The Study at Yale

The logo for this aptly named hotel depicts a pair of reading glasses -- indeed, there are many newspapers fanned out on coffee tables and several shelves of books in the bright, open-plan lobby. Floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate the space with light and create an inviting atmosphere that's conducive to reading and people watching. Housed in a glass-and-steel building on Yale University's campus, the hotel is fittingly infused with an academic ambience, with plenty of books on hand and overstuffed leather chairs, loveseats, and lounge chairs to settle into. The reception desk is topped with a bowl of apples and a jar of gingersnap cookies that guests are invited to enjoy upon check-in. Elsewhere in the hotel's Heirloom restaurant, sophisticated decor of Wedgwood blue walls, cream leather chairs, and a refrigerated glass wall of wines sets the scene for seasonal fare with locally sourced ingredients. The property draws a university-affiliated crowd, including parents, prospective students, and visiting academics. 

The campus of Yale University is not self-contained; its Gothic buildings meld into the urban landscape of historic New Haven, and the university is the city's most prestigious and dominant tax-payer. The Study at Yale is set among the academic buildings that comprise the university, across the street from the School of Art whose M.F.A. program draws prestigious collectors looking for fresh talent. The Yale Repertory Theater, once the training ground for Meryl Streep, is a one-minute walk from the hotel, while the Yale Center for British Art, designed by architect Louis Kahn, is a two-minute walk away. The university's Payne Whitney Gym, with its 12 acres of interior space, is a nine-minute walk. The Ingalls hockey rink, better known as "The Whale" due to its leviathan design by Eero Saarinen, is a 17-minute walk or six-minute drive. The Yale Bowl, where the Bulldogs play football, is a nine-minute drive or a 21-minute bus ride. Tweed New Haven Airport is a 33-minute bus ride or a 14-minute car ride, while Union Station can be reached in about 15 minutes by bus or seven minutes by car.

The hotel offers 124 rooms, including eight suites with separate seating areas, and a Presidential Suite with vast views and seating for meetings and dining. All of the rooms offer views of the city and Yale's campus. Each room has at least one leather chair and ottoman (some are beautiful Eames loungers) illuminated by a good reading light, plus some offer bookshelves stocked with tomes. The rooms are carpeted and have touches of light wood, including headboards with built-in reading lamps that pair well with light blue accent walls. Beds, double or king-size, have feather-top mattresses, Egyptian cotton sheets, and down comforters. Amenities include 37-inch flat-screen TVs, VOIP phones, CD and iPod docking stations, clock radios, free bottled water, and free Wi-Fi, but there are no mini-fridges/minibars or tea- and coffee-making facilities. The modern bathrooms are white-walled with marble tile floors and roomy showers with glass doors. Luxury touches include seersucker bathrobes, Frette linens, and Lather aromatherapy-based products. 

The hotel's restaurant and lounge, Heirloom, serves seasonal fare with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients for breakfast (for a fee), lunch, and dinner, as well as a popular weekend brunch (room service is also available). Some guests complain that the food is overpriced, however. There's also a cafe in the lobby that sells coffee, pastries, and sandwiches, which is open 24-hours, plus free coffee is available in the mornings. There are plenty of books and newspapers on hand in the lobby, and guests can also utilize a computer, fax, and printer. The hotel showcases art work from Yale's art school in a small gallery. The on-site fitness center is equipped with modern cardio machines with built-in TVs and wireless iPod hookups; guests can also obtain free passes to Yale's Payne Whitney Gym at the front desk. Business travelers are catered to with two wood-paneled meeting rooms, plus Wi-Fi is free throughout.