by Hilton Evanston
Vintage academic with Northwestern Purple pride. Think wood-turned furniture, classic fabrics, bold patterns, caricatures of famous Wildcats alumni on the walls, and a bar that gets properly lively on football weekends. The Home Alone Suite (open year-round) is a full Kevin McCallister recreation — fake tarantula terrarium and all.
Request a room on the 6th floor far end from the street for maximum quiet
Why It Matters
One of the Graduate brand's most storied properties — it occupies the landmark 1927 Homestead building, sits literally two blocks from Northwestern's campus, and is a few miles from the actual house where Home Alone was filmed. The King McCallister Experience is one of the most genuinely fun pop-culture hotel packages in the Midwest.
Graduate by Hilton Evanston is a 1927-vintage boutique hotel — formerly The Homestead — fully renovated and reimagined as Northwestern University's college-town anchor. The lobby does double duty as a Northwestern shrine: Persian rugs cover herringbone floors, purple paneling lines the walls, and a vitrine cabinet filled with books by authors who once stayed here serves as the front desk. It's 119 rooms across 8 floors, two blocks from campus and about four blocks from Lake Michigan.
Where You'll Stay
5 room types available
Deluxe King
A step up in space from the standard King, with the same vintage Northwestern design language. Select Deluxe Rooms come with fireplaces — a genuinely cozy touch guests have singled out in reviews. Worth the upgrade in winter or for a special occasion.
King
Family Suite
A kid-friendly suite configuration designed for families visiting Northwestern or exploring the North Shore. Extra sleeping space makes it practical rather than just aspirational — connecting rooms are also available throughout the property.
Graduate King
The baseline room at Graduate Evanston, and honestly better than 'standard' sounds. Vintage-inspired furniture, bold patterns, wood-turned details, and caricatures of Northwestern alumni on the walls. Equipped with Malin + Goetz toiletries, a mini-fridge, in-room safe, and coffee maker. Private bathroom with shower, pillowtop mattress, and Egyptian cotton sheets.
KingGraduate Queen
Same Northwestern-nostalgic design as the King, in a single-queen configuration. A solid solo or couple's room with all the core amenities. The smallest option in the building — if you want elbow room, look at the Deluxe or suites.
QueenHome Alone Suite (King McCallister Suite)
The most talked-about room at any Graduate hotel. A meticulous recreation of Kevin McCallister's parents' bedroom from Home Alone, the 1990 film shot near Evanston. The four-poster bed with red sheets, floral wallpaper, family portraits, a fake tarantula terrarium, Michael Jordan cardboard cutout, Little Nero's Pizza delivery, VHS tapes, vintage Brut aftershave, and a fully stocked junk food snack station are all included. Open year-round, not just at Christmas. Genuinely hilarious and surprisingly well-executed.
King (four-poster)The Property
Eat & Drink
1 venue on property
Restaurant
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Rent a bicycle from the hotel and ride to Clark Street Beach or along Lake Michigan's North Shore lakefront path — Clark Street Beach is only 0.4 miles away.
Chess sets and other games available in the lobby for casual use.
Book the iconic Home Alone Suite for a full Kevin McCallister experience. Includes a Chicago-style Little Nero's pizza delivery, polaroid camera, junk food snack station, in-room theater with the Home Alone films, and every themed prop from the McCallister bedroom recreation. The hotel sits a few miles from the actual filming locations. Open year-round.
The Graduate Homestead Room bar hosts live music every Thursday evening. Open to hotel guests and the public.
The hotel curates events and adventures tied to Northwestern University campus. 0.3 miles to campus means you can walk to the quad, athletic facilities (Martin Stadium 1.6 miles), Wirtz Center, and Shakespeare Garden.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Bicycle hire available for guests wanting to explore Evanston and reach Lake Michigan's lakefront path.
Multiple meeting room configurations including a boardroom and smaller rooms. The bookish Tea Room and private dining room in the Homestead Room are also available for private events and corporate gatherings.
A beloved outdoor feature — the hotel's front porch is lined with rocking chairs that fill up quickly in good weather. A quintessential collegetown touch.
Complimentary WiFi throughout all rooms and public areas. Hilton Honors members also receive complimentary premium WiFi.
A bookish private event space within the hotel available for meetings, private dining, and gatherings. Part of the hotel's curated collection of event venues alongside the boardroom and private dining room.
Open around the clock. Includes high-tech equipment including Peloton bikes.
All guest rooms stocked with Malin + Goetz bath essentials.
Complimentary RightWater provided in all guest rooms.
Valet parking available at the hotel for $35 per night. No in/out privileges. No self-parking on-site — Church Street Self Park is two blocks away.
Pets welcome throughout the hotel. Non-refundable fee of $75 per stay. Maximum two pets per room, up to 75 lbs total.
Confirmed connecting rooms available on request — useful for families or groups traveling together.
Multilingual staff available around the clock for assistance.
BUILD YOUR GRADUATE BY HILTON EVANSTON PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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