By Marty Finley
– Reporter, Louisville Business First
Mar 28, 2018, 1:42pm EDT
Updated Mar 28, 2018, 2:56pm
Another downtown Louisville hotel has opened its doors ahead of the Kentucky Derby.
The 133-room Homewood Suites by Hilton Louisville Downtown debuted March 21 at 635 W. Market St., offering another extended-stay downtown option for business and leisure travelers a short walk from the city’s Museum Row.
The eight-story hotel, which stands at 105,000 square feet, is a collaboration between HBGM Partners — a company controlled by Louisville businessman Tim Mulloy and his brothers, Pat and Mark, who own the property — and Louisville real estate development firm Poe Cos.
Indianapolis-based real estate firm REI Real Estate Services also is a partner on the project with the Mulloys and Poe, and White Lodging Services is a partner and manager of the property.
Louisville-based Calhoun Construction Services Inc. was the general contractor, and Atlanta-based PFVS Architecture handled the architectural services. The estimated development cost was $25 million, and it took about 15 months to construct.
Jay Nichols, general manager of the new hotel, gave Louisville Business First a tour of the facility on Tuesday afternoon. He said nightly rates start at $179 during the week and $139 on weekends, and the rates vary based on length of stay. He described the typical stay for a downtown hotel of this type at five to 12 days.
“The longer you stay, the lower the rate gets,” he said.
Nichols said the Homewood Suites brand primarily sees business travelers during the week and families during weekends and on special occasions, such as spring break.
The hotel has a large lounge area with flat-screen televisions, a pool table and a small business center. A dining area offers daily complimentary breakfast and an evening social Monday through Thursday. The evening social, he said, includes a full meal and beverages at no charge to guests.
“The travelers who stay a single night still love it because they get breakfast and dinner,” Nichols said.
Another interesting feature is a heated outdoor terrace connected to the lobby area with fire pits, two gas grills and plenty of lounge seating. Nichols said the terrace is open every day of the year.
“It’s nice to have an outdoor feel in a downtown setting,” he said.
The hotel also has an indoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center.
The remaining seven floors are dedicated to the hotel suites, more than 100 of which have studio layouts. The remaining suites are one-bedroom layouts with either a king-sized bed or double queen beds.
Because it is an extended-stay property, each room has a seating area with a pullout sofa and a full kitchen stocked with pots, pans and utensils for cooking. Local art adorns the rooms.
This is the latest in a slew of hotels that have opened in Louisville of late. Last week, we toured the Tru by Hilton Louisville East in Jeffersontown, and the 30-story Omni Louisville Hotel opened its doors downtown in early March.
Also, the extended-stay Marriott Towneplace Suites Louisville North is tentatively set to open in early April next to the Big Four Bridge in Jeffersonville.
To take a closer look at the new Homewood Suites property, check out the attached slideshow.