Graduate Hotels kicks off 2023 with the launch of its 33rd property: the Graduate Palo Alto. Located blocks away from Stanford University in the heart of the city’s downtown, the six-story, 100-key hotel occupies the site of the former Hotel President. Following an overhaul by AJ Capital Partners, the property now radiates Graduate’s signature whimsical sense of place through bold, layered décor inspired by the lore of the community.
“The hotel’s design was largely inspired by a 1958 photo of the Hotel President lobby, which reflects the Spanish Colonial architectural style evident throughout Graduate Palo Alto,” says AJ head of design Krissy Melendez. “We were able to maintain many original details in the restoration process.”
Numerous original flourishes were retained, including the lobby’s decorative ceiling beams, elevators, and signature terracotta floor tiles. The façade and entrance cove also convey the heritage of site. A rich, warm palette of colors and textures abounds, with ornate brass and wood accentuating new focal points.
The lobby is further punctuated by a handwoven tapestry inspired by California landscapes, as well as a gallery wall showcasing an eclectic range of vintage artwork depicting flora and fauna. Rounding out the lobby is all-day café Lou & Herbert’s, while the hotel’s former rooftop garden was reinvigorated as the Presidential Terrace, a cocktail and social hub.
Cozy, natural textures line each of Graduate Palo Alto’s accommodations, which frame vistas of Silicon Valley and are animated with photographs of the original Hotel President interiors. Ornate brass and wood headboards—echoing the custom carved wood in the lobby—are detailed with redwood silhouettes and quails, the state bird of California. Stanford alumni Sigourney Weaver and John McEnroe are also referenced in drawings, while artwork depicting literary alum John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men bond history and a sense of place across the stately chambers.
More from HD:
The Hotel Industry Enters the Metaverse
Want To Live in a Hotel? Branded Residences Make It Possible
Submissions Are Open for the 19th Annual HD Awards
