenities. We asked a room cleaner where the fitness center was, which, by the way, is in the dead center of the property, in a building in the middle of the parking lot. Even though she was looking right at the sign that said "fitness center," the room cleaner indicated she did not think the hotel even had one. Make sure that the room cleaners, when they clean rooms, do not take items and when they take, say, soap and cleaner, that they replace those items. It is really, really, really hard to wash hands when the cleaning crew removes the hand soap and does not replace it. 4. Make sure that when the cafe says they serve sandwiches, that they have the ingredients, equipment, and ability to make those sandwiches. We ordered a grilled cheese, a goddamn grilled cheese. The staff indicated a) that the drip tray to the panini machine went missing that morning (how, no one knows); but that b) they could warm it up on a skillet in the kitchen. They did that, and the sandwich came out uncooked. It was a GRILLED CHEESE that cost 8 dollars, and it was an uncooked stack of cold cheese and overly-buttered bread. What cook in what restaurant in the entire United States, let alone what adult human being, cannot cook a grilled cheese sandwich? Yet The Graduate Athens has at least two of these people, both of whom work in its kitchen. 5. Reinforce the walls. The walls are so thin that I could hear everything in the rooms surrounding mine. This became particularly pertinent at 2:00am Friday, March 6th, when a group of drunk teenagers was shouting outside my door. When I told them to stop, they didn't, but no staff, manager, or security personnel came to address the situation. Insane. If you don't want guests to suffer the noise of other people, build stronger walls that keep out the sound. 6. Assure that equipment and machinery are functional. Our room heater stopped working at 3am each morning, dropping the temperature of our room to 62 degrees. That's cold by any standard. A television in the fitness center, the only one facing the treadmill, could not receive a signal (although it could turn on). And the wifi dropped several times, when I was doing work. 7. Make sure that the restaurant has courteous staff. I was sitting at the bar, the only one in the whole Foundry bar area, watching a soccer match. One of the waitstaff, seeing me watch the game, went over and changed the station to something else... so that he could watch that. I told him, "you know, I was watching that," and with a sigh and a look of annoyance, he slowly changed the station back. read more

We had a lot of hiccups. First, we arranged our travel around the 3 p.m. check-in "guarantee," arriving at 4:15 so as not to have time to kill, after a long drive with a toddler. Our room wasn't ready. It was only another ten minutes or so for housekeeping to finish, but it wasn't a great start. I had called the week before to ask if a crib could be put in the room. They said it'd be no problem, which was great! When we got there, a Pack 'n Play playpen had been set up in the alcove...partially set up, anyway; I had to adjust it because one side wasn't locked, which is dangerous, but luckily I knew all about that because we have a Pack 'n Play at home. We didn't bring it with us because our son doesn't sleep in it (we've tried, but they are uncomfortable in the first place, he's a tall kid who doesn't have much room in there, and he hates being on the floor). We were planning on a crib. So I had brought a crib sheet, which doesn't fit a Pack 'n Play. Which is a shame, because there was no sheet provided. But it didn't matter, because the kid was never gonna sleep there anyway. I wish that when I called, they had said, "we don't have cribs but we can set up a Pack 'n Play for you," because I would have changed the sleeping arrangement. But since there was no contingency plan, the toddler "slept" in the bed with us. For anyone who has never slept with a toddler/human furnace who is used to his own space, I can tell you we were all very tired at the wedding we had traveled in for. We had reserved the room explicitly for four people, but arrived to find two coffee cups, two k-cups, two glasses, and empty shampoo and conditioner bottles. Housekeeping brought us what we needed, but we were surprised that we needed to ask. Small issue, but surprising. Each time we left our room and returned, our key cards didn't work. We had to walk back to the lobby every time (which is across the campus from our room, not in the same building--this is actually a motel, not a hotel). They reactivated the keys which then worked until the next time. Super weird, because there were three of us carrying the three keys so you'd think maybe only one of us would've had the fearsome power to destroy key cards, but nope. So that was an inconvenience. Also, I was surprised by the things that have been omitted. Like, they went to such trouble to print these huge portraits all over the TV cabinet that houses the fridge and a few shelves, and they hung custom wallpaper in the bathrooms, but there is no alarm clock and no dresser and no bathtub and only half a shower door. So the shower is cold and it floods and we couldn't give our toddler a bath and had to check our phones for the time. None of these things are deal breakers but they were all odd to me. All in all, the staff was polite to us, the wedding venue was nice and we had a warm bed to sleep in, but my stay at the hotel wasn't an experience I would necessarily choose to repeat. We changed our plans and drove straight home after the wedding. read more

The Graduate Athens is pure luxury and convenience. Theres a pool, music venue, restaurant, and cafe in the Lobby. Its proximity to downtown makes this an easy breezy way to get the job done in Athens, GA. Will definitely stay here again. read more

Quirky. Fun. Dog-friendly!! Staff very nice. Rooms have goofy local artifacts and are immaculate. We stayed an extra night because we liked it so much. read more

What a FANTASTIC place to house a wedding group. The staff was phenomenal! Our room was very clean and the public areas were so cute. We really had a great time. If only the pool were only open with the unexpected hot weather. Athens is a beautiful town and The Graduate Hotel fit right in. read more

The Graduate is a unique funky hotel. Very clean, excellent customer service. Downtown bars, shops and restaurants are within walking distance. Would definitely stay at the Graduate in the future. read more

My mom and I had a great time staying at this hotel. We loved the decor-a lot of thought had clearly been put into whoever the interior decorator is. It was fantastic to find a comfy and unique place to stay in this day and age of big box hotels!! The only thing blocking Graduate from getting five stars is that it smelled a little musty (windows couldn't be opened) and there was a dead cockroach sitting half in, half out in the exhaust pipe, directly over the toilet, which was subpar but typical for Georgia. That being said, we would definitely stay here again and would recommend it to friends! read more

This hotel is super chic and funky, which I greatly appreciate! Nothing stale and boring about this place. I appreciated the coffee shop down stairs in the lobby (where you can also grab a drink), it made mornings so much nicer. The grounds were beautiful (pool, spa, restaurant, rocking chairs under a gazebo- the list goes on), the room was gorgeous. Would highly recommend this hotel if you're going to be needing a place to stay in the area. Oh, and it's walking distance from downtown and the university, nice little bonus. ((AND FREE WIFI --- This speaks for itself, doesn't it?)) read more

This was one of the coolest hotels I've ever stayed in. The college theme is on point, especially the rooms AND you still get a great, quiet sleep. All of the staff was incredibly nice and everything was clean. The restaurant was good and reasonably priced and the coffee shop was open early the next morning. I would definately crash here the next time I'm in Athens. read more

What a pleasant surprise. Accommodations are unique, fun and comfortable. Staff is professional and pleasant to the point of trying to be a Four Seasons. Would like to see a little quirkiness and fun to reflect more of the property. Room was awesome. My only comment was that it was musty like my grandparent's house. Would definitely stay again and will look for their other properties when traveling. read more

Should be called a Motel... The door to your room is NOT inside a building, it opens directly to the outdoors. The lobby is severely lacking, no coffee, no refreshments. You cant even buy a coke in the lobby or in the hotel building. When I asked the lobby staff (Desk Staff) where to get a coffee, they directed me to a convenience store, that I could walk to just down the hill... Unbeknownst to me and my wife we would have to walk through a crowd of homeless people 10+ who congregate at an intersection between the Motel and the store we were directed to... The staff should know better than to send their guest into a dangerous situation and with no warning... They should have told us to drive... Our room looked nothing like the room pictured on the internet (was a lot smaller than pictured). I will not be staying here or at any Graduate "Motel/Hotel" ever again. Very Disappointed. Feel ripped off. read more

Concept is great...rooms are great! Pool was closed and gym was aweful...Front desk compt parking and 2 glasses of wine because of pool being closed...has a great concept just needs a little time to work out the kinks read more

Great hotel and venue in Athens. Have been numerous times for events but this past week was my first time ever utilizing the hotel. There are cheaper hotels in the area but none are as neat and eclectic as The Graduate. read more

We have stayed at the Graduate Athens before and have had a pretty good experience in the past. This visit, however, was very disappointing. We arrived late Friday night to find that our room had not been cleaned completely. There was a used bar of soap and no toilet paper in the bathroom. Who knows if the sheets were changed. We called about it in the morning and when we returned to our room at 4:30 it still hadn't been cleaned. Additionally, our room was freezing and when we tried to turn the heat on it set off the fire alarm. All around a very unfortunate experience. We payed Ritz Carlton prices for a Best Western experience. read more

This is my second stay at the Graduate this year so far. I am such a huge fan of this retro hotel! The retro decorations and fine touches really speak to me! If you are a fan of traditional, mundane hotel rooms that offer crappy continental breakfast options then you probably won't appreciate this place like I do (hence some of the negative reviews). Unlike, some of the previous reviews, my room has been exceptionally clean both times I have stayed here. If there was an issues of cleanliness in the past, it seems to have been rectified. This hotel does have a "motel" feel to it, but I appreciate it because it follows the "retro" theme of the place. There are no dumpy parking garages and you literally walk from your car straight to your room. I like this because I'm not having to haul my lugging a great distance. Aside from the atmosphere of this place, here are a few things I love about this place: the staff is super helpful, inviting, and friendly. The beds are some of the most comfortable hotel beds I've ever slept in! They have huge pillows that are top notch! I brought my own pillow (yes, I'm that person) and didn't end up using it because the pillows were just as great!! I appreciate the nice toiletry items they offer. The shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion are fabulous! They smell wonderful and work great! My husband has super sensitive skin and he absolutely loved the body wash and shampoo. The plus side, they didn't break him out! They really seem to have an upscale feel to them that aren't your traditional soap offerings at hotels. They provide cotton balls and the best fluffy, smell good towels and wash cloths EVER! They have a blow dryer that is normal size and isn't connected to the wall (hallelujah!). The toilet paper is great quality ( more than 1 ply!) it's not that traditional thin scratchy junk found in most hotels! It's cushiony and soft! The location of the hotel is great. It's within walking distance to every downtown eatery/ bar/ shop you would want to experience while in Athens. It's been raining while we are here and we have still walked to all of our locations with no regrets. Check the weather, if it shows rain in the forecast, simply bring some rain boots and a good Umbrella and your set! We have enjoyed exploring by foot, and we are glad we didn't let the rain deter us. Lastly, the hotel is located next to the Foundry. This is a bar, restaurant, and live concert hall all in one. When you stay at the Graduate, you get free admission to their shows and venues offered at the Foundry! We didn't eat at the Foundry, but we did attend a live concert, upon our arrival, which we thoroughly enjoyed. I love this hotel and will be back for future visits! Keep up the good work Graduate Athens!! read more

See all

My second time staying at The Graduate and I was once gain very pleased with the whole stay. The room and accommodations were excellent (kudos on having big fluffy towels) and the theme in the room was executed well. The front desk was particularly helpful and friendly, which makes all the difference in my hotel experience. Will be back. read more

New look for the old Foundry Park! Got a really hip retro vibe the the rooms and all the event spaces. Even down to the "rotary" dial phones and analogue clocks. Staff was super friendly and very accomodating. Requests for extra towels and an a/c check were met with happy and helpful staff who even changed out the a/c unit! Overall a very comfortable and different hotel stay that will make it tough to go back to one of the ole chains! read more

I was very excited to book this hotel for my parents as they were staying overnight in Athens for a concert. The signage for the hotel is not great as it took several turnarounds to find the hotel. Check-in was fine. The room was very musty, and the toiletries had not been refilled. There was no toilet paper or tissues, and the carpet was dirty. The shuttle service was a nice perk but the wait was 20+ minutes after the shuttle was requested. I'm disappointed in this hotel as the online reviews were much better than the actual experience. read more

The lobby, with some of the original Foundry brick walls & wooden rafters ca. 1850, is charming. While there is no complimentary breakfast, they have a Keurig in the room and a cafe off the lobby. The decor is lovely, with vintage college photos & Bulldogs. I'm sure it was not the norm, but when I turned the duvet down I found several pubic hairs, some little specks of who knows what, & a hand-sized brownish stain, all on the fitted sheet. The manager offered a new room, but we settled for clean linen as we'd already unpacked. No offer as yet for a lower rate. Everything else in the room seemed clean. read more

Sometimes, enough is enough. And then there are those times when way too much is just right. The Graduate is a place that illustrates the latter. Too much of the 70s school time theme, too much of the amenities in-room, and too much good hospitality. We really enjoyed the wide variety of "artworks", the live music venue and the high end toiletries and linens. Stay here. You'll enjoy it too. Oh, and if you're looking for a special venue, it appears they can help you out on that as well. read more

My three nights at The Graduate were nothing short of luxurious! I didn't want to leave my room! The decor was gorgeous and fun, the bed was plush, and the room kept me warm and toasty when it was cold outside! Everyone I interacted with was incredibly pleasant and helpful. I was offered a bike to rent at no cost and a shuttle service to downtown. The hotel has an event space/bar and coffee shop on site! I went to the coffee shop every morning for breakfast. The biscuits they served were crispy and perfect and the baristas were all great and had a lot of knowledge about coffee. They obviously put in a lot of care and attention to detail. Among everything else, the location was incredible. I was able to walk to the bars at night and jog throughout the downtown area in the day. I recommend anyone visiting Athens spend their visit at The Graduate hotel. I hope to be back soon! read more

My husband and I had a wonderful experience here, so with some of the other reviews, I wonder if we stayed in the same hotel. We were in room 102, and for two adults, it was perfect. I had the best night's sleep I'd had in a year, and the housekeeper, Lena, went out of her way to call me and let me know the brand/model of the mattress because I want one! The staff was excellent, very friendly interactions with Laura at the front desk, Flo, Angelica, and Jonathan drove us around town. Our room was very clean, and it was super quiet for the location and the hotel was packed full. There were no noise issues in our room, even from the street directly outside the window. I loved this place. Maybe it's a different experience room by room, but ours was great. read more

After arriving after 4 pm our room had not been cleaned. Waiting for over an hour they finally got our room done. Next day after leaving from 10 am to 4:30pm our room was not cleaned. We had to wait yet again for the services to be done and were shorted towels along with broken shower dispensers. The manager said he would try to do something and the charges are now $50 more than what the printed bill said it was going to be. Just another rip off small hotel that I will here no response back from. Stay here if you want to lose money read more

While the hotel amenities such as the bar and coffee house were nice, the first room we stayed in had a very strong mold/mildew smell and the air conditioner did not work. The on duty manager moved us to another room where the smell of mold/mildew was still there but not as strong. Not wanting to move a third time, we elected to stay in the room. Bad idea, smell became stronger through out the night. Notified management next day but no response. There are other hotels just as nice or nicer in same price range close by, will stay in one of those next time. read more

My son and friend stayed there it was his first time staying a way alone . The hotel personal was helpful with any question I had . We where able to communicate threw text with rapid response . Late check out was available . My son said room was comfortable and staff were friendly and professional. read more

Another reviewer put it best: They've put some effort in freshening up the rooms with a new and funky decor but underneath, it's still an old and dingy motel. What was the Foundry Park Inn for a long time (and possibly a different brand of motel even before that) got new paint, a newly decorated little lobby, and a refresh of the rooms. But new paint, some art on the walls, and a Keurig machine in every room can't make this not be an old motel. The only reason to stay here is if you are planning to see a show at the Foundry and want to be able to go directly back to your lodging without having to drive or take a taxi. Otherwise, this place is overpriced for what it is...a motel. I also found it a little unnerving to stay in a place where your door opens directly to the outside, on the edge of where downtown Athens meets seedier areas. Your car also has to sit in motel-style parking; no deck or controlled access to keep out non-guests. read more

Startlingly uneven service. Jesse, the night manager, was friendly and helpful. Whoever was on the front desk in the morning could not have cared less -- even after someone on the cleaning staff swiped my phone charger from my room. (It's the only explanation -- I got back to the room minutes after the bed had been stripped; the cleaning staff pretended not to be able to find the person who handled my room.) A competent front desk manager would have dealt with this in minutes. This woman (young, dark hair) simply didn't handle it at all, didn't talk to the cleaning staff, and didn't show the slightest concern. I ended up spending $25 on replacement cord and cube at CVS. Other problems: 1) the fan in the bathroom ran all night and there was no way to turn it off 2) when I returned to the room for the charger and saw the stripped bed, I noticed a large shit stain on the mattress cover. Eew. Room 254, for anyone interested. read more

Stayed over Christmas for 4 nights, pretty much had the whole hotel to ourselves. Request for room with tub was prompted granted upon check in. We were bummed that the lounge and restaurant were closed during our stay, so I can't review these, which sucks as I was looking forward to trying them. Lobby is cute, and the front desk person explained the history of the building. Hubby enjoyed his stay here as he was a UGA student years ago. Loved the room keys, family loved seeing them. Dorm room theme was super cute, and local Georgia touches. Felt like a hotel such as this would do quite well in Lawrence. Bed and chairs were comfortable. Room was very clean during our stay, although it appeared no one had vacuumed under the dresser in some time. Any requests for toiletries, extra coffee, etc, were promptly brought to the room. Slept like a baby with the window unit blasting away all night. Very quiet. Liked the Keurig and fridge in room, very handy, although fridge did not get very cold. All in all, enjoyed our stay here. read more

We have been staying at the Graduate 3 or 4 times per year for the past two years. Unfortunately there has been a continued drop in the level of service. At this point we will no longer stay here as the service is so bad. This trip, our rooms were dirty and worn. Both were out of soap and shampoo and it took two days and multiple requests to get them filled. When we asked for the fourth time, they sent someone who simply dropped off the bottles at the door but left the empty ones locked in the rack. They charge premium rates for an older property but without good service, there are much better option in Athens. read more

This place is AMAZING! My husband and I went here for our anniversary. The room is so cool with unique retro decor and super comfy bed. The room, food, and spa made for a perfect weekend getaway. We never had to leave the property and we had an awesome time. Highly recommend! read more

I had my wedding at The Graduate pavilion in July! It was a beautiful ceremony and the staff was so caring and kind. My bridesmaids and I stayed in two King suites behind the spa which were perfect and so comfy. A high school reunion was also staying on the property that weekend, they were a little drunken and rowdy but the hotel staff was sure to clear them out on a night they were loud so we could get our rest. Everyone we worked with was fabulous! I would recommend to anyone! read more