Graduate Hotels to open hotel in Cambridge

Doubletree by Hilton Cambridge City Centre is to become Graduate Cambridge after being bought by Graduate Hotels.

The chain - originally a collection of hotels located in university-anchored cities across the US - is also planning to open a hotel in Oxford in spring 2021.

Graduate said it is investing in both sites as major staycation locations and, once international travel has resumed, to attract further international tourism.

Chris Douglas, general manager, who has worked at the hotel for four years and will continue running the business for Graduate Cambridge, said: “We’re delighted that after a hard year for the hospitality industry, the hotel will be reborn in 2021 with new offerings for the people of Cambridge, British staycationers and business/leisure travellers from around the globe – as well as offering employment opportunities for local people.”

Graduate Hotels president David Rochefort added: “Over the past year, we’ve worked closely with the team on the ground and with local partners in Cambridge to immerse ourselves within this unique city to ensure that the inspiring narratives of the individuals who have called Cambridge home are incorporated into everything from design, to service, to the food and beverage experience.

“It’s incredibly important to us that our hotel respects and nods to the Cambridge heritage and becomes a destination for both tourists and locals alike.”

The hotel. by the river in Granta Place, Mill Lane, will undergo a complete interior renovation that will include all rooms, a café/bar and restaurant, as well as a new-look fitness club and swimming pool.