Graduate Hotels—recently acquired by Hilton—has launched a 177-key hotel just steps from Alabama’s Auburn University.
Spanning nearly 140,000 square feet, the ground-up property occupies five floors and boasts 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Also onsite is the brand’s signature lobby study table; the War Eagle Supper Club, an indoor-outdoor rooftop bar and restaurant; and Bo Jackson’s Beans, a coffee shop and bar created in partnership with the sports legend and 1985 Auburn alum.
Honoring history at Graduate Auburn
Graduate by Hilton Auburn, AL draws inspiration from the community’s vibrant spirit as a storied university town, with an eclectic style that fuses Southern charm with modern sophistication.
Throughout the hotel, bespoke design elements reference local heroes, legends, and university traditions. For instance, a carved wooden statue of Bo Jackson anchors the namesake restaurant’s bar, while custom chandeliers made from footballs, baseball bats, and gloves in the communal workspace nod to the sports Jackson played professionally.
School pride defines the guestrooms
Guestrooms are rendered in a blend of gingham, stripes, and floral patterns in the Auburn University color palette. Eagle-inspired sconces reference the school’s “War Eagle” battle cry and custom headboards depicting an oak tree as a nod to the age-old tradition where fans would toilet-paper trees following an Auburn football win. Meanwhile, tiger print bolster pillows pay tribute to Auburn’s mascot.
The War Eagle Supper Club
At the War Eagle Supper Club, guests are welcomed into a nostalgic atmosphere thanks to warm paneling and intricate details like stained glass and cast brass accents.
The hotel also showcases a replica of the iconic slush bus—a repurposed school bus that, for years, transported students home from late nights at the War Eagle Supper Club, widely considered a rite of passage for generations of Auburn students.
“It was never about whether we wanted to be in Auburn, but always about finding the right site,” says Ben Weprin, founder of Graduate Hotels and CEO of AJ Capital Partners. “Every Graduate starts with the same foundation—research, tradition, and culture—but each outcome is totally different. For Auburn, the result is the physical manifestation of what it means to be an Auburn Tiger.”
The opening of Graduate Auburn marks the brand’s inaugural hotel in Alabama and its 35th property overall.
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