Graduate by Hilton, the global hospitality company’s university-anchored hotel brand, announced the opening of Graduate Princeton today.

Located on historic Nassau Street in the heart of downtown Princeton, directly opposite the campus of the ivy league university, the property has 180 guestrooms and a signature restaurant, Ye Tavern. The opening marks the first new hotel to open in Princeton in nearly 90 years—and only the second hotel in its historic downtown, nearly doubling the number of available hotel rooms in town.

“When we started Graduate ten years ago, Princeton was at the top of our list,” said Ben Weprin, founder, Graduate Hotels, and founder & chief executive officer, AJ Capital Partners. “The history, the heritage, the backdrop, the charm, the sophistication — it’s just the idea of what somebody envisions college looks like in America.”

Weprin’s firm, AJ Capital Partners, has restored, modernized, and expanded the 1918-era, Colonial Revival-style former university dormitory in partnership with architecture firm Stonehill Taylor.

Graduate Princeton’s interior design invites guests to immerse themselves in the local culture, lore, and traditions. Visitors will discover subtle references to the university and the town’s 275-year history throughout the hotel’s public spaces and guestrooms. Nods to influential alumni, local architecture, and storied traditions synonymous with the Princeton student experience inform every detail of the Graduate Princeton’s design.

Graduate Princeton’s Gothic-inspired lobby (shown top of post) is anchored by a hand-carved wooden reception desk flanked by four wooden statues of the school’s mascot, the Tiger. The two-story library-like lobby features floor tiles in Princeton’s signature black and orange, shelves filled with thousands of books and a collection of colorfully embroidered vintage Reunions Jackets, a 30-foot wooden study table, and the names of Princeton’s storied eating clubs painted in golf leaf on the library bookcases that frame the space.

On the opposite end of the lobby is Ye Tavern, Graduate Princeton’s signature bar and restaurant, named after a famous 1930s-era bar that once occupied the site. Ye Tavern takes design cues from its namesake: an intricately carved wooden bar—recalling the lancet windows found throughout campus—is a focal point of the space. Stone-topped banquets weave through the center of the space, punctuated by leather-top tables.

In the guestrooms, references to the university’s emblematic color palette are carried through, with orange-and-white seersucker drapes complemented by an apricot-hued carpet. Bedside lamps inspired by the Revolutionary War-era cannon buried behind Nassau Hall sit beside a bespoke, custom wood-carved bed frame featuring hand-drawn illustrations referencing the University’s annual Cane Spree — Princeton’s first organized intramural event dating back to the 1860s. Framed artwork above the desk in every guestroom references the storied traditions of the University. Guest bathrooms feature custom wallpaper inspired by the campus’ renowned arboretum, paired with a framed sketch by Albert Einstein, a reference to his time working for Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study.

“Graduate Princeton provides a welcoming environment for guests to discover the traditions, history and hidden gems that make it one of the most popular university towns in the country,” said Kevin Osterhaus, president, Global Lifestyle Brands, Hilton. “Continuing our reputation for delivering top-tier hospitality, Graduate Princeton is a stellar example of how the brand honors the unique stories of these neighborhoods and celebrates the passion and nostalgia that guests and fans feel when stepping through the doors of our hotels.”