The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University: A Legacy of Learning and Hospitality
The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University, part of the Autograph Collection Hotels, stands as a testament to the university's rich history, values, and contributions to society. Reimagined for the first time in four decades, the 182-room hotel seamlessly blends the university's legacy with modern comforts and design. As part of Autograph Collection Hotels, the Union Club Hotel joins a collection of more than 200 independent hotels around the world hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality. Each hotel is a product of passion, inspired by a clear vision, soul, and story that makes it individual and special: Exactly Like Nothing Else.
A Design Inspired by Purdue's Heritage
Design elements throughout the hotel celebrate the story of Purdue and its people, enveloping guests in the culture of the university while offering fresh excitement and modern comforts. The hotel, built on the campus in West Lafayette, Indiana, in phases from 1929 to 1953 as an addition to the Memorial Union, draws heavily on Purdue's colors: black and gold (specifically, Boilermaker Gold and Smokestack Black), creating an upscale and sophisticated color scheme complemented by neutral grays.
As guests pass into the main lobby space, they are greeted with custom black-and-gold mosaic tile that creates a sense of place next to the two-story front desk area featuring a backdrop of monochrome bookshelves. The bookshelves come alive with projections of Purdue artwork and famous figures, including Amelia Earhart. A two-story dynamic art piece comprised of an ebonized wood bookcase filled with white books serves as a screen for projected images, including those of famous alum Amelia Earhart. Artwork adorns the shelves and walls throughout the guest rooms and public space, and offers a progressive peek into Purdue’s accomplished history.
Patterns and textures celebrate and expand the hotel’s existing historic interior architecture, with stone-clad openings repeated throughout the design. A modern riff on rich wood paneling, painted a deep charcoal hue, extends through new spaces, and a bold mosaic floor in the reception area is inspired by original stone flooring found in the neighboring Student Union.
Guest rooms offer yet another element of Purdue life, with designers taking inspiration from student living environments. A crisp, graphic houndstooth pattern in full Purdue colors enlivens the carpet in the corridors, continuing in the sleeping areas in a quieted colorway of grey, black, and blue. Corridor walls in cream, punctuated by dark charcoal stained doors and trim, transition to two-tone guest room walls in a velvety gray extending to picture rail height with a clean white above. The standard king-bedded rooms offer about 220 square feet of space. Rooms start at about $218. Unlike more recently built properties with expansive glass letting in lots of natural light, it had the old-style fenestration: just one window, about two feet wide and three feet high, in the room. The “most premier room” is the Bay Suite (also called the Presidential Suite).
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Culinary Experiences: A Fusion of Tradition and Innovation
The culinary anchor of The Union Club Hotel is 8Eleven Modern Bistro. The upscale eatery incorporates the building’s historical architectural features and celebrates the trailblazing tradition of two of NASA’s most daring aerospace programs, Gemini 8 and Apollo 11, as well as the missions’ command pilot, Purdue alum Neil Armstrong. The bistro’s menu pairs regional, seasonal ingredients with a culinary nod to beloved bistro classics, including Roasted Bone Marrow, Braised Beef and Pan-Roasted Chicken. A unique open kitchen and featured Chef’s Table provide guests a firsthand look as culinary craftsmanship comes together.
Boiler Up Bar honors the university’s treasured traditions and iconic personalities. In this refined and sophisticated cocktail lounge, fresh garnishes provided by Purdue’s College of Agriculture enhance farm-inspired cocktails, while an extensive selection of bourbons and whiskeys tells the story of Indiana’s best small-batch distilleries. Purdue’s mascot is the Boilermaker, as in the guy (yep: male) who runs a steam train engine boiler.
Leaps Coffee & Artisan Pastries is an energetic hub for grab ‘n’ go goodness. In-house-made pastries and the artisanal teas pay homage to the generations of Purdue culinary professionals. Leaps Coffee & Artisan Pastries features a grab-and-go coffee and pastry counter along with artisan teas from regional purveyor Hubbard & Cravens.
A Learning Laboratory for Future Hospitality Leaders
The Union Club Hotel enjoys the tremendous opportunity to develop the next generation of hospitality professionals. By collaborating with Purdue’s well-respected and newly named White Lodging - J.W. Marriott School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the hotel acts as a hands-on learning laboratory for students where they spend time working and learning about hotel and restaurant operations while earning college credits. Joining the Autograph Collection provides students with additional learning opportunities, according to Purdue, as the systems, processes and resources needed to operate a hotel are supported by Marriott, the world's largest hospitality company. The Union Club Hotel is also host to the LAUNCH Hospitality Immersion Program.
Art as a Reflection of Purdue's Values
In August 2020, the college welcomed guests into the renovated and reimagined Union Club Hotel, featuring art curation by KBAA. For this project, our art advisors focused on four themes that represent the values and legacy of Purdue: the machine, the might, the mind, and the land. Guests experience their first art moment in the Union Club’s lobby where a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf serves as a projection surface for historic photos of former Purdue faculty member, Amelia Earhart.
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Further along, a series of framed sketches inspired by topological forms and mobius strips represent the contributions of the Department of Engineering and Mathematics. Notable alumni from the school’s engineering department include many NASA astronauts, namely Neil Armstrong and Janice Voss. The lobby’s seating area prominently features a 3 x 5 foot faceted, hand-sculpted statue of Purdue’s mascot, the Boilermaker. In the hotel’s restaurant, a 6 x 3 foot sculptural piece by artist Scott Troxel depicts an abstract cartographic of the Purdue Campus made of 600 individual pieces of cut and layered wood. Aerial photography of Indiana’s agricultural fields hangs nearby to further connect the importance of the local land to the guest’s experience.
Accolades and Recognition
Since The Union Club Hotel’s transformation, it has earned many accolades, including the Best Boutique Hotel of 2021 by Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA). The hotel also received a 2021 Gold Key Award from Boutique Design Magazine for Best Lobby; Best Hotel Renovation and Restoration from the AHEAD America’s 2021 Awards; and Silver Award for Interior Design-Renovation from the 2020 IDA Design Awards.
Marriott Bonvoy Benefits
Autograph Collection Hotels participates in Marriott Bonvoy, the award-winning travel program from Marriott International. Marriott Bonvoy members will earn points for their stay at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University, Autograph Collection, and at other hotels and resorts across Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, as well as through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques.
A Destination for Campus Visitors and Alumni
The expected clientele for this hotel includes campus visitors and those coming to Purdue to attend conferences, but the core audience is alumni. One clue that alumni are expected? Guests are invited to write about a “university moment” or “how you hope your legacy impacts the world” on a designated postcard.
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