MCLEAN, VA. — Hilton plans to acquire Graduate Hotels, a hospitality brand with hotels in college towns such as Ann Arbor, Mich., and Chapel Hill, N.C. The brand was founded in 2014 and has grown to include hotels across the country, as well as in Oxford and Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Hilton will pay $210 million to acquire all rights to the Graduate brand worldwide, enter into franchise agreements for all existing and signed pipeline Graduate Hotels, and become responsible for the brand’s future development and growth. Adventurous Journey Capital Partners (AJ Capital) will remain the owner of the more than 35 operating and pipeline Graduate properties, each of which will be operated under long-term Hilton franchise agreements.
Hilton expects the deal to close in the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions.