Design : Graduate Hotels
Canoes with lightbulbs serve as chandeliers in Graduate Madison ' s lobby .
Portage Pi , Graduate Madison ' s café , serves coffee , pressed juices , salads , sandwiches , and sweet and savory hand pies .
Graduate Madison ' s guestrooms include quirky throw pillows , bright colors , and a variety of textures including tweeds and corduroys .
Graduate Madison offers a consummate collegiate style with its plaid patterns and rustic charm . Inspired by the waterfront location and the community ' s lakeshore lifestyle , the hotel strives to provide guests with an authentic Madison experience .
Among Alford ’ s favorite design elements at the Graduate Madison is the bright lobby , where wooden canoes with lightbulbs hang from the ceiling and the front desk is inspired by a vintage trophy case .“ When guests are staying with us in Madison , they definitely know they are in Madison ,” Alford says . " Graduate Madison was designed to reflect the community ' s outdoorsy lifestyle and its civic awareness ."
Other design elements include hallway carpeting with a pattern resembling an aerial view of the Wisconsin state capitol , ink drawings of the popular local fringe character “ Scanner ” Dan Mathison , and locally inspired pillows labeled “ brat ” and “ curd .”
Graduate Madison also features the Madison Blind , a rooftop bar and restaurant serving craft cocktails with panoramic views of downtown , and Portage Pi , an allday restaurant with grab-and-go and sit-down options .
50 HOTELS November 2015 www . hotelsmag . com