CHARLESTON, S.C.—AJ Capital Partners (AJCP) has selected Charlestowne Hotels as the management company for the first three hotels to open under the newly released brand, Graduate Hotels. The properties are located in Athens, Ga., Tempe, Ariz., and Charlottesville, Va.
Charlestowne Hotels began managing Graduate Athens, formally the Foundry Park Inn & Spa, for AJCP in December 2013. Charlestowne’s ability to generate revenue and maximize profitability for the asset paved the way for the management group to be selected as the operator for these first three critical properties.
The Graduate brand is designed to be a well-crafted collection of hotels residing in some of the most dynamic university towns across the country. Each hotel will celebrate the youthful optimism of school days and cultivate the spirit of the community.
“It is an honor to be selected as manager for AJ Capital’s first three hotels in the Graduate Hotel platform. They have created a very unique concept and our team is dedicated to providing the experience that the brand has set out to offer: a sense of community and unexpected homage to the town’s heritage and history. It’s certainly exciting to be working with a group of likeminded individuals to make it happen,” stated Michael Tall, president and COO of Charlestowne Hotels.
After extensive renovations, both Graduate Athens and Graduate Tempe opened this month. The 122-room Graduate Athens is just a short walk from the University of Georgia’s campus. Its unique offerings include locally sourced vintage art and a signature bar and live music venue, The Foundry. Graduate Tempe, adjacent to Arizona State University, features 140 rooms and innovative décor throughout, including a large ant farm—a nod to the University’s social insect program—behind the front desk. Graduate Charlottesville, adjacent to the University of Virginia, is slated to open in spring of 2015.
