Updated 1 p.m. March 5, 2024.
The renovated Nittany Lion Inn will reopen for guest stays in September, and images provided by the Penn State campus hotel’s new owner offer a glimpse of what visitors can expect.
Scholar Hotel Group began accepting reservations on Monday for arrivals starting Sept. 2. Interest was apparently high, as the new Nittany Lion Inn website was down for much of the afternoon, though the company provided a direct link for those eager to start booking rooms. (The website is back online.)
Penn State, after studying options for the Nittany Lion Inn and the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, sold the two campus hotel buildings to Scholar Hotel Group in 2022. The university retains ownership of the land, with Scholar holding a long-term ground lease.
For the past year, the company has been performing extensive renovations on the 93-year-old hotel at 200 W. Park Ave. in State College.
The renovated hotel will include multiple food and beverage options:
• Lionne restaurant will feature “French cuisine with the contemporary twists of modern American dishes” and a curated wine list, according to the website.
• 1855 Lounge is “an intimate space where the focus is on the rich and complex world of scotch and whiskey.” It integrates with the restaurant and will offer “the same culinary excellence found in Lionne’s menu.”
• Dear Joe: Cafe & Bakery will offer house-made pastries and breads along with quick-service and grab-and-go meal items.
• Triplett’s, named in honor of the groundbreaking Nittany Lion football player Wally Triplett, is “a relaxed yet exciting bar experience,” designed to be a lively, casual hangout spot. It will have a food menu with “innovative takes on classic favorites,” and drinks including signature cocktails. The adjacent courtyard will offer al fresco seating.
Guest rooms will include king, double queen, suite and ADA options. The ballroom will provide space for weddings, events and meetings for up to 300 people.
“From its elegant accommodations to its renowned dining options and impeccable service, every aspect of the inn has been meticulously curated to ensure an unforgettable stay for guests,” Scholar Hotel Group wrote in a news release on Thursday.
The reopening will mark the first time in more than four years that the Nittany Lion Inn has welcomed guests. The hotel closed at the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and was temporarily used as student housing before being sold and renovated.
Gary Brandeis, a Penn State alumnus and CEO of Scholar Hotels, said last year that most of the investments in renovations would be made in the interior while maintaining the building’s historic character, with few noticeable alterations to the exterior.
“Ultimately, we think we’re going to have the nicest university hotel in the country at The Nittany Lion Inn,” Brandeis said. “It’s going to be a five-star, full-service hotel—great for conferences and meetings, social events and weddings—and it’s going to honor the history of The Nittany Lion Inn.”
Here is a look at the renderings of the renovated Nittany Lion Inn, provided on Monday by Scholar Hotel Group.
LOBBY
RESTAURANTS AND BARS
BALLROOM
GUEST ROOMS
