9 Boutique Hotels in College Towns

Luxury stays for parents of college kids.
The Roxy Hotel

The Roxy Hotel

Photo by: The Roxy Hotel

The Roxy Hotel

Between orientation and graduation, parents spend a lot of time visiting their college kids. These boutique hotels are close to schools and universities, and many offer luxurious rooms, courtesy shuttle service, discounts or other amenities. Warning: your student may desert his dorm when you're in town.

The Roxy Hotel, New York, N.Y.

The Roxy, between SoHo and Tribeca, is a jumping off point for St. John’s University campuses, New York Law School and more. It’s also close to chic shops, art galleries, wine bars and exclusive restaurants and clubs. Let your student bunk with you in a premium room, where you can enjoy Marshall Bluetooth speakers and Teac turntables, complete with a set of vinyl records chosen by the in-house DJ/Music Director. Complimentary bikes are available, if you want to scoot around.

 Hotel Commonwealth

Hotel Commonwealth

Photo by: Hotel Commonwealth

Hotel Commonwealth

Hotel Commonwealth, Boston, Massachusetts

This hotel likes to say it’s just a “long fly ball” from Boston’s Fenway Park. It’s also near Northeastern University, Simmons College, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Emerson College and Boston University, among others.

 Hotel Commonwealth

Hotel Commonwealth

Photo by: Hotel Commonwealth

Hotel Commonwealth

Signature suites include the Fenway Park Suite (after all, this is the official hotel of the Boston Red Sox) and Terrier Suite (for the Boston U. Terriers). Great dining and shopping are close by, in Kenmore Square.

Savannah Mansion at Forsyth

Savannah Mansion at Forsyth

Photo by: VisitSavannah.com

VisitSavannah.com

The Mansion on Forsyth Park, Savannah, Georgia

Book a room at the Mansion on Forsyth Park, in the heart of historic Savannah, and you'll be near various SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) venues around town. Renovated and reopened in 2005 by Savannah art collector Richard Kessler, this boutique hotel has a AAA-Four Diamond rating and Southern charm. Take your own class while you’re here, and create a gourmet dish in the hotel’s state-of-the-art kitchen, or just browse original works of art in the on-site Grand Bohemian Gallery.

 21c Museum Hotel

21c Museum Hotel

Photo by: 21c Museum Hotel

21c Museum Hotel

21c Museum Hotel, Lexington, Kentucky

Just a half mile from the University of Kentucky campus, 21c Museum Hotel opened in February 2016. It’s a combination 88-room property, contemporary art museum, restaurant and cultural center, all located in Lexington’s historic, 103-year-old First National Bank Building.

 21c Museum Hotel

21c Museum Hotel

Photo by: 21c Museum Hotel

21c Museum Hotel

Its Game Day Package includes free valet parking and two beers and snacks at the onsite restaurant, Lockbox, where multiple TVs let you keep an eye on the score. You’ll also get a ceramic blue penguin, the hotel’s mascot, to take home--or give to your student to snazz up her dorm.

Ivy Court Inn & Suites 

Ivy Court Inn & Suites 

Photo by: Gary Riggs Photography

Gary Riggs Photography

Ivy Court Inn & Suites, South Bend, Indiana

Ivy Court sits on the southeast corner of the University of Notre Dame campus, and you can't get much closer to your student's school than that. From the inn, you can see the football stadium, the library (with its so-called "Touchdown Jesus" mural) and the basilica. Rent a bike and grab a campus map for a self-guided tour, or walk to a variety of surrounding restaurants and shops; you don’t need a car. Enjoy the ACC Lounge and daily made-from-scratch breakfast, included in the price of your room. In the fall, football fans tailgate around the hotel, which hosts a pre-game radio broadcast on Saturday mornings.

Graduate, Seattle, Washington

This art-deco inspired property aims to accommodate parents visiting their kids at the University of Washington as well as alums (as the name implies) of the university. The "Welcome to Your New Home" package offers 20 percent off your stay, complimentary parking and free coffee. All UW guests and parents can request the “UW Visitor Rate", which provides a 20 percent discount off the hotel’s best available rate. If you’re a UW grad, ask for the UW Alumni Association rate. It offers a discount and contributes $5 to the Association. Graduate is in the University district, just two blocks from campus.

Photo by: Hotel Providence

Hotel Providence

Hotel Providence, Providence, R.I.

Providence is a true college town, home to Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence College, Rhode Island College and Johnson & Wales University. Ask for the College Parent VIP Program; you can join for up to four years to receive complimentary suite upgrades, double Stash Hotel reward points, two complimentary drinks per stay, discounts at certain downtown businesses and a welcome amenity. Best of all, it guarantees you’ll get a room on every parent weekend and graduation weekend. The hotel features an arts and literature theme, with suites named after New England authors, and it’s in the heart of the art and theater district.

 One Aldwych Hotel Lobby

One Aldwych Hotel Lobby

Photo by: One Aldwych

One Aldwych

One Aldwych, London, England

Is your student overseas? One Aldwych is an ideal base for visiting the London School of Economics, King’s College London, University College London and the Courtauld Institute of Art.

 One Aldwych Swimming Pool

One Aldwych Swimming Pool

Photo by: One Aldwych

One Aldwych

This contemporary hotel sits in the heart of Covent Garden, so during your free time, you can enjoy fine dining, world-class art galleries and museums, elegant shops, the Royal Opera House and much more. Reserve a two-bedroom suite, and get a free child’s bedroom for your student’s younger siblings. Don't miss the chlorine-free swimming pool, which boasts mood lighting and underwater music.

Dinah's Garden Hotel

Dinah's Garden Hotel

Photo by: JohnValentiPhotography.com

JohnValentiPhotography.com

Dinah’s Garden Hotel, Palo Alto, California

Stanford University is just three miles from Dinah’s Garden Hotel, built in 1957 and furnished with re-purposed pieces collected from Asia, Africa and India. The hotel has a residential, boutique feel, thanks to its tropical gardens, heated swimming pool, and two koi-filled lagoons. It’s near downtown Palo Alto and Google headquarters, and as you’d expect, you’ll have high-speed internet/Wi-Fi access to contact your student while you're visiting this Silicon Valley property.

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