The Best Place to Stay in Tucson, Arizona: Graduate Hotel

If you follow my adventures on Wandering Bel, you know I am a hostel type of gal. But on this trip to Tucson with my cousin, we booked a stay at Graduate Hotel. This blog post will explain our one-night stay and why this is your number one place to stay in Tucson.

Graduate Hotels by Hilton

Started in 2024, Graduate Hotels had a mission to create spaces worthy of their communities. Since then, they have joined the Hilton portfolio, bringing travelers like me and you unique stays in the most iconic university towns.

 Graduate Experience

When we arrived, my cousin and I were in a real treat because we had no idea what room we were in since we couldn’t check into my Hilton App. You see since they just joined the Hilton Family, you cannot self-check; instead, you had to check in at the desk. I am not the biggest fan of this, I prefer to go straight to my room. So I called and asked about this, the person on the phone was sweet and assured me that my stay was going to be amazing. And indeed, she made our stay unforgettable.  

As we walked into the hotel and headed to the check-in desk, a huge smile came to my face. I fell in love with a hotel. We were greeted by a large southwestern-style sign stating the Graduate; there were bikes for rental, a bright 70s southwestern future, a cute little area where you could get food and coffee, and a huge farm-style table that easily could fit 20 people to have a sit-down dinner or to play games.

The staff was so friendly and kind. They got us our keys and gave us a little bag with water. We were off heading to the 14th floor and walked into our cozy, decked-out college theme room. The room was spacious and well-lit, with a comfortable bed, a study desk, and a modern bathroom. The decor was a perfect blend of college nostalgia and contemporary comfort. And that’s when our jaws dropped. She upgraded us to a corner room with a floor with ceiling windows and views of the city and the mountains! This was hands down the most breathtaking view I have had since I was in Hawaii (another Hilton).

I was shocked and giddy about this view, though. We didn’t see the mountains until morning since we checked at night. That lady hooked us up and made our experience truly magical. You have to love travel magic!

Moonstone Tucson

After changing and soaking up the views, we decided to head to the restaurant/ bar on the rooftop called Moonstone Tucson to get more views and have a drink. As we stepped off the elevator, we were greeted by a neon sign for Moonstone. We walked down a hallway past the rooftop pool and entered the bar and restaurant area, which featured egg-shaped swings, couches, and chairs. Outside, there was an oversized patio couch set that could be shared with strangers, along with fire pits. Unfortunately, my cousin wasn't comfortable sharing the couch with a couple on a date, even though the staff encouraged us to sit there. So, we stayed inside to enjoy our drinks until we returned to the rooftop to sit at a table. It turned out to be a wonderful night, with a pleasant breeze and delicious pastries we picked up from a local bakery.

After a while, my cousin decided to head back to the room, while I chose to stay for another drink. It was perfect timing, as I was able to enjoy the couch by the fire alone—a much-needed moment of solitude.

The next morning, I went downstairs to grab us some breakfast and coffee. We settled in to watch the sunrise in bed when my cousin had a brilliant idea to return to Moonstone. It was definitely a great choice because there, we had the chance to watch the sunrise with an amazing view. We were the only ones up there at that early hour, and I wished we could have had the fire pits going; however, the sight of Tucson surrounded by mountains was breathtaking, especially compared to what we had seen just a few hours earlier. 

Without a doubt, this is the hotel you must experience in Tucson. I am already looking forward to exploring more Graduate Hotels and comparing each unique location!

Have you stayed here or at any other Graduate Hotels? If so, where did you go, and what was your favorite part?