The Vibe: Retro-collegiate that doesn’t take academia too seriously.
The Area: Northwestern’s leafy campus is just a few blocks away, but so is lively downtown Evanston, filled with independent restaurants and boutiques. The beaches and parks along Lake Michigan beach are a few minutes’ walk east.
The DNA: Initially opened in 1928 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the former Homestead property has been restored, maintaining the building’s notable local history and significance. Design throughout the now Graduate Evanston hotel weaves the narratives of Evanston’s past and the legacy of storied Northwestern University students and faculty into both statement elements and subdued details. Custom art establishes a unique sense of place upon arrival, including an array of Midwestern-inspired lake and landscape portraits, as well as a gallery wall featuring 16 caricatures created by renowned American illustrator and caricaturist Ken Fallin. The portraits depict notable alumni such as Zooey Deschanel, Meghan Markle and Eddie Vedder. Centralized around an original burning fireplace, the hotel’s restaurant Trophy Room is positioned adjacent to the lobby and celebrates the sophistication and intimacy of Chicago’s North Shore neighborhoods with upscale, preppy prints, circle banquettes and warm, natural materials.
Suite-Me-Up: In guest rooms, university pride and prestige are complemented with subtle shades of Northwestern Purple throughout. Details hint to the Evanston community and the property’s architectural character including vintage furniture sets, tailored furniture and deep purple and green Persian-inspired rugs. Celebrating the many famous writers who have called Evanston home, decor incorporates literary nods throughout including Craftsman-style floor lamps with and chess tables that establish a nostalgic, residential energy. Framed needlepoints are an ode to North Shore architecture and feature nearby homes showcased in popular 1980s movies Home Alone and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Bedside lamps with apple accents are a nod to Illinois’ state fruit. Hand painted scenes of Lake Michigan positioned above each headboard remind guests of their lakeside positioning.
✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 91 rooms & suites (18-35m2) (194-377 sq ft) • hotel opened: October 2020 • architecture: DMAC Architecture • bathroom amenities: Malin + Goetz • parking possible nearby (charged) • pets allowed • 24-hour front desk • wheelchair accessible
