Graduate by Hilton Knoxville

The rooms were nice, but the price was higher than staying at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta. I’m fine paying that kind of rate for good service, but this place fell well short, and the value just isn’t there. I don’t recommend it. I was looking forward to this hotel because it’s affiliated with Peyton Manning, but getting there was a challenge. The entrance is awkward and parking is very limited. When I arrived, I opened my door and trunk and waited for help from one of the three young men standing at the entrance. Nobody came to help with our luggage. There were three of us in the family with several bags, so we loaded the cart ourselves and took everything up to the room. The employees were just standing around instead of doing what seemed to be their job.

The $40 nightly valet fee was mandatory and unexpected. I can’t imagine what it costs during football weekends, and there was a lot of street noise on a busy night. On the plus side, the location was great, the rooms were quaint, and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the saloon and the nostalgia.

The decor was really cute, and it was convenient to walk to the university. My room was spacious and clean, though I found stains on the bed. I always pull up the sheets to check for bed bugs, and there weren’t any. Luckily there were two beds, so I used the other one. It was also hard to get soap. After reading some of the other reviews, I feel lucky with my stay.

Update: Leadership got in touch and offered a suitable remedy for the disappointing stay. A bad experience matters, but so does how people try to make it right. This was my third stay at The Graduate, a Hilton property. The boiler had problems all weekend, which meant no showers for the entire stay. I was in town at UTK to lead a workshop, and personal hygiene is important for professionalism. A shower is how I get ready for the day or unwind after a long day of leading engaging learning. Hotel leadership hadn’t contacted me at the time. The front desk staff were kind, but offered complimentary breakfast, which wasn’t useful because I don’t eat breakfast and didn’t make up for losing a basic reason people stay in hotels. If you’re coming to town, I’d suggest checking that the boiler is working. The rooms are intimately sized, with mini fridges, and have a kitschy style.