Remembering School Days – Graduate Hotel

It’s been many, many years since Crystal and I last attended school. That doesn’t mean we don’t remember school days fondly. In fact, a stay at the Graduate Hotel, in downtown Lincoln, reminded us of those long ago times. Having a home base so close to all of the action made perfect sense. Located in the Haymarket District, we had this Nebraska city right at our feet.

Lincoln Downtown

From the moment we walked through the door, everything about the Graduate Hotel screamed college days. Throughout the lobby and common areas we found tons of memorabilia. Most was connected to Nebraska history.  Photos of Johnny Carson reminded us that he was a Nebraska native. Down a hallway, we discovered a series of pictures where kids had Kool-Aid mustaches. Little did we know but the drink mix was invented just a couple of towns away. 

Remembering School Days

Everything about the hotel is designed to elicit specific memories. From watching the passing of other visitors, it appears that the hotel caters to the parents of students. That makes sense with the University of Nebraska being just a few blocks away. In fact, our room offered a view of the football stadium. The lobby seemed to be designed to entice visitors to take a break. While we didn’t have time during this visit, we would have loved to play some of the retro video games. 

Touches of Nostalgia

Once we were checked in, we made our way to our room. Here we found the décor to have a heavy nod toward all things Nebraska. Our bathroom had a distinct cornfield feel. An old television set had been converted to a coffee brewing station. The roller skate lamps were a nod to the Roller-skating Hall of Fame located in Lincoln. We really felt like we were immersed in the local life. 

Lincoln Downtown

To top it all off, we loved staying right in the heart of the action. The Haymarket District is jam=packed with boutique shops and local restaurants. Our first night we discovered a 3-on-3 basketball tournament just a block form the hotel. The next morning, we stepped out into the middle of a farmers market. The Graduate Hotel not only had us remembering school days, but also yearning for more time to explore. 

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