Wittle Hall has been completely transformed into The Collegiate Hotel. The former all-female dormitory has become a trendy hotspot for lounging and sipping cocktails while enjoying the views of Auburn.
The Wittle Rooftop Bar and Lobby Bar within The Collegiate are especially popular with students and Auburn locals. Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw has her own drink, while the margaritas give back to the local bee lab.
“I have to talk about two of the drinks. One is the ALL BEES Margarita, and we call it our cocktail for a cause,” said Kim Wirth, owner of The Collegiate and Auburn alumna.
For every ALL BEES margarita sold, a dollar goes back to the Auburn University Bee Lab. With that said, they have been able to give over $25,000 back to the bee lab.
“We started this partnership when we first opened with the Auburn University Bee Lab. They provide the honey and we created a honey pea tea margarita, and that turns purple when it’s brewed,” Wirth said.
Preparing the ALL BEES Margarita.
Mary-Brooks Thomas, bar manager at The Collegiate, mentioned that the bar makes all of their syrups in-house for their drinks, only adding to the quality taste. Her current favorite drink is the Apple Pie Mule.
"A mule is my favorite cocktail anyways, but ask anyone, the Apple Pie Mule is just to die for," Thomas said. "It tastes just like apple pie and it's just perfect. It's got a cinnamon sugar rim. It's wonderful."
The Bradshaw is another one of Wirth’s favorites, especially with the intent behind paying tribute to one of her favorite shows. The drink takes a fun spin on a traditional Cosmopolitan and is topped with gummy bears to represent the four female main characters: Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.
“Sex and the City is such a fun show for so many women that have watched it and felt, you know, empowered and felt connected to questions that they had about growing up and life,” Wirth said.
Thomas added that lots of Collegiate visitors are women who used to live in the building when it was a dormitory and come back to check out the renovations. It brings her joy to see a group of ladies gather and enjoy the hotel while reminiscing on their time at Auburn.
"It's a little different, but it's still got the same atmosphere to it. You know, a little history. It's sweet," Thomas said.
Michael Stevens, assistant general manager of the hotel, wants all Collegiate guests to feel at home, both hotel visitors and those stopping by for a drink. Stevens added that about half of the bar crowds are Auburn locals and students while the other half are guests at the hotel.
"We'll show you what Southern hospitality is all about," Stevens said.
Both of the bars consist of vibrant decor and lots of seating. At the Wittle Rooftop Bar, a neon pink tiger makes the perfect background for social media posts. On the main level patio off of the Lobby Bar, a mural represents all of Auburn University’s sororities by incorporating all of their flowers.
Patio off of the Lobby Bar at The Collegiate Hotel.
The bars are preparing for their seasonal menu change where they will offer their winter-themed drinks. The Boozie Bubbles will also be set up to rent on the rooftop to enjoy a drink on the Wittle Rooftop Bar without dealing with the cold weather.
Whether it is dressing up for a birthday celebration, a date night, drinks with the family or just a place to stay, The Collegiate Hotel more than a hotel experience. The Wittle Rooftop Bar and Lobby Bar allow all of Auburn to enjoy its history while sipping a craft cocktail with a purpose.
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Piper Bosart, senior in journalism, is one of the assistant managing editors for The Auburn Plainsman. She has been with The Plainsman since January, 2022.
