By Jeff Rice '03 Com
Photos by Nick Sloff '92 A&ASeptember / October 2024

 

patio adjacent to the Nittany Lion Inn restaurant, photo by Nick Sloff '92 A&A
FAMILIAR PROFILE: A view of the patio adjacent to the inn’s restaurant—renamed Lionne—visible from Atherton Street. The hotel, which former university presidents Milton Eisenhower and Eric Walker referred to as “the living room of Penn State,” opened its doors in 1931.

 

closeup of ceiling crossbeams from the original Nittany Lion Inn, photo by Nick Sloff '92 A&A
PRESERVED DETAIL: The rustic crossbeams on the ceiling in the 1855 Lounge—a cocktail and cigar bar in the former alumni fireside lounge—are from the original build. The look of those beams has been re-created in the front lobby using modern materials.

 

1900s-era pergola at the additional entrance to the Nittany Lion Inn, photo by Nick Sloff '92 A&A
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE: Two additional entrances to the main interior courtyard now allow for a capacity of 90 people, making it a cozy spot for wedding ceremonies or other events. The fountain and pergola, which date back to the early 1990s, have been restored.

 

blue cupola and surrounding windows above Triplett's bar in the Nittany Lion Inn, photo by Nick Sloff '92 A&A

INSIDE AND OUT: Formerly Whiskers Lounge, the inn’s primary bar is now called Triplett’s, renamed in homage to trailblazing Nittany Lion football star Wally Triplett ’49 H&HD. The hood above the bar has been removed, clearing the way for a view of the cupola and surrounding windows (above). There is also an additional entrance, allowing for easier transitions to the adjacent ballroom during events.

additional entrance to Nittany Lion Inn, photo by Nick Sloff '92 A&A

 

 

closeup of blue damask wallpaper in one of the full suites in the Nittany Lion Inn, photo by Nick Sloff '92 A&A

IN THE DETAILS: The inn’s 225 guest rooms—including 27 junior suites and 16 full suites like the one below—now have a fresh look, including custom damask wallpaper that features subtly rendered nose-to-nose feline friends (above), big-screen TVs, and plenty of Penn State-themed artwork, such as reproductions of Fred Lewis Pattee’s original handwritten lyrics to the “Alma Mater.”

couch and chair inside one of the full suites in the Nittany Lion Inn, photo by Nick Sloff '92 A&A

 

 

photo of side by side sinks and mirrors in a bathroom at the Nittany Lion Inn, by Nick Sloff '92 A&A

MODERN COMFORT: The inn’s bathrooms have been rebuilt with a “modern farmhouse” aesthetic, featuring showers and vanities finished in marble, and brushed brass fixtures. Two more sets of public bathrooms have been added to the first floor.

“Our goal was to transform the Nittany Lion Inn into the finest university hotel in the country, and I think we have achieved that goal,” says Scholar Hotels CEO and founder Gary Brandeis ’88 Bus. “Penn State now has a world-class asset on campus to serve the entire community.”

closeup of brass fixtures and marble tile in one of the showers in the Nittany Lion Inn, photo by Nick Sloff '92 A&A

 

 

For more, check out Scholar Hotels CEO Gary Brandeis on the People of Penn State podcast.