Morris Inn is located right on Notre Dame Avenue, in the shadow of the Golden Dome of Main Building. The AAA Four Diamond hotel has been called the “living room of the University” and that rings true for the hotel’s centerpiece—the lobby.
The lobby houses special memories for many, as it can be a top spot to meet old friends on a gameday weekend, or where a bride and groom first see each other before getting married at the Basilica. But, it’s the smaller details that really capture the nostalgia and unforgettable memories of Notre Dame.
Renovated in 2022, the inspiration for the lobby design centered on creating a space for alumni, families, and friends alike to gather. Because of its moniker, the design team created bookcases in particular with items that one might have inside their home living room. Groups who settle down by the fireplace inside Morris Inn can browse Notre Dame yearbooks from generations of Domers. Right beneath the portrait of Ernestine Raclin, a South Bend philanthropist whose family presented the initial $1 million grant that opened the doors to Morris Inn in 1952, you’ll find a bookcase full of Notre Dame yearbooks. Settle down by the fireplace and peruse Domers who called this place home. Or, grab a cup of coffee from Cafe J and get some work done at the tables in the lobby that were handcrafted from old dining tables at South Dining Hall.
There’s always something to see inside Morris Inn.