Listen, I party. A lot.  And I don't drink and drive.  I will however, pay off an imaginary DUI by taking Uber to and from places each time I go out.  \n\nOn the evening of Halloween, my wife and I decided to party on Mill.  We knew that traffic would be terrible, as well as any overnight parking.  And worse, surge rates for Uber would be off the charts.  We both felt that getting a local hotel would be the best option.  \n\nAfter an exhaustive search, I came across the newly remodeled Graduate Tempe.  It was a bit more than the other hotels, but the location worked out well.\n\nHere is what was great about it, from start to finish:\n\n-- The website was easy to navigate.\n-- The lobby was completely redesigned and looked fantastic.\n-- The staff was friendly.  Paid attention to details, and even had a bellhop waiting to see if we needed help up to the room.\n-- The school theme was well thought out.  Even the room key cards look like old student ID's.  Hotel stationary looks like composition notebooks, and instead of hotel pens, #2 pencils.\n-- I freak out about cleanliness everywhere I go. The room was flawless.  From the bedding, to the bathroom, to the towels.\n-- All new everything! I don't mean to call out other local boutique hotels in the valley (Clarendon, El Dorado, etc.) but everything has been replaced in the rooms. Not just fresh paint, but the chairs, paintings, bedding, T.V., etc.  \n\nHere is what I would have changed:\n\n-- I didn't get a chance to really enjoy the room or the balcony.  We were there for such a short time. \n-- The same goes for trying out the newly refurbished \"Normal Diner,\" which replaced the IHOP that had been there for years.  \n\nBoth of those things are my fault, though.\n\nIt was a fantastic looking hotel that I would love to go back to.  I usually stay at hotels based on price, and look forward to some great deals from The Graduate.\n\nEven at a regular room rate, you cannot go wrong with this hotel. Five stars for location, staff, amenities, and cleanliness.