A college-themed hotel near Dallas' Southern Methodist University is marking its opening officially: Graduate by Hilton, a boutique chain that aligns with local colleges and universities, is now open at 6101 Hillcrest Ave. in the former Hotel Lumen across from Southern Methodist University. The property opened in the spring but a release from Hilton seals the deal.

Dallas is the brand’s first hotel in Texas. The 93-key hotel brings together mid-century modern architecture, Texas ranch-style design, and Graduate’s signature collegiate and maximalist charm. Highlights include a buzzy lobby lounge, outdoor pool & terrace, flexible event space, and an in-house restaurant called Los Charros Tex-Mex Smokehouse.

Graduate Hotels is a collection of hotels that reside in university-anchored towns such as Seattle, Berkeley, and Nashville, with each each hotel reflecting the motif and culture of its nearby college. There are currently more than 35 Graduate Hotels open or in the pipeline across the U.S. and the U.K.

Room rates currently start at $207 for a room with a King bed, to $623 for the Presidential Suite, a 550 to 650-sq-ft room that sleeps four with desk, lounge chair, mini fridge, a 55-inch HDTV, in-room safe, and coffeemaker.

Graduate by Hilton brand leader Parker Henderson says in a statement that Introducing the Graduate brand to Texas is "a major milestone."

"A Graduate in Dallas' Highland Park was a natural fit, as the property brings our collegiate-inspired hospitality to a neighborhood that reflects our core values of lifelong learning," Henderson says. "It also kickstarts the brand’s Texas expansion with another property slated to open in Austin."

Led by AJ Capital Partners, the Nashville-based developer and designer of the property, Graduate Dallas preserves the Hotel Lumen's original geometric, mid-century architecture, while reimagining the space with what they call "locally inspired" design elements: leather and velvet sofas, cowhide ottomans, shearling armchairs, and handwoven textiles. Interesting. Is Dallas really a cowhide and shearling kind of place? (No.)

Other decorative elements include a large-scale vintage postcard of Exall Lake, which they call "a nod to one of Dallas' historic leisure destinations." There's a hand-carved reception desk, which features a galloping herd of wild mustangs in tribute to the nearby university; star-shaped pendant lights and millwork; plus cacti and native fauna.

There's a communal table, coffee counter, bar with saddle-style stools, punched-tin sconces, and custom bolo-tie light fixtures which "reinforce the cowboy aesthetic." So Dallas.

  Array of dishes from Los Charros Smokehouse Graduate by Hilton SMULos Charros Smokehouse

Menu
Los Charros Smokehouse is named for los charros — Mexican horsemen known for their ornate attire and bold spirit — an influence that carries through in both menu and design. The industrial-meets-rustic setting features reclaimed wood, patinated corrugated steel, and textile elements drawn from the hotel lobby, including a ceiling mural inspired by hand-woven rugs.

The menu is very Dallas Tex-Mex with tableside guacamole, tortilla soup, a Tijuana Caesar salad, brisket quesadillas, a smashburger taco, Frito pie, King Ranch chicken, Cobb salad, and fajitas in six upscale-ish options: chicken, shrimp, brisket, Berkshire pork, Wagyu sirloin, or combo. Entree prices range from $15 to $30.

Beverages include margaritas in an array of options including frozen as well as the Patron Perfect Margarita, plus a frozen espresso martini, ranch water, and staples such as a mojito and a mule, priced from $15 to $17.

Graduate Hotels founder Ben Weprin who is also and CEO and founder of AJ Capital Partners, says that opening a Graduate in Texas has been a longtime goal.

“This is a community full of character, tradition, and creative energy, and we’re honored to bring this project to life in a way that reflects all of that through design, storytelling, and the nostalgic traditions that live on at SMU," Weprin says.