Cleaning seems to be an afterthought. Found many variations of loose hair. Hair in the shower. Hair on the sink's countertop. Hair in the decorative blanket. Hair stuck to the top of the bathroom door frame. It was clear from the distinct pattern of rips in the sheets that they were never changed throughout my stay. The wall air conditioner doesn't have a thermostat, so it doesn't stop. It's constantly running. The return intake is littered with dust and probably hasn't been touched since the unit was installed. They've improved their TV offerings with 100 channels of Charter cable, but their free WiFi is pitifully slow. The peril of free WiFi--what good is it when it sucks? Being largely motel style, they lack enough parking for all the guests. So I found myself stuck with a good parking spot, but paying uber to take me around town to avoid losing the great parking. The bathroom is tight, but functional. One major design flaw is their shower that lacks a complete door. So you risk the floor being flooded with shower water, or you freezing your booty off at the far end of the shower. They put a lot into their artwork and branding, which is a pleasant distraction from the fact that it's an otherwise old and dingy motel. My colleagues complained that the artwork can be frightening in the sense that the portraits appear to be staring at you. No complaints staff wise other than housekeeping. The reservations folks were pleasant in helping me with a room that would reduce the chance of bugs. Three fellow guests complained of cockroach size bugs in their rooms. (Edit) Housekeeping ignored my room on night number 2. I returned at 1am to find the room just as I left it. Had to ask the front desk for towels and toiletries. The front desk called at 2am to inform my car was being towed. I scheduled the towing service, and didn't find the 2am wakeup call necessary. How about calling housekeeping at 2am to tell them to get their act together? read more

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A nice surprise with this very clean and updated hotel. The rooms are decirated with 70's style nostalgia and modern at the same time. The front desk and coffee shop are super fun with an eclectic twist on modernism. Check it out: read more

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The Graduate has such great decor and location. However, the cleanliness had a lot to be desired. The room was just plain dirty. Dirty, stained sheets and towels with hair, filthy garbage under the bed (I accidently dropped something and found garbage - cups, hair ties, napkins, etc. under the bed...gross. Needless to say, I left it and was afraid to reach for it.), hair in the shower and sink, food/cup rings on the end tables making it obvious that they had not been wiped down, etc. Such a shame given the location and all that has gone into its decorations. read more

Need more handicap parking near rooms. Over charging. Prices were already gauged for UGA graduation events then although I booked for 2 days in March only charged for 1 day then waited until I checked in to charge me for 2nd day so that additional taxes & fees totaling $103 could be charged twice!! REALLY??!! Staff was nice. read more

Quick and easy check in. Very nice gentleman at check in in the lobby. Cool little spot. Bout .5-3/4 mike walk to the main drag in Athens. Little on the pricey side but super cute for Athens. The rooms are large. Old School window units. But the charm makes up for that read more

Hotel Abacus - Room is super Bohemian Chic. Wife likely a lot - Hotels Near Me - Athens, Georgia

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My husband and I stayed here in December for a wedding. The hotel was interesting in regards that the room wasn't anything special but had some cute touches with the artwork - reminding me that Athens is a college town. It also goes so well with the theme of the hotel. I would definitely stay here again if I found myself back in Athens! read more

Really enjoyed the stay in this comfortable room. The art and decorations gives you a more traditional southern feeling, but with a cool unique vibe. The location is close enough to walk to anything downtown, but not right in the middle of it (i.e. if it's a crazy party scene down at the bars, it's far enough away from the noise). read more

Hotel Abacus - Hotels Near Me - Athens, Georgia

Customer service was polite but ineffective at returning $1,000 in unauthorized charges from my stay. This was after the manager admitted the charges never should have been made. Rooms are adequate, modern with Art Deco theme. Mainly exterior access rooms. Extremely unsatisfied read more

Hotel was clean and quiet despite it being a busy move in weekend and full of UGA parents. Due to Covid the coffee shop, restaurant and pool were all closed but we knew that before going. We'll likely be back when things improve for everyone. read more

This appears to be a former motel as the rooms open directly to the outdoors/parking lot. The lobby is both rustic and kitschy but spacious for a small hotel. I liked the mirrors and paintings on the wall. When I made the reservation, I noticed check-in was at 4p. Initially, i planned to arrive in Athens earlier so we could check-in immediately, but we were delayed and arrived around 5pm instead. Upon check-in we were regretfully informed that many rooms were not ready yet and there was a queue of guests who had arrived before us waiting for their rooms. They explained that this was "a busy weekend". However, this made little sense to me as the number of rooms remained constant and therefore cleaning staff should be the same. I was extremely disappointed with the delayed check-in. They offered 2 free drinks at the coffee shop while we waited. The coffee shop is small, intimate but comfortable. We asked for Tito's but were told that the bottle was empty. The bartender asked us to wait so he could grab a new one, but he returned empty handed stating "the guy with key is not here!". okay??? Anyway, we settled for another drink which was fine. It was painfully obvious that the hotel was not prepared for the labor day weekend. When the room was finally ready an hour later (now 6pm), we found the room to be clean but it smelled like mold/mildew. It was an unpleasant odor. Unfortunately windows were painted shut so we couldn't ventilate the room. We were also informed that there was a free golf cart/shuttle that would take us to the downtown area. We spotted the golf cart with only 2 passengers waiting in the parking lot. I asked if he could wait one minute so i could quickly leave a tip with the bartender ( for the drinks he mustered up from the nearly empty bottles on the shelf). The driver said no and said he would be back in 10 minutes. I was a little surprised by his reply but i tried to remain positive (being a little buzzed also helped to take the edge off). We ended up walking which was fine because it was a nice evening. it's an easy 10-15 minute walk to the downtown area so this is a definite plus for the hotel's location. At night,we slept fine on the beds. Neither the best nor worst sleep I've ever had. In the morning we used the free breakfast vouchers (given to us only because of the late check-in). The breakfast line was long and slow. The menu was small. However, the coffee was excellent and the breakfast sandwich was delicious. The biscuit was moist and buttery. I really enjoyed the small breakfast. I wish the first day's experience wasn't so disorganized. I would have otherwise given this place a solid 4/5 with the exception of the noticeable odor. I would consider giving this place another shot at the right price. I do not believe this hotel is worth more than $120 per night. Of course, I will explore other options before choosing to stay here. Keep in mind, that even though the reservation i made on orbitz said "free parking" they graciously "waived" the $10 fee because of the late check-in. I do not believe they should charge anyone parking at this boutique MOTEL. There is also no complimentary coffee/tea at the hotel. The coffee shop/cafe is small with limited items. I do appreciate the friendly staff members who tried their best to accommodate us during our stay. Overall, it was an okay experience with a lot of room for improvement. read more

Upon first entering, the lobby is kitschy, charming and inviting. The staff we encountered were the same, charming and inviting. The amenities were great-bar/restaurant, free bike rental, pool, wedding/event space. Our room was very spacious and kitschy like the lobby, which is why we came here and did not disappoint! Loved that the bathrooms were modern though ! Now the misses: A lot of stuff didn't work in the room. Record player (lots of records to play too), arcade Pac-Man machine were broken. The bathroom shampoo and soap containers were almost empty, TV in living area didn't get but a few channels. Also, there were several maintenance issues that should be resolved that are simple fixes. All in all I wanted to give them a 5 but all of the misses were easy fixes and It kind of screams, I don't care . read more

Management did a good job making things right. Thank you for reaching out personally to me to address some of my concerns. Wish you guys the best and appreciate that you see feedback as a gift. read more

What an awesome stay! We drove down from Atlanta for the night and were blown away this whole complex. Great restaurant, fun night of music, and within walking distance of all our favorite spots downtown. Many thanks to The Graduate & Foundry staff for going above and beyond to make our stay so memorable. Can't wait to return! read more

This hotel has it all! The staff was welcoming, the rooms are comfy and decorated in adorable vintage decor, the shower was huge and clean, it's right in the middle of downtown Athens and when you don't feel like walking, The Graduate provides a very helpful FREE shuttle bus to anywhere within 5 miles. Can't wait to stay again! read more

Such a phenomenal hotel with an exceptional staff! I'm still swooning over the awesome eclectic decor that was not only in the rooms but throughout the entire property. Major props to the bark box they provided to my doggo, she was treated like a total VIP! I also visited the spa and spoke to Bridget who was quite possibly my favorite employee at the hotel. After my interaction with her I'm certain that I will make a trip back to utilize the spa services (didn't have time this trip)! Thank you Graduate and staff for an awesome stay, you made my doggo and I feel extremely welcome! read more

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First time staying and very disappointed. First off when you pay $150+ for a room you expect more than a stand up shower. Secondly, why do you have to pay $10 just to park in their parking lot? Free breakfast is hot garbage. This one got me because other reviews raved about the breakfast. Maybe those people have never had breakfast before? The sausage tasted putrid. Biscuits dry and as crusty as a homeless guys feet. The gravy for the biscuits was so watery that I am sure it was just water with gray food coloring because it had no taste. No fresh fruit to be found. The room was ok at first but after checking it out it was not clean. AC vents had a sticky gross build up on them, bathroom had random spots all in the tub and sink areas. Literally the only positive thing I can say is that it was close to where we needed to be the next morning. read more

This is NOT a hotel. I repeat: THIS IS NOT A HOTEL. This is a motel. That's all. I have stayed in Red Roofs that were better cleaned, maintained and appointed. There is some nice decor and they did their best to put lipstick on the pig but underneath: It is still a pig. read more

Throughout my road trip home, we stayed in many hotels. This one was our favorite. - The "Graduate" is a gorgeous and clean 50's-college-themed hotel. The lobby has great character; your door key is a replica / imitaiton of a student ID from the 50s. The name and photo of an actual student is on the card. Check in was quick and painless. The hotel itself looks like an old 2-story motel - the style of the room setup is very motel-esque. - The rooms are awesome! The design is incredible. The furniture is all modern, but with a 50s twist. The hotel info book in your room is designed like an old yearbook. There's an actual radio on the table that uses knobs. The chairs and tables all have a vintage look to them, but they're all brand new. The beds were super comfortable. - The bathroom is surprisingly modern, with a shower stall that has no door. The shower gels and shampoos smell amazing. "I smell like a rich person" I said once I was done cleaning up. - The location is good; you have to walk uphill to get to the downtown area, but I didn't mind. It's a great place to stay and a wonderful hotel. I highly recommend it!!! read more

A hipster's paradise. Eclectic styles roonv with comfy bed. Decor was unique. Ther front desk staff was 5 start. The Iron Works code caffè was awesome. read more

Hotel Abacus - Hotels Near Me - Athens, Georgia

We stayed over a Saturday night, and this place was great! Very unique decor, friendly staff, and very clean. Also it's only half a mile from the downtown nightlife, but just far enough to avoid the noise. We didn't check out the restaurant as it was booked for a Valentine's Day event. I would give it 5 stars if they upgrade to a better brand of toilet paper ;-) read more

I booked this hotel on Hotwire where they claimed this was a four star hotel that compared with Hilton and other well known international chains that keep their properties updated and fresh. The Graduate is at best a 3 star hotel. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The rooms stink, smelling old and musty. There's no way to open a window. It's a weird, 40s and 50s style with vinyl headboards on the bed. The TV set up is really outdated and poor. Many nice hotels to choose, but this is not a good choice. It's close to downtown, but so are many other hotels. Shame on Hotwire for a completely inaccurate rating. read more

Hotel Abacus - Hotels Near Me - Athens, Georgia

Very convenient for events in downtown Athens. We stayed here during Twilight weekend because we wanted walkability between our hotel and the bars. Got a deal through Hotwire.com but would probably not ever pay full price to stay here. There was a shortage of parking - one strike. We left our car parked in the Guest Registration spot for a few hours until a spot opened. Not a big deal, but kind of annoying when we were trying to get situated after check-in. The rooms are cute and modern with a lot of thoughtful, retro decor. Why do hotel bathrooms never have a fan?? My one big beef was that my bed seemed to have plastic on the mattress, so I was sweating all night. Our room had 2 queen beds, and I tried the other one the next morning and found it did not have the plastic issue. Overall, a cute hotel in a convenient location, with a nice coffee shop... but I would not call it a boutique hotel. read more

I really enjoyed our stay at the Graduate and will definitely stay here if I'm ever in need of a hotel in Athens again. I do not require five star amenities or accommodations and I certainly don't expect them when I pay about $100 a night for a place, but the Graduate exceeds my expectations. I loved the decor in the rooms and in the lobby and the rooms were quiet despite it being 4th of July weekend and live music playing down at the venue on property. The bed was cozy and the room was clean. I didn't get to check out the coffee bar in the lobby, which I had planned on doing, but it looked inviting. The only problems we had was that parking got a little tough when we left for the evening and returned around midnight and the entrance is a little tough to spot, we passed it a couple of times our first night. Overall, a great hotel for a nice weekend getaway! read more

The rooms are the very definition of lipstick on a pig. The staff is in over their heads even when the motel is at a fraction of capacity. When they're not busy sitting in their SUVs, hiding behind the fitness center, smoking cigarettes, they're happy to ignore your needs. read more

Stayed here on a whim.. my boyfriend became an uncle so we traveled to Athens the moment we knew MB was in labor... was supposed to be a day trip but we couldn't help ourselves after we met the newest member of our family and visited with everyone. Took a quick look around for hotels & settled on this one. Upon arrival (late night) we were greeted with smiles and we were in complete awe of what was before us. Neither have heard of this place before but what a hidden gem it is!! Decorated so precisely with not a single detail missed. What a fantastic stay!... and a bottle of Champagne at check in, to boot! We will absolutely be staying here again! read more

Dark, musty/mildew smell and tacky furnishings. No pool. Window had been smashed recently and glass pieces not cleaned up. Definitely not worth $150/night. read more

I do a lot of business travel and feel like I have a good grasp on what makes for a certain star rated hotel. This hotel is fine, but saying it is the only 4* property in Athens is being overly generous. It is a converted motel (exterior entrances to rooms, an exposed bar to hang your clothes on, and an AC unit connected to a window). And a charge for parking? Give me a break. While the property is nice and somewhat unique, it isn't exceptional. The room we had was clean, the bathroom small, and the price was higher than other branded properties in town with loyalty programs. I'd stay here again, but only if my rate was low. read more

Staff was extremely caring, helpful, responsive (in person and via text) and attentive. Entertainment at The Foundry was awesome. Kelsey at The Foundry, Erika and John at the front desk, Charlie at Ironworks were excellent and engaging. Definitely not your "run of the mill" hotel. read more

Eclectic, clean, well located and welcoming are the Graduate's top qualities. The nearby coffee shop is excellent and the campus area shops and eateries are fabulous. read more

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The Graduate Athens is a nice, convenient place to stay in the downtown area. I stayed here as part of a bridal party, and this became the central hub for my friend's wedding. Our wedding planner picked this location so we could take nice "getting ready" pictures in the rooms. This wedding had a reception at the Foundry, the nearby bar/live music venue. The Graduate is a short walk from downtown, but transportation is made even more convenient with Uber in the area. As a former UGA student, this was not an area of downtown I spent a lot of time in while I was in school. It seemed like a trendy, Athens-style area, however there were not a lot of young people hanging out over here. Overall, this is a nice accommodation near downtown with it's own bar and near live music. However, the price is very high considering it wasn't a busy "football season" weekend. read more

We stayed here for a football game weekend. (Thus the EXTREMELY high room rate!) We have stayed at other Graduate hotels and were looking forward to this visit, only to be incredibly disappointed. The room was inexplicably dirty. The moment we walked in the musty smell immediately caught our attention. The carpet felt cold and damp as the ac was set to 60 degrees yet the room was still stuffy. The bathroom was disgusting with mold on the floor and all along the shower tiles. It had half a shower door as the shower enclosure which made the entire bathroom floor wet after showering. There was no fan to help with the moisture. (maybe that's where the mold problem started?!) The floor of our shower was fixed with a fiberglass reinforcement patch about 10" long that looked like a big band aid. There were two "cans" of water and three plastics cups that were already half way unwrapped for us. (That's nice of them!) The walls and ceiling are paper thin. The decor "could" be cute and trendy if the rest of the place wasn't such a dump. Btw...don't even think about grabbing a cocktail or appetizer at their smaller restaurant called "The Foundry". Their staff was untrained. (One worker was literally crying as she took my drink order!) 45 min after we ordered our appetizers we were told they were out of guacamole. 45 min after that the rest of our apps came. I am normally a very positive person, but when it comes to spending a HUGE amount of money for two nights stay, and these are the accommodations provided in return, I feel it is my obligation to warn others of this place. This location gives the entire Graduate chain a bad name!!! Stay at the Hyatt Place or Hampton Inn 1000 ft down the road instead! read more

This was the coolest place! I always love passing through Athens, but the Graduate will be my new go-to hotel. Outside the campus looks very colonial, then the office/coffee house/lounge is in a rather rustic building, and the rooms are decorated to look like dorm rooms from the 50s Very cozy, nice fast (free) wifi, and a great coffee shop read more

Hotel Abacus - Hotels Near Me - Athens, Georgia

Rooms were extremely clean. I enjoyed the radio on the desk, the abundance of mirrors, and how comfortable the bed was. The colorful, retro interior was a really nice touch, and I enjoyed it very much. It was very nice having a coffee shop located right by the lobby, so I didnt have to find somewhere to get coffee in the morning. read more

What a unique and wonderful place to stay in Athens. It was very clean, the staff were fantastic and the attached bar was a cool place to knock back some beverages!!! I will definitely stay here again when I return to Athens! read more

I'm not sure how helpful this review will be as we never even got the chance to stay here. We had to cancel for various reasons. Since we had to book through Expedia, canceling became more difficult than it should have. Long story short, my cc was charged a full amount and there was a lot of confusion between Expedia and the hotel. The Graduate's manager, Amber, stepped in and made everything right almost immediately. She could have argued, spent hours on the phone with Expedia, made life difficult. Instead, she did what the BEST businesses on the planet do, and she refunded the charge immediately. Without ever having stayed here, customer for life. Thank you Amber! read more

Awesome place!!! Kitschy and cool. Great toiletries and comfortable space. Can walk to many restaurants. Super friendly and accommodating staff. When back in Athens- we will be back! read more

Unfortunately had a terrible experience at this location. I've stayed at other Graduate Hotels in other cities and had good experiences, but our room in Athens was extremely damp, with a moldy mildew smell. Tiffany at the front desk was nice enough to switch us to another room, but sadly it was not much better. The air conditioner was extremely loud and it didn't have an auto setting so had to run all night to keep the room cool enough. the next day the clothes I slept in all had a damp odor. the manager was not available the next day, so I left my phone number to call, and also sent him an email with no response. I was hoping for a refund for the night because I had already paid a non-refundable rate for the next night through a 3rd party online site, but the front desk representative said he could not do that. We still checked out early and had to pay for another hotel the next night. Such a bummer because I had such great experiences in other cities, but my daughter will be going to college in Athens for the next four years and I will definitely not be staying at Graduate Athens again. read more

We had a lot of hiccups. First, we arranged our travel around the 3 p.m. check-in "guarantee," arriving at 4:15 so as not to have time to kill, after a long drive with a toddler. Our room wasn't ready. It was only another ten minutes or so for housekeeping to finish, but it wasn't a great start. I had called the week before to ask if a crib could be put in the room. They said it'd be no problem, which was great! When we got there, a Pack 'n Play playpen had been set up in the alcove...partially set up, anyway; I had to adjust it because one side wasn't locked, which is dangerous, but luckily I knew all about that because we have a Pack 'n Play at home. We didn't bring it with us because our son doesn't sleep in it (we've tried, but they are uncomfortable in the first place, he's a tall kid who doesn't have much room in there, and he hates being on the floor). We were planning on a crib. So I had brought a crib sheet, which doesn't fit a Pack 'n Play. Which is a shame, because there was no sheet provided. But it didn't matter, because the kid was never gonna sleep there anyway. I wish that when I called, they had said, "we don't have cribs but we can set up a Pack 'n Play for you," because I would have changed the sleeping arrangement. But since there was no contingency plan, the toddler "slept" in the bed with us. For anyone who has never slept with a toddler/human furnace who is used to his own space, I can tell you we were all very tired at the wedding we had traveled in for. We had reserved the room explicitly for four people, but arrived to find two coffee cups, two k-cups, two glasses, and empty shampoo and conditioner bottles. Housekeeping brought us what we needed, but we were surprised that we needed to ask. Small issue, but surprising. Each time we left our room and returned, our key cards didn't work. We had to walk back to the lobby every time (which is across the campus from our room, not in the same building--this is actually a motel, not a hotel). They reactivated the keys which then worked until the next time. Super weird, because there were three of us carrying the three keys so you'd think maybe only one of us would've had the fearsome power to destroy key cards, but nope. So that was an inconvenience. Also, I was surprised by the things that have been omitted. Like, they went to such trouble to print these huge portraits all over the TV cabinet that houses the fridge and a few shelves, and they hung custom wallpaper in the bathrooms, but there is no alarm clock and no dresser and no bathtub and only half a shower door. So the shower is cold and it floods and we couldn't give our toddler a bath and had to check our phones for the time. None of these things are deal breakers but they were all odd to me. All in all, the staff was polite to us, the wedding venue was nice and we had a warm bed to sleep in, but my stay at the hotel wasn't an experience I would necessarily choose to repeat. We changed our plans and drove straight home after the wedding. read more

Quirky. Fun. Dog-friendly!! Staff very nice. Rooms have goofy local artifacts and are immaculate. We stayed an extra night because we liked it so much. read more

The Graduate is a unique funky hotel. Very clean, excellent customer service. Downtown bars, shops and restaurants are within walking distance. Would definitely stay at the Graduate in the future. read more