INDIANA
Where to Stay in Indianapolis: The Best Hotels for Every Kind of Traveler
By Jamie Dutton | July 5, 2025
AUTHOR BIO: With family spread across the Midwest and a job that has her in airports regularly, Jamie Dutton finds herself across the center of the U.S. regularly. She’s partial to BPTs a Bell's.
If you’re coming to Indianapolis expecting cornfields and a Courtyard by Marriott, let me stop you right there.
This is a city that knows how to host a Super Bowl, fill a convention center, and still find room for a boutique hotel with its own turntable library. The best hotels in Indy don’t just offer a place to sleep—they come with rooftop bars, lobby art you’ll actually look at, and, in one case, a speakeasy that doesn’t try too hard. Here’s where to stay if you want to do Indianapolis right.
1. The Conrad Indianapolis
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The Conrad is where luxury meets Midwestern hospitality. The hotel features a curated art collection that could rival a small museum, making it a feast for the eyes as well as a place to rest your head. And if you’re into wine (and who isn’t?), the Tastings wine bar on the ground floor lets you sample a global selection, one glass at a time.
2. JW Marriott Indianapolis
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If you're the kind of traveler who wants room service, river views, and enough square footage in your suite to host a TED Talk, this is your place. The JW looms over downtown like it knows it’s the fanciest hotel in town—and honestly, it might be. Sure, it’s corporate, but it’s the good kind of corporate: polished, reliable, and two escalators away from a steakhouse that won’t ruin your expense report.
3. The Alexander
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The Alexander is the hotel for those who like their stays with a side of culture. Located in the CityWay district, this place is essentially a modern art gallery where you can sleep. The rooms are chic, the lobby is filled with thought-provoking installations, and the in-house Plat 99 cocktail lounge is the perfect spot to sip something creative while you ponder the meaning of life—or just your dinner plans.
4. Ironworks Hotel
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Ironworks Hotel is a little off the beaten path, but it’s worth the detour. With its industrial-chic vibe, this boutique hotel offers a unique stay that’s a bit different from your standard downtown digs. The building itself is a nod to the city’s industrial past, and the restaurants inside—like Provision and Rize—are worth a visit even if you’re not staying overnight.
5. Le Méridien
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Le Méridien is for those who want to be in the thick of it all. In the heart of downtown, this hotel is all about convenience and style without any unnecessary fuss. The rooms are comfortable, and the location is perfect for exploring the city. Plus, their restaurant, Spoke & Steele, serves a burger that’s the stuff of local legend—seriously, try it.
6. Bottleworks Hotel
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Bottleworks Hotel is a gem with a story. Housed in a former Coca-Cola bottling plant in the Bottle works District, it’s where history meets modern luxury. The Art Deco design is a nod to the building’s past, while the rooms offer all the comforts of the present. And downstairs, the Garage Food Hall gives you a taste of the local food scene without having to stray too far from your room.
7. Hotel Indy
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A retro-modern ode to midcentury cool, Hotel Indy feels like the Mad Men set moved to the Midwest and brought a rooftop bar. It’s part of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio, but don’t let that scare you off—the terrazzo floors, warm woods, and vintage brass fixtures keep things stylish without going full theme park. Bonus: It’s walking distance to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, so you can stumble home post-Pacers game without calling an Uber.
8. The Brick Street Inn
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Just far enough outside downtown to feel like a getaway, this 1800s-era Zionsville inn leans into its charm without drowning you in doilies. The nine rooms are individually styled, the breakfast is better than it has any right to be, and the whole thing is perched on a cobblestone street that looks ripped from a Hallmark movie. Stay here if you want small-town vibes with grown-up wine lists.
9. Looking Glass Inn
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This restored 1905 mansion in the Old Northside feels like the kind of place your aunt with stories might’ve once owned. Rooms come with clawfoot tubs, antique dressers, and the occasional haunted-house creak—charming if you're into that sort of thing. It’s a bed-and-breakfast in the old sense, minus the frilly baggage, and worth it for the porch alone.
10. Hotel Broad Ripple
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Located along the Monon Trail in the buzzy Broad Ripple district, this 19‑room boutique feels like it was custom‑built for travelers with style. Each room boasts its own vibe, and the onsite store might just scratch your itch for boutique shopping. A small‑town feel with big‑city charm.
