Graduate by Hilton Iowa City

We were greeted by a large private security guard who stared us down and blocked our entrance to the front desk to check in! Not the experience we were expecting. It felt very uncomfortable and unsafe. I felt like if I would have said anything the guard would have stopped me and made me leave. Apparently, this is the new protocol for Hilton hotels in Iowa City.. You have to get by a large serious guard just to check in. The front desk clerk didn't make it any better. When I approached the check in desk he questioned what I wanted and put me thru the third degree to make sure I was guest. Evidently, this hotel has trouble with people posing as guests or destroying bathrooms. He proceeded to grill me over my parking ticket and then printed out a ticket he said I could use for validation of parking. This ticket did not work and I paid the city $40 to park in a hotel parking garage. We spent close to $400 which included a $250 dinner of basic hamburgers, french fries, potato chips as an appetizer. Our server told us we could receive a discount for staying at the hotel but of course this was bad information or lack of training because we received no discount. It is really too bad because the location is great and the hotel is decorated in a unique vibe. I talked to 3 hotel customer service reps the next day including Kennedy only to get the company line and why they couldn't and wouldn't be able to offer any discount or credit just an apology and the promise of talking to staff and to work on a consistent message. If your idea of a great hotel stay is being greeted and vetted by private security who are looking for trouble I can highly recommend this place. If your idea of not getting any satisfaction or a resolution from hotel managers on a complaint then I can highly recommend this place. If your idea of potato chips and dip as an appetizer on a $250 dinner I can highly recommend this hotel. We were not offered complimentary water. I am a Hilton Honors member and no mention of this was made at check in and no thank you for being a member.

Hilton is going downhill, has been for years. But this takes the cake: no coffee in the lobby for guests, you have to go to the coffee shop and they charge it to your room. I am not a huge freebee person, but even poor quality hotels offer coffee in the lobby. Also, no continental breakfast.also have to go to the walk up coffee shop and charge to room for microwave egg sandwiches or whatever else they have. Went to the Wilder for a sip and some food, and the bartender just complained about how busy he was. Old fashioned tasted terrible, only 2 main items on menu burger and burger, during lent. I askedd for a glass of water and he shoved it to me in a plastic cup. I said can I please have it in another glass and you'd think it was the end of the world. More complaining why he had to wash another glass. It's like, it's your job dude you are a bartender you provide a service part of that service is washing glasses. The rooms are decent, bathrooms are really tiny, NO FAN in bathroom. You can tell they cut a lot of corners designing this place. Thin walls, but whatever. Since I am a Hilton honor member, I will most likely try the Hilton Garden Inn next time and see if it is any better. Bit if I cannot get a small 6oz cup of coffee in the early afternoon, I will go somewhere where I feel more appreciated. Oh and if you are a Hilton honor member they don't care, you don't get any water bottles, or thanks for being a Hilton member. None of that! No coffee no breakfast, just pay the going rate and receive nothing! I should, however, comment on the room itself. Yes, washroom needs fan, but at least there is a small bathtub, which is nice for a soak. The rooms themselves are quite cozy. I came to relieve some stress and get away from the beat down of every day life, and since the room was on the end of the hallway on an upper floor, I actually got a secluded rest for the duration of my stay. Not a ton of amenities, but it's downtown Iowa City. I would stay again, but AI will bring my electric kettle and French press and be just fine!

Great stay at Graduate by Hilton Iowa City! Unique decor, clean and comfortable rooms, and a friendly staff. The location is excellent, close to campus and local spots. Smooth check-in and a fun, memorable atmosphere.

- room smells like dirty socks - no windows that open - air conditioner can't be turned off physically, heat can't be turned on because it blows a sour rotten smell into the room - poor guest Internet with non-functional hotel -guest login - poor sound insulation and kids use the rooms all over the hotel to party all night with no enforcement by staff. Yelling, running, banging on doors, etc. I traveled all the way from another continent for a business meeting and ended up missing the meeting after being woken up every 15mins the night before. I got out of bed in the middle of the night and confronted the noisemakers who made excuses and blamed their friends. I fetched security in my pajamas. I spoke to Jesse at the front desk and they just brushed it off, saying it's not their problem and my organization should have known about the noise risk before booking our meeting here. Additionally sleep deprivation is a trigger for me due to a medical condition and now I have to travel home with an increased risk of an incident. Do not come here.

This was a beautiful hotel, extremely unique, and within walking distance to downtown with many great places to visit. On April 1st, 2026, I was fortunate that the associate at the front desk was EMT trained and bandaged my cut hand right away! The coffee shop was also top notch. Great experience!

Rough start, great recovery. In town for a class/fraternity reunion. I goofed and booked for 1 night when needed two nights. The Graduate made it work! Put me in Holiday Inn Coralville and then moved me back to The Graduate for the night wheee my party was held. Exceptional service and proactive communication. Extremely grateful.

- The hotel location was great. - The room was clean, beds comfortable with a lot of pillows and nice bedding. - AC and heat worked great 5/5 - The parking 3/5 but mainly due to cost and cold walk outside through parking ramp to hotel. - Coffee 0/5. There is NO free morning coffee in the lobby. You have to go across the building exit into a restaurant and pay for coffee amd tip.. That is a deal breaker for me. And it wasn't that great. - Shower gel/shampoo has the worst smell choice, so pack your own. (e.g cilantro and peppermint) it smelled rotten to me. - Towels new and plenty for two people - Decor so fun for a college, but not as much Iowa memorabilia compared to other college Graduates. - staff friendly and efficient - hotel was quiet but likely due to season I went - TV not set up for Netflix or streaming from own device like most hotels

We had informed the hotel that we would be arriving late for our check in and we arrived at approximately 10pm. The staff were very friendly, o had no complaints in that area. My complaint has to do with the cleanliness of the room. Upon entering the room o went to the bathroom and the toilet was filthy. There was feces stains in the toilet and no soap or shampoo/conditioner in the bottles they provide in the shower that are affixed to the wall for guests. The beds were made but the sheets and pillow cases looked very wrinkly like they had been slept in and there was what looked like mustard stains near the bed. In the morning when we went to make a quick of coffee they had the cups and some sugar packets but no coffee and there was no coffee downstairs for guests. I would not recommend this hotel for the amount of they charge. I was very disappointed and just felt the cleanliness of the rooms left a lot to be desired.

Loved my stay at Graduate Hotel by Hilton Iowa City. Perfect downtown location next to bars and nightlife, fun student vibe, and super helpful staff. The rooms are colorful and unique, and the lobby music was amazing. Books and creative details everywhere make this place special. Also, one of the best hotel gyms I’ve seen. Highly recommend!

I just left staying at the Graduate by Hilton in Iowa City and had an absolutely terrible experience. What should have been a simple overnight stay turned into one of the worst hotel experiences I’ve had. From late evening until around 4:00 AM, people were running up and down the hallways yelling, laughing, and slamming doors. The group in the room right next to us was especially loud—shouting and laughing all night as if they were at a party. The noise was constant and made it nearly impossible to sleep. I called the front desk and security multiple times to report the noise. Each time I was told someone would handle it, but nothing was ever done. The noise continued for hours with zero intervention from hotel staff. What made the situation even more frustrating was that I specifically explained to the staff that I had two young girls under the age of two with me who were trying to sleep. Despite clearly explaining the situation and how disruptive it was for our family, the staff still failed to take any meaningful action to address the issue. The lack of customer service was shocking. In the morning, I explained everything again to the front desk, hoping they would make it right or offer some form of refund or accommodation for the awful night we had. Instead, the concern was brushed off and no refund or meaningful resolution was offered. Between the completely uncontrolled noise, the lack of responsiveness from security, and the dismissive customer service, the entire experience was incredibly disappointing. This hotel clearly does not prioritize guest comfort or basic hospitality. I will never stay here again and would strongly caution others—especially families with young children—against booking at the Graduate by Hilton in Iowa City. I’ve stayed at Motel 6’s with better customer service and quieter guests. Not what I would expect from a “4-star” hotel.

Nice hotel. Has the college spin on it that all Graduates do. Room is a little smallish for me. But not terrible.

Overall positive experience. The rooms are showing signs of age but overall are well kept and clean. Staff was always friendly and professional. The wall near my AC unit was showing signs of water damage as well.