We loved staying at the Graduate, but the Food Hall bar/restaurant is nothing to brag about. Service is very good though with very friendly servers and bartender. What's with the name? Food Hall? really? Come on be more imaginative! the menu is small, limited options. I had the Boursin Burger, good but too much meat, couldn't eat it all. My wife had the Crispy Chicken Sandwich which she said the center of the chicken looked bad, grayish looking. Drinks are good though. Frequented by a lot of college students when we were there. It does have a nice vibe.
Vera C.
I booked due to apt at hospital. I booked for the 14 th of Feb. We had a great check in and prior to that a great experience with internet conversations and phone. After getting our room we decided to go get some lunch. We were directed across the breeze way where collage students study, got a couple burgers and soda this was good but very pricey. Took it to go went back to our room and took a nap. The roo. Is nice but very uncomfortable. Worst nap I have ever had woke up with the worst neck and head ache. It was a rainy dayso we sat in our room untill dinner. Went back to the same place to get dinner and got to ceaser salads with chicken, not edible and that was another 42 dollars. Weny back to our room and watched tv do to nothing to do unless you want to hang in the bars. Went tobed and got about two hours sleep. The pillows were so bad you cant sleep. Every time we asked where the dinning room was we got directed to the restraunts across the hall. Wrst night ever will not stay again
Mary Kirk
We had great service and great food. I ate there with my brother and husband and we all enjoyed our food. Noah was our bartender and server. He was excellent! Highly recommend!
Al H.
An extra star for the location. When I checked in, they gave me a room that was not cleaned, beds not made, towels on the bathroom floor, etc. After being gone all day, ai come back at 8 pm to find beds not made, towels not replaced, etc. Upon inquiry at the front desk, I was told that "due to COVID" they don't clean rooms unless requested. I have stayed in many hotels in the last 6 months where this never happened, and most of which charge far less. Using COVID as an excuse for poor service at this point is just an excuse to not be willing to pay staff what they deserve to run your business properly. Never staying at another Graduate again.
Thomas Evers
Hit or miss. You can have a great bartender one night. The next you’ll have a bartender that won’t acknowledge you are there even though you are the only person at the bar. I never got a chance to try the food for that fact.
Travis Heck
A ghost kitchen that gives you the best of many worlds. It’s definitely a great play to grab a drink and enjoy the lodge vibes.
Barbara D.
Loved the decor but the new staff at the front desk needs more training on communication and etiquette. The cleanliness of the hotel appeared ok from first glance but if you take a minute to notice there was dirt pushed into corners and the upkeep of existing decor was non existent. An example would be in the cafe where the decor included thousands of pencils glued to the wall with many blank spots where the pencils were removed by patrons I'm guessing? The balcony to overlook the plaza by the gym was in left in disarray with trash left on the tables and chairs moved all around. Gave the impression that detail was not important. I was looking forward to trying out the new "Foodhall" but a large group took over the bar area to have a business meeting which blocked our entrance to the rest of the establishment for my family to enjoy a meal after traveling. Bar staff was not helpful in knowing how to accommodate so we had to look elsewhere. We requested a bottle of wine for our room when we booked the room however there was no key available to open the bottle. Had to seek it out with the front desk staff. When problems arise one after the other it is difficult to enjoy where you are. I would not recommend this location.
Brian R.
Easy plus: location is great. The coffee shop next door is solid although great coffee abounds in Iowa city. Rooms are fine - decor is dated but interesting if you're into Field of Dreams. Worst thing is the housekeeping is only ON DEMAND meaning you have to request it or no one comes to your room - and this fact was not mentioned to anyone upon check in (this must be intentional - so no one gets housekeeping on day one of your stay). We requested housekeeping for day 2 and they just wiffed again. So three full days and nights here and no beds made or clean towels. Super uncool. Worse than a motel 6 on that front.
Lyle O.
Stylish, comfy rooms, a hip vibe, and friendly staff make the Graduate a great choice in Iowa City. The property was probably a Holiday Inn or something of the sort before its exemplary makeover, so don't come expecting high luxury. But the style and the attitude more than make up for it. My only gripe is the noise outside my room. A construction project started at 7am with lots of banging and beeping. Not great after a late travel night. But it's a temporary situation, so maybe next time I'll give them 5 stars.
A S.
One of the best hotels I have been to in a long while. Very friendly staff. Unique decorations. Big room with everything you need. Free coffee from coffee place downstairs. Great location. I'm going to try and stay in this chain of hotels whenever I travel anywhere.
Ordered online. The food was cold by the time it was delivered and I was missing half of my order, which was about $20 worth of food. I called and spoke to a manager and was told they would NOT give me my missing food NOR would they offer me a refund for the missing items. So incredibly disappointed.
S H.
I called the Graduate 800 number to book a last minute room. The online rate was showing $99 a night online. It was a Sunday night off season. When we tried to book it over the phone the rate went up to $200- I explained the online rate at the graduate website showed $99 a night. The customer service rep stated they couldn't match the rate- if we wanted a lower rate than we should book online. When my son checked in, he was given a dirty room with sheets on the floor and wet towels. NASTY!!!! The hotel was empty how is something like this missed. VERY DISAPPOINTED
Marianne W.
We stayed here because of zero degree weather. They advertise a lounge/ restaurant. This way we would not need to go out into the cold. When we arrived we found out the restaurant was closed for a private party. Oh well, we will have to brave the cold. Then we walked in the room only to find a bathroom so small you can barely turn around and cold air was blowing in from the vent. We turned the heat up in the room and left for a frigid walk to eat with wind chills-14 degrees. Only to return to a room that was cold. The heat would work for awhile, thought we had it handled. woke up to 59 degree temperature and would only get up to 61. The bathroom was so cold I turned on the shower and closed the door so it would steam up. The staff did not ask how my stay was as I checked out. I think I know why. Will not return. It's too bad! A good location and an interesting decor but that's it!
Ryan P.
This annoyed me enough for it to be the reason I actually write my first review. After driving 12 hours, I was looking forward to a good nights sleep and to sleep in. However, no one at the hotel informed me of the construction that would be happening directly next to my window in the lot over. So I was awoken to the cranes and trucks around 645am. Now this is why I'm writing the review. When I came to check out and let the front desk person know of how disappointing the construction situation was and that no one informed me, she literally said nothing. Complete silence. No apologies, no let me cover this 14$ parking even though you haven't even been here for 12 hours yet or even a let me inform the staff for next time, when the next person comes. When I inquired to why she was ignoring me she said it was because she was trying to concentrate on checking me out. Honestly absurd. Cute hotel but front desk team could really use some help.
Elizabeth L.
What a lovely surprise! Booked last min on a cross country drive and got a great price. Jonathan working at the front desk was so nice and helpful. The decor was impeccable. Shower bed and pillows were all extremely comfortable. Such a fun idea for college towns!
We loved staying at the Graduate, but the Food Hall bar/restaurant is nothing to brag about. Service is very good though with very friendly servers and bartender. What's with the name? Food Hall? really? Come on be more imaginative! the menu is small, limited options. I had the Boursin Burger, good but too much meat, couldn't eat it all. My wife had the Crispy Chicken Sandwich which she said the center of the chicken looked bad, grayish looking. Drinks are good though. Frequented by a lot of college students when we were there. It does have a nice vibe.
I booked due to apt at hospital. I booked for the 14 th of Feb. We had a great check in and prior to that a great experience with internet conversations and phone. After getting our room we decided to go get some lunch. We were directed across the breeze way where collage students study, got a couple burgers and soda this was good but very pricey. Took it to go went back to our room and took a nap. The roo. Is nice but very uncomfortable. Worst nap I have ever had woke up with the worst neck and head ache. It was a rainy dayso we sat in our room untill dinner. Went back to the same place to get dinner and got to ceaser salads with chicken, not edible and that was another 42 dollars. Weny back to our room and watched tv do to nothing to do unless you want to hang in the bars. Went tobed and got about two hours sleep. The pillows were so bad you cant sleep. Every time we asked where the dinning room was we got directed to the restraunts across the hall. Wrst night ever will not stay again
We had great service and great food. I ate there with my brother and husband and we all enjoyed our food. Noah was our bartender and server. He was excellent! Highly recommend!
An extra star for the location. When I checked in, they gave me a room that was not cleaned, beds not made, towels on the bathroom floor, etc. After being gone all day, ai come back at 8 pm to find beds not made, towels not replaced, etc. Upon inquiry at the front desk, I was told that "due to COVID" they don't clean rooms unless requested. I have stayed in many hotels in the last 6 months where this never happened, and most of which charge far less. Using COVID as an excuse for poor service at this point is just an excuse to not be willing to pay staff what they deserve to run your business properly. Never staying at another Graduate again.
Hit or miss. You can have a great bartender one night. The next you’ll have a bartender that won’t acknowledge you are there even though you are the only person at the bar. I never got a chance to try the food for that fact.
A ghost kitchen that gives you the best of many worlds. It’s definitely a great play to grab a drink and enjoy the lodge vibes.
Loved the decor but the new staff at the front desk needs more training on communication and etiquette. The cleanliness of the hotel appeared ok from first glance but if you take a minute to notice there was dirt pushed into corners and the upkeep of existing decor was non existent. An example would be in the cafe where the decor included thousands of pencils glued to the wall with many blank spots where the pencils were removed by patrons I'm guessing? The balcony to overlook the plaza by the gym was in left in disarray with trash left on the tables and chairs moved all around. Gave the impression that detail was not important. I was looking forward to trying out the new "Foodhall" but a large group took over the bar area to have a business meeting which blocked our entrance to the rest of the establishment for my family to enjoy a meal after traveling. Bar staff was not helpful in knowing how to accommodate so we had to look elsewhere. We requested a bottle of wine for our room when we booked the room however there was no key available to open the bottle. Had to seek it out with the front desk staff. When problems arise one after the other it is difficult to enjoy where you are. I would not recommend this location.
Easy plus: location is great. The coffee shop next door is solid although great coffee abounds in Iowa city. Rooms are fine - decor is dated but interesting if you're into Field of Dreams. Worst thing is the housekeeping is only ON DEMAND meaning you have to request it or no one comes to your room - and this fact was not mentioned to anyone upon check in (this must be intentional - so no one gets housekeeping on day one of your stay). We requested housekeeping for day 2 and they just wiffed again. So three full days and nights here and no beds made or clean towels. Super uncool. Worse than a motel 6 on that front.
Stylish, comfy rooms, a hip vibe, and friendly staff make the Graduate a great choice in Iowa City. The property was probably a Holiday Inn or something of the sort before its exemplary makeover, so don't come expecting high luxury. But the style and the attitude more than make up for it. My only gripe is the noise outside my room. A construction project started at 7am with lots of banging and beeping. Not great after a late travel night. But it's a temporary situation, so maybe next time I'll give them 5 stars.
One of the best hotels I have been to in a long while. Very friendly staff. Unique decorations. Big room with everything you need. Free coffee from coffee place downstairs. Great location. I'm going to try and stay in this chain of hotels whenever I travel anywhere.
Restaurantji Recommends
Ordered online. The food was cold by the time it was delivered and I was missing half of my order, which was about $20 worth of food. I called and spoke to a manager and was told they would NOT give me my missing food NOR would they offer me a refund for the missing items. So incredibly disappointed.
I called the Graduate 800 number to book a last minute room. The online rate was showing $99 a night online. It was a Sunday night off season. When we tried to book it over the phone the rate went up to $200- I explained the online rate at the graduate website showed $99 a night. The customer service rep stated they couldn't match the rate- if we wanted a lower rate than we should book online. When my son checked in, he was given a dirty room with sheets on the floor and wet towels. NASTY!!!! The hotel was empty how is something like this missed. VERY DISAPPOINTED
We stayed here because of zero degree weather. They advertise a lounge/ restaurant. This way we would not need to go out into the cold. When we arrived we found out the restaurant was closed for a private party. Oh well, we will have to brave the cold. Then we walked in the room only to find a bathroom so small you can barely turn around and cold air was blowing in from the vent. We turned the heat up in the room and left for a frigid walk to eat with wind chills-14 degrees. Only to return to a room that was cold. The heat would work for awhile, thought we had it handled. woke up to 59 degree temperature and would only get up to 61. The bathroom was so cold I turned on the shower and closed the door so it would steam up. The staff did not ask how my stay was as I checked out. I think I know why. Will not return. It's too bad! A good location and an interesting decor but that's it!
This annoyed me enough for it to be the reason I actually write my first review. After driving 12 hours, I was looking forward to a good nights sleep and to sleep in. However, no one at the hotel informed me of the construction that would be happening directly next to my window in the lot over. So I was awoken to the cranes and trucks around 645am. Now this is why I'm writing the review. When I came to check out and let the front desk person know of how disappointing the construction situation was and that no one informed me, she literally said nothing. Complete silence. No apologies, no let me cover this 14$ parking even though you haven't even been here for 12 hours yet or even a let me inform the staff for next time, when the next person comes. When I inquired to why she was ignoring me she said it was because she was trying to concentrate on checking me out. Honestly absurd. Cute hotel but front desk team could really use some help.
What a lovely surprise! Booked last min on a cross country drive and got a great price. Jonathan working at the front desk was so nice and helpful. The decor was impeccable. Shower bed and pillows were all extremely comfortable. Such a fun idea for college towns!