Hilton acquires Graduate Hotels for $210M

Published 2:15 pm Friday, March 15, 2024

The Graduate Hotel in Oxford will soon be a part of the Hilton group.

Hilton recently announced an agreement with Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners (AJ Capital) to acquire the fan-favorite Graduate Hotels brand, adding a significant growth opportunity for the global hospitality leader in the fast-growing lifestyle hotel market.

Hilton will pay $210 million to acquire all rights to the Graduate brand worldwide, enter into franchise agreements for all existing and signed pipeline Graduate Hotels, and become responsible for the brand’s future development and growth.

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AJ Capital will remain the owner of the more than 35 operating and pipeline Graduate properties, each of which will be operated under long-term Hilton franchise agreements.

“Adding Graduate Hotels to our portfolio of award-winning brands accelerates our expansion in the lifestyle space by pairing an existing much-loved brand with the power of Hilton’s strong commercial engine to drive growth,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton.

The addition of Graduate Hotels to Hilton’s global portfolio will offer millions of travelers access to unparalleled hospitality in their favorite university towns. Each Graduate hotel – steeped in local history, charm and nostalgia – is thoughtfully designed to reflect the unique character of its local university, offering the perfect setting for gamedays, reunions, graduations, campus visits and more.

Since its inception in 2014, the brand has grown to span the United States and the United Kingdom, including locations in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Knoxville, Tennessee; Palo Alto, California; State College, Pennsylvania; and Oxford and Cambridge, United Kingdom, with new hotels opening soon in Austin and Dallas, Texas; Auburn, Alabama; and Princeton, New Jersey.

The Graduate Hotel in Oxford was built in 2015 and is located where the old Downtown Inn stood for many years until it was demolished in 2013.