Graduate Providence

Brendan
11 months ago

We had our wedding at the Graduate Biltmore February 29, and I really wish Yelp allowed me to give them 6 stars. They were THAT fantastic. Elise is exactly the person you want helping you plan your magic day. She was organized, professional, very flexible, communicative and also laid back enough to minimize stress for planning such a large event. We had a unique and complex customized theme wedding that had many ways in which things could have gone wrong, but everything went perfectly thanks to the wonderful people at The Graduate. The staff at the Graduate in particular was thoughtful and extremely professional (they're unionized, it makes a difference!), and they were excellent with young children, they even improvised and helped entertain the kids when they were getting rowdy. So many of our guests commented to us how impressed they were by the venue and the top notch professionalism of the staff. And then there's the rooms! Obviously our room the bridal suite was a knockout, but we visited family in the regular rooms too and they were all excellent and surprisingly affordable and everyone was very happy. What a fantastic place, such a vastly better hotel experience than your typical corporate chain.

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Deanna
1 year ago

My review originally was not great because of some valid reasons (room was 85 degrees when I walked in, trash under the tv stand, broken vending and ice machines) but I'd like to acknowledge that they did attempt to rectify the situation now and I am much happier. Would go again.

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Jade
1 year ago

Horrible horrible don't do it. Just book the Omni feels creepy here I'm a parent of a student it's definitely not the same as when it was the Biltmore.

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Betty
1 year ago

I loved the old style of this hotel. Got a suite for a great price, and the room was really cute. Minus paying 50$ for parking, when valet was cheaper. That was my fault though

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Christie
1 year ago

I can't compare to the previous iteration, but I had a perfectly lovely stay at the Graduate. Our room was well-decorated and well-appointed, and our use of general hotel facilities provided everything I'd expect. Nothing really blew my mind, but it was good value and location, so I'd recommend it.

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Nick
1 year ago

Do yourself a favor and don't stay at this hotel; there are plenty right across the park. My 91 year old mother and I visited the area as my mother wanted to visit her home area one last time. We were looking forward to staying at this hotel as it was the old Hotel Biltmore where my mother remembered fondly holiday visits to the Biltmore. Our last visit was not a memory one wants to cherish. I called the hotel directly and inquired about handicap parking. The operator put me on hold to call the front desk and informed me that they had complimentary handicap parking in the garage next door. Upon check-in after parking the car in the garage, I asked the front desk to validate the parking and were told that my request was not something that they could accommodate. I was also told that the rooms had no heat as the building is an old building and that in the in-between seasons because of the piping structure, heat was not available. I asked for a heater and was sent a very small one which certainly did not heat the room. I asked to speak to the manager and did receive a call from Alexander who would not accommodate in any way, not even a complimentary breakfast which would have been appropriate in my mind and not have cost the hotel much. Further, I asked to speak with the general manager Scott Williams and never received a call. Lastly, the rooms were not up to par – the towel rack in the bathroom was broken, hardware for pictures on the wall, but no picture.

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Christian
1 year ago

When I checked in I was excited about my room. What a cute place. Everything was fine for 5 days until the weekend started and I realized my bed is directly under the dance floor. I honestly don't understand why they'd put anyone not attending those parties on the 16th floor at all.

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Samuel
1 year ago

Average hotel at best. Elevators were super slow even though there's 4 of them. The bathroom for the suite was tiny. Only 1 person can fit in the bathroom at once. Our bathtub was also clogged so when we showered, the water didn't down. Yuck!! We called the front desk but no one stopped by to fix it.

The coffee/small food place downstairs is sad. Overpriced and the food was not fresh. The location is the best thing about this hotel.

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Brad
1 year ago

This place used to be the Biltmore hotel months and it's turned into a real dump. The first room they gave me the bedsheets were full of human hairs they obviously had not been changed the rugs were dirty and dust on the most everything. I went to change rooms and they didn't like it but they changed it another crappy little room they gave me. They advertise that you'll do better if you book directly with the hotel instead of a third-party that's not true don't pay extra use Hotwire or something else because you're still going to get a piece of crap room no matter what the rate. This hotel is for 20 somethings only it's a party hotel there was noise and banging and screaming in the hallways if you're over the age of 20 don't waste your time at this hotel go to a grown-up hotel. Even the manager was 22 or 23 I think and did not possess the wisdom of the ages if you know what I mean. Once again I reiterate very strongly stay away from this hotel You'll

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Emma
1 year ago

What a cute place in Downtown Providence. The room was spacious and comfortable for 4 people. It was close to the Dunkin' Donuts Center which made things very convenient! Loved the decor. They do have Valet service for $35 and it was quick as well. Cute little cafe in the lobby with good coffee and a selection of muffins etc.

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Kasey
1 year ago

The graduate lives up to its name. I felt like I was in a bad college dorm. They need to work on the amenities for the price they charge. While I understand they're in transition they need to work on the staff to be more responsive.

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Leonard
1 year ago

Tired, rundown, no bar / restaurant etc.
Staff was so so and overall a sub par higher end hotel. Won't be staying at again.

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Dayna
1 year ago

I recently stayed here for a conference, and not only is the Graduate in a great location for that, but it's close to a lot of great restaurants and shopping as well. The Italian district is only a few minutes' walk, as is a fun and funky downtown area. There is also a mall a few blocks away with several chain stores and restaurants.

The rooms are very comfortable, and the toiletries all smell fantastic! The lobby or mezzanine are great places to hang out in, with lots of eclectic chairs and sofas. The entire place is just very stylish, comfortable, and welcoming.

The in-house coffee shop is a fun place to grab some caffeine or drinks. I used the fitness center several times, and while small, it's got plenty of cardio and weight equipment.

I will definitely stay here next time I'm in town, and I'll be sure to check out other Graduate properties when I travel.

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Janelle
1 year ago

Unfortunately my stay here did not live up to my expectations. Despite aesthetics being on point (that gorgeous lobby!), ultimately the corners that were cut (no heat, no robes, unprofessional reception staff) made for a less than satisfactory stay.

Upon arrival, I should have known things weren't cool as soon as we got to the check-in area and received a lackluster greeting (actually no greeting at all) and then when we went up to one of the girls there, she barely said anything as she looked up our reservation). And then things went downhill from there as she asked us if we had stayed there before. "No," I replied. Along with telling us that there is no restaurant (we overhead the other reception gal tell a customer "we're looking for one," huh?) but that we could order what was basically take out from an area restaurant (at room service prices), she then proceeded to tell us that the hotel was currently in "cooling mode." What is cooling mode? Basically it meant the heat hadn't been turned on yet. It was October 4 in New England. I wonder when they turn the heat on? Not only that, but the AC would be on, she warned us, but if we wanted, she could send someone to shut if off.

Confident that we could handle shutting off the AC, we made our journey upstairs through the stately lobby to the elevator to our room. The room was fine… but cold. We did manage to turn off the AC. Mind you, it was in the upper 50s. I'm flabbergasted as to why the housekeeping staff didn't turn off the AC after cleaning the room? It's such an absurd waste of energy.

I'm not going to say I hated our room. I just hated being cold. I hated not having a bathrobe to keep me warm after I got out of the shower. Let's just say the temperature of the room was cold enough that I couldn't wait to leave (luckily we were only here one night).

You can see that a lot of people are complaining about the temperature of the hotel, whether too hot or too cold. Clearly this property needs to get it together, or offer some kind of amenity to make up for it. Note: I can't think of any amenity to make it worth staying in a hotel without heat or AC. It's unacceptable. Not to mention that they need to hire adequate reception staff. We arrived at the hotel late enough to be buzzed in and the woman working behind the desk didn't even look up at us.

I won't be returning. Even if they do have a Peloton bike in their gym!

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Rex
1 year ago

The decor of this hotel is very cute. However, there are significant downsides.
A. There is no AC in the rooms, and the bedsheets trap a lot of heat. Eventually I just cracked the window open and slept without blankets.
B. I forgot to pack toothpaste, and I figured they would offer a small complementary toothpaste (like most decent hotels do). When I called the front desk, however, they said that they did not provide any toothpaste.
C. When I tried to check out, there was no one at the front desk. After about 10 minutes of waiting, I had to track down an employee to alert the front desk. Very unprofessional.

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Judy
1 year ago

Most expensive miserable night I've ever had in my life. The room was over 350$ and there was no, I repeat no heat. There was also no hot water for a shower when I awoke a 3:30 am to get ready for my flight. I was, in no uncertain terms, disappointed.

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Lashonda
1 year ago

So first time chillin in Providence and stayed at this hotel. The room was DOPE in terms of interior design and it's pet friendly, which was even better. The hotel is located near everything as Providence is small.

A few things that were somewhat an inconvenience: no room service which there are times when u just need it. There is a cafe but service was slow although the staff was very nice. Second, there are no utensils in the suites which can be useful when u bring food back to your room and need to feed your pets. I'll take plastic utensils, I am not picky but come on. No minibar which is helpful if you may be nursing a slight hangover or if you just need a little sip of anything… lol

The shower leaked onto the floor which was dangerous. The bathroom door went right up against the toilet which made it a bit difficult. The cleaning staff was so nice.

All in all, I would stay again bc the issues I had were very minor.

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Corey
1 year ago

Nice hotel in down town providence. There is no parking so you will need to pay like $30 to park at the valley. Way too much for a valley parking at a hotel you are staying in anyway! Add to that the the room is not cheap at all (more than $200). And you find the hotel is not cheap. Yes, great location. But rooms are not big as cool as the hotel is. If you care about location only, this is the hotel for you. If you want a room that will also be fun and just a little big, think again.
Will I come back here? Can't say for sure.

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Billy
1 year ago

Not worth the money at all. This is not a hotel I would recommend.

Upon check-in we were initially impressed by our room. The new decor is very nice and the theming is tasteful. After a few minutes it became clear that this hotel needs more than just the recent refurbishing. The A/C in our room was not working. Over 2 days the coolest we could get the room was 74F after starting at 80F. This was not an isolated incident as others we were staying with had the same experience. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the hallways and lobby are not air conditioned either. The entire hotel just felt humid and hot.

Amenities at this hotel are non-existent. Parking is not included in your room rate. You can pay for the garage around the corner or pay the hotel valet around $22 a day. Be warned, the valet can take around 20 minutes if it is busy. The on-site cafe is useless. They serve pre-packaged salads and parfaits and on one morning they ran out of coffee at 8am. Just go to Dunkin' or the the nearby 7-11 but be warned, the neighborhood isn't that great.

You may not get the cool decor and hip vibe but you can do much better for your money. This area has plenty of hotels.

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Don
1 year ago

We had a fabulous stay at the Graduate. It has a fun hip vibe but the history and beautiful architecture of the old Biltmore Hotel remains. Our room was HUGE and extremely comfortable. All the staff we encountered were exceptionally helpful and friendly. We loved Cafe Poindexter for breakfast and the PVD donuts!!!

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Alvin
1 year ago

Love this hotel!! Quirky! Beautiful views including a view of the Capital!! The ballroom is whimsical & fairytalish! Highly recommend! Kiel has been amazingly helpful with suggestions.

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Dale
1 year ago

Valet was the best part, everyone in valet was nice and very attentive….now the hotel….my wife had made reservations almost a month prior to our stay…the day of we call to confirm and nothing. But we were told we would be taken care of. Get there and tell the clerk what happened and the response was..well it happens but we will take care of it…great….get everything situated get up to our room and it is 74 degrees….set the thermostat to 50 and proceed to use the bathroom to get ready for dinner….bathroom is super small..but in fairness very clean….my wife and I go to dinner at 730 and was there well over an hour…get back to our room….It is now 73 degrees…for what it's worth the bed was comfortable but that was about it….

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Adrianne
1 year ago

Such a beautiful hotel, friendly staff. 24 hour gym.

There is a slightly cheaper carpark across the road if you're driving.

Walkable to everywhere in providence and THE most comfortable beds of our US trip.

The toiletries are high quality and the rooms are spacious.

The only thing lacking was a dressing gown but that is definitely not make or break.

The loss of a star for top marks isn't really the hotels fault. The area at night is quite high on homeless people in the nearby bus stop and park. It can make it feel a little daunting which then leads to guilt.

Tip: read about the hotels history it's super interesting (or not – depends on your superstition and how deep you dig)

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Taryn
1 year ago

This was such a fun, kitschy hotel! The location is in perfect proximity to the train station and Capitol and the riverwalk is close by with wonderful restaurants and bars. The staff was very friendly and accomodating and the room was very spacious. We would definitely stay here again!

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Celina
1 year ago

Neat spot! Location is perfect for exploring the prettiest parts of providence. The hotel has executed their 'theme' well and we enjoyed the eclectic mix of paintings and decor. We upgraded to a king suite and it was great. Huge closet and wonderful beds and linens. Staff was friendly and helpful. It still shocks me to pay $250 a night in providence but I will have to get over it! We will be back soon.
Only downside is no bar at hotel. There are many in the surrounding blocks however and we loved The Eddy in particular.

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