TL;DR

Hilton-owned Graduate: Trendy Midwestern boutique with Ohio-specific quirks.
Sunny restaurant: Brick-and-glass facade gives it a bright, all-American feel.
Locally flavored: Decor blends Drag Race camp with Columbus pride.
Reliable choice: Cool, curated, a little contrived — but still fun.
Neighborhood fit: Arts district vibe, with touches of gentrified polish.
Check prices here

Another of the Hilton’s, 2024 acquired, Graduate chain’s Midwestern offerings, this Short North boutique offers a nice break from the bustle of Downtown Columbus.

The building has a full first floor of brick and tall windows that make for a delightfully sunny restaurant, and a vibe of all-American good cheer.

It is, we have to admit, exactly what you’d expect.

The experience is well-curated, locally-flavored and undeniably cool, but like the Graduate chain itself, there’s also something a bit contrived about it all.

Probably it’s the combination of hotel and neighborhood. Global hotel brand enters boutique hotel market enters newly gentrified arts district kind of (de)vibe.

Doesn’t mean we can’t have nice things, though. And there are, of course, some Columbus-specific touches that are irresistibly charming, from trumpet light fixtures to Ohio flag bedspreads.

The Graduate is a reliable choice that’s put a lot of effort into A Very Ohio Welcome that also looks a bit like it could’ve come out of an episode of Drag Race.

And we won’t complain about that.

What are the rooms like?

171 rooms: Mix of Kings, Doubles, and spacious suites.
Fun design: Plaid wallpaper, dark wood floors, quirky Ohio memorabilia.
ADA options: Accessibility-friendly rooms available.
Suites: King Studios include sofa beds for families.
All rooms: Plush linens, writing desks, and playful decor.
See each room in detail here

Rooms are pretty damn cute. We love the lack of carpeting, the base a combination of dark wood and some pretty camp plaid wallpaper.

Weird little gold busts of Ohio State alumni and history hang above the beds, which we also love.

There are the normal options, including ADA-compliant rooms, which is one huge benefit of a newer hotel.

King Singles are best for solo travelers and couples, Double Doubles best for groups and families.

King Studio Suites will work for families as well, with sofa beds and lots of space.

All options include plush linens, super-fun decor, writing desks, and some kind of seating.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Homage Bar: Breakfast and dinner, classic American with sports bar flair.
Relaxed vibe: Leather booths, coffee-heavy mornings.
Shopping touch: In-hotel Homage merch store.
Facilities: Fitness center, meeting spaces, pet-friendly rooms.
Nearby eats: Burger spot within easy reach.

The onsite restaurant, Homage Bar, is open for breakfast and dinner. They’re, unsurprisingly, pretty all-American, full of leather booths and sports paraphernalia.

It’s food and drink and a nice, relaxed atmosphere with plenty of coffee in the morning.

There’s also a burger joint nearby in case you just want to sink your teeth into some meat.

Homeage is a local merch brand, and you can go on a small shop inside the hotel if you’re in the mood.

They’ve also got a fitness center for our more active friends, meeting spaces, and plenty of pet-friendly rooms.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Short North: Trendy arts district with shops, cafes, and galleries.
Parks nearby: Goodale Park a short walk away.
Arenas close: Convention Center and Nationwide Arena nearby.
Easy access: 10 minutes by car or 30 minutes on foot to downtown.
Museums: Columbus Museum of Art, COSI, and university within easy reach.

Short North is a recently developed Cool Arts District™ north of Downtown Columbus.

It’s retained a few of the old art galleries, but is mostly a spot for the best of the city’s relaxed shopping, snacking, and drinking coffee.

Just around the corner from the hotel is Goodale Park, just one of many cute little metro parks in the city.

You’re also close by many of the big Columbus arenas, including the Convention Center and Nationwide.

Getting downtown is super easy, we’re happy to say. It’s a half-hour walk, probably not the most scenic, but nothing really to complain about.

With wheels, you’ll be in the city center in under 10 minutes.

Here, you can walk along the river, continue down towards German Village for some shopping, or check out the Columbus Art Museum.

It’s far from the best in the state (Cleveland and Toledo have that on lockdown, we must admit), but there’s still lots to enjoy.

For more museum-ing, check out the Center of Science and Industry on the west side of the river, still under 10 minutes from the hotel.

If you’ve any university business, Short North is closer than downtown, just a 10-minute drive to campus.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

”Great location, clean! Pet friendly!! The room was comfortably sized, not huge, but big enough for us to set up our dog crate and have enough room to move around….”

”Location was perfect. Love the design theme of these properties. Have stayed at two (this one and one in Cincinnati) and the attention to detail is excellent. Check-in was easy….”