Graduate Richmond

We stayed at the Graduate by Hilton Richmond from September 3–8, and unfortunately, our experience was much more disappointing than we expected. The first issue was that our room smelled strongly of marijuana/weed smoke the moment we walked through the door. The smell lingered for the first couple of days. We did mention it to the front desk so they would be aware of it, but nothing was done to address the issue. We ultimately decided to tolerate it rather than let it ruin our vacation. The biggest problem, however, was housekeeping. For three consecutive days/nights, our room was not cleaned and our used towels were not replaced. Each time, we had to call the front desk and specifically request housekeeping. We completely understand if a hotel has a policy of not providing daily housekeeping, but that was not communicated to us. Instead, it felt as though housekeeping was simply not being done—and then we were made to feel like we were inconveniencing the staff by asking for it. On Sunday night, after being out touring all day, we returned to find that someone had apparently brought fresh towels but left the old, used towels in the bathroom and had not cleaned the room yet again. This was the third consecutive time we had encountered the same issue. When we went to the front desk to complain, the interaction was particularly frustrating. The front desk employee, Elvira, asked us whether we were sure nobody had come into our room while we were out. We found this question very strange and uncomfortable. It made us feel as though our report was being questioned rather than taken seriously. We were then told that housekeeping was no longer available to clean the room, although someone did eventually bring us fresh towels (and cleaned the room while we were out again to have dinner). The irony is that we weren’t asking for anything unreasonable. We simply expected the basic housekeeping service that we understood was included with our stay, or at minimum, clear communication about the hotel’s housekeeping policy. On the positive side, the suite itself was a good size, and having two bathrooms was extremely convenient. However, the hotel overall felt rundown and not particularly well-maintained, which was disappointing given the price and the “Hilton” brand. Overall, what should have been a relaxing stay was overshadowed by the persistent marijuana odor, repeated lack of basic housekeeping, having to repeatedly request basic services, and the dismissive way our concerns were handled. The suite had potential, but the housekeeping and customer-service issues significantly detracted from our stay. We would not choose this hotel again.

So the guy in front of me checking in was a jerk. A good bit self involved and a butt to the staff. It’s important to realize the staff work hard to meet the needs of vacations and although things aren’t always perfect it’s not the staffs fault. Treat them with respect and kindness. This being said this is our first stay at a Graduate Hotel. It’s a very nice hotel, clean, with great facilities and activities. Reasonably located within walking distance to many popular areas. The over night parking fees are reasonable. Now anything said here is for the property owners to address and this is not a complaint just a chance to improve. In room 704, bathroom door does not shut, fridge should be in the cabinet(???), floor was soaked from the HVAC, minor touch ups on paint, make sure the fitted sheet is pulled down and an empty bottle of water was in a cabinet. Seriously not a complaint just improvement. Not that this can be fixed but for a hotel this size with 2 slow elevators, that was a bit scary once or twice and the uppity other vacations like to hog the carts and fill the elevator with them, but that’s the people. Food was delicious and as a heads up make sure to make reservations if you walk on the Main Street to eat. Absolutely no walking after 4pm. All the staff were wonderful, polite and hard working. Might stay again given the opportunity.

This hotel is well staffed with very accommodating professionals who do their jobs well. The rooms are clean with artsy decorations. They have in-house restaurants including one on the roof with a nice view of the city. There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance. We recommend a visit to Riviera. The biggest drawback is that the hotel does not have on-site parking. You have to use their 37.00 per day valet service or park off-site at public parking at the rate of 20.00 per day.

I recently stayed at the Graduate Hotel after choosing it because it was described on Google as a boutique hotel. Unfortunately, my experience was very different from what I expected. The lobby and bar area have been updated and make a good first impression, and there is a nice gaming area. However, beyond the first floor, the property feels like an older hotel that has only been partially renovated. During my stay, only one elevator was operational, which caused delays. Our guest room was disappointing. The bathroom was small and appeared outdated. More concerning, there was hair in the bathroom that clearly did not belong to us, and we also found black hair in the bed linens. We are both blonde, so it was obvious the sheets had not been thoroughly inspected or changed. Although this was unacceptable, I chose not to complain at the time and simply decided I would not stay here again. What ultimately prompted me to write this review was the hotel’s handling of my payment. I initially reserved the room with one credit card but asked that the charges be placed on my business card at check-in. Instead, the hotel charged both cards. When I called to resolve the issue, the representative was argumentative and insisted the error was either my fault or my bank’s fault. To clear up any confusion, I initiated a conference call with my bank and the hotel. My bank confirmed that both charges had been processed and deducted from my accounts. After approximately 30 minutes of discussion, I was told to “call back in a few days.” Ironically, within minutes of ending the call, the hotel processed a refund—confirming that the duplicate charge had, in fact, been their mistake. There were a couple of positives. The evening valet was exceptionally friendly, offering to unload my luggage and bring it inside, which I genuinely appreciated. Unfortunately, the morning valet experience was the opposite. My vehicle was left parked in front of a fire hydrant and near a stop sign, causing traffic to back up behind it.