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21C Museum Hotel
Rating Details »
700 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 217-6300
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 217-6300
21c has a reason to celebrate!
21c was named the #1 Hotel in the U.S. & #6 Hotel in…
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22 reviews for 21C Museum Hotel
Look, my wasted ass stumbled into this hotel in the early afternoon. My facilities were not about me as I entered the lobby. A nice man unloaded my suitcase from the cab, opened doors for me, and deposited me at the front desk where a nice lady handed me a room key and sent me on my way.
In the elevator I looked up, and was amazed to find I was in some sort of chasm. Or else they just have a really cool glass and light fixture up there. Whatever. Once in the room, I immediately passed out on the comfy king bed and woke up and hour later to explore.
Interesting concept, really. The room itself was sobering, and YES, pun intended! It was very comfortable yet strangely stark. Very devoid of art, which surprised me given that the hotel itself houses a museum. Though I can only assume that the purpose of this may be to force the guests into appreciating the art downstairs more.
Let's talk about being wet and naked for a moment, though, shall we? The shower....I can't. I just can't. My poor head still reels. It wouldn't work. I had to bathe in my own skin cells because I couldn't get the shower to work. And there is no fan in the bathroom, so after my skin soak, all I saw was a foggy alien-like person in the mirror and had to wait to put my face on! But, true story, all their bathroom goodies were nice.
I spent a large amount of my stay here in bed. I cannot stress how comfortable and QUIET the bed was. You know what I'm talking about ladies, you get a room and you're trying to get your bang on and all you hear is CREAK CREAK. And even if that happened here, you could just drown out that noise with the iPod and docking station in the room.
The icing on the cake, though, would be the red plastic penguins. No, I'm not one of those people on the penguin bandwagon. They seem like lonely birds that are no damn good at anything. What's so cute about that? Bitches can't even fly! But these red plastic penguins in the hallways....Tons of fun. Put them in front of other peoples door. Or be awesome and send them up in the elevator. Good fun.
Oh, and there's a bunch of art and stuff in the lobby. It's amazing. So are the bathrooms in the lobby. Peeing is like heaven down there.
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Wow, this town has really changed. When I was at UK a decade ago, the best thing about Lexington was getting away to Louisville. The 21C picks up right there.
They are located right by the river and the Louisville Slugger museum. We've stayed here a few times and it will always be my place in town. The rooms are huge and the service is great. It is an old warehouse building, so the large room we had was loft style with modern touches. Comfy bed and chairs. Big bathroom with great supplies that I still have in my travel kit. Big plasma TV and tons of space to put your stuff.
The lobby/museum made me feel like that scene in the Doors where they are at Andy Warhol's trippy party. It was an interesting stroll through the works they had displayed and worth a few minutes of your time.
I love the little touches of the 21C like the rubber duckie in the tub and the always present red penguins. A couple must have just gotten married during our stay. Attached a pic of that.
This was an absolutely incredible hotel. A really interesting concept by combining museum and hotel in one but makes for a lot of fun. You feel like you're staying in a museum but not one of those stuffy, not fun ones. The hotel is chic and has a lot of personality. If you didn't know it, you'd think you were in LA, NYC, or Miami.
The room was excellent. Very spacious, great furniture, nice bathroom and a super comfy bed. These things matter *a lot* when you spend a lot of your life in hotel rooms.
I will definitely stay at 21C every time I fly to Louisville...
I never thought I would discover one of the best hotels in the world in Louisville! I came on a short business trip, and discovered that a wonderful hotel had somehow combined with a world-class art gallery and created a totally unique hotel. Large wonderful rooms, and terrific restaurant in the hotel, and a stunning museum to wander after dinner.
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One of the most exciting spots in Louisville. The exhibitions are inspired and proof dishes out some the most creative pairings(leave the ketchup at home).
Even if you are not spending the night i would highly recommend touring the free galleries. 21c hosts some of the most inspired contemporary art anywhere.
Had my bachelorette party here. TOO FUN. This place is definitely one of the coolest places in downtown Louisville. Envision an art museum, restaurant, and hotel, all in one!
ART: super interesting and modern. Like woah. Crystal Skulls (before the stupid movie, that is), red penguins, interactive exhibits, graphic design, sculptures, movies, etc. The exhibit could easily vouch as a whole independent museum that is well worth the trip if you are into modern, eclectic art. I only say that because I am not sure Louisville as a whole is ready for such rad art. Well, get ready, Ville!
HOTEL: super plush and fun. Staff was even super accommodating to my bachelorette madness and the "visitor" my maid-of-honor had arranged to visit us, if you know what I mean. Though I was embarrassed, the staff didn't seem to be! Our room was large enough to hold our little party, and to my surprise, no one called in a complaint about the noise we were making! The room came with some great amenities, including a plush bathrobe and an iPod deck :)
FOOD: Breakfast in bed is always the best way to start the day before your wedding :) Yummy granola and fruit, authentic grits, perfect service!
OVERALL: Great Louisville location (ie right next to the Slugger Museum); great staff; great valet; great option for anyone you are hosting in Louisville and need to impress ;) I'm a fan!
Thanks for adding some extra chic to Louisville, 21C :)
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I luv this hotel....The best hotel in Louisville and one of the most artsy and trendiest hotels in the country.. Think of the W Hotel, but more artsy.
This hotel is a combination of an art musem on the first and basement floors and a cool boutique hotel with very trendy furnishings.
Great trendy bar and restaurant that attracts beautiful professionals.....This hotel should be in NY, SF or LA, not Louisville.
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Stayed here while moving across country (Denver to DC...ugh 25 hours of driving). After a long, hot day in the car 21C hotel was an oasis. The art gallery in the lobby was fun and interesting. I of course loved the cool projection art by the elevators, I could have hung out in front of those all day! When we got to the room it spacious and relaxing - and since we were staying on a pretty slow night, they upgraded us for free. Sweet! I immediately hopped in the shower, using the peppermint shampoo and cilantro conditioner. I was afraid I would smell like a salad, but I smelled delicious and was totally relaxed. I wish I could have stayed here an extra night! A great hotel and highly recommended if you are staying in Louisville.
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Very fun hotel. 21C is on par with boutique hotels I've stayed at in New York and Miami. The art is diverse and fantastic. It's an outstanding contemporary art museum in the hotel basically. There seems to be a focus on art that draws you in and invites you to interact. The staff was attentive and genuinely friendly. The main entrance is oddly cramped... but the rest of the lobby/gallery space is great.
We received an upgrade upon checking in. The room was spacious and included a great, functional desk with an Aeron chair; free wi-fi. Music and video art were playing when we arrived in the room; nice touch. Received turn down service (including ice) without having to request it. The bathroom was on the small side and showing a little wear, but it was nice.
Would definitely stay there again. Loved the art and the great vibes.
This hotel defines the "boutique" hotel category. Ok, so perhaps it is the only true boutique hotel I have stayed in, but it is by far the coolest and most functional hotel out of them all, and I travel frequently.
The first time I came here, they gave me a complimentary upgrade to a suite. I was the lowest man on the totem pole on the business trip, and I got the suite overlooking the river, complete with a living room area, ginourmous TV, and dining room table to seat 8. The bathroom had both a stand up shower AND a bathtub. I think my bedroom in Boston is the size of the bathroom. Needless to say I enjoyed my one night in luxury.
I had the good fortune to return to 21C last week. Service was impeccable (they even gave me a gift bag to use for the client's gift), my normal room was quite nice and spacious, and the art was as fun as I remembered. The desk in the room is great, and there's free wireless, always a bonus. Towels were soft and fluffy. The bathrobes were appreciated. I even took home a few red penguin odorless air fresheners for Christmas Tree ornaments.
The only downside - if you are in a room to the right off the elevators, you may hear some of the noise from the alley below, including trash removal very early in the morning.
All in all, i can hardly wait to return to Louisville, mostly due to this hotel. Ok, entirely due to this hotel. Too bad it's a pain in the a$$ to get there from Boston!
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Stayed here for a week on business travel. It was such a relief to come back here after a day at the salt mines. The rooms were luxurious, the staff was friendly and helpful, everyone seemed to be having fun, and the room service was the best meal I had while in Louisville!
I am staying here right now at the end of a 5 night stay for business reasons. I selected the hotel because of its very positive press, boutique attitude and because Louisville doesn't have anything better--no Ritz, Four Seasons or Peninsula.
All in all, I have been satisfied. Room is bright and clean. Housekeeping has been efficient and timely. Place looks well maintained. Negatives are unimpressive bathroom with shower curtain (yech), not glass door. However, towels are plusher than even some 4 and 5 star hotels. Lobby service is mediocre. Bellman/doorman sometime there, sometimes not, sometimes opens door, sometimes not. Don't get that personal feeling one would expect. Lobby could be more welcoming and comfortable.
Food is OK. Proof is good but over-rated. Of course, we are in Louisville so that has to be taken into account.
On balance, I would stay here again but not if there were other realistic options.
The only downside of moving to Louisville was losing a good excuse to travel here and stay at 21C.
We enjoyed four stays at 21C over 16 months before moving to Louisville. The hotel showcases some really cool contemporary art, (it houses a notable contemporary art collection) including video art available on big screen plasma displays in the rooms, as well as in a viewing room off the lobby, and in the bar. The rooms are modern, with a clean design aesthetic and exposed brick on the exterior walls.
Besides the plasma screens, there's an iPod dock stereo in each room, and the hotel supplies an iPod with an eclectic mix of music. You can substitute your own, of course. The bath items are Malin+Goetz, which is a great touch. A single cup brewer takes care of basic coffee/tea needs. The concept is well thought out.
A couple quibbles. I like chilly hotel rooms, but 21C thermostats seem to bottom out at 68 degrees. Not cool enough for me, and that makes for fitful sleep. Also, I've noticed bad TV reception in each of the four rooms I stayed in. In two of the rooms, even the in-house video art channel was grainy and fuzzy. It's one thing to put up with that on a 10 year old motel TV, but on a big screen plasma, it's just not right. Some consultation with the cable company would make all guests happier. Don't expect to get much use out of the fitness room - it's in the basement and it's small.
In summary, room prices are reasonable for what the hotel delivers, the staff is friendly and is proactive about meeting your needs. Proof on Main, the hotel restaurant, is excellent. The bar is a true hotspot. The lobby bathroom was recently voted the second best public bathroom in the country, and while I'm not sure of the objective criteria behind that list, 21C does have a cool bathroom.
Very original in their concept and fairly well executed for the most part, probably the only reason for four stars instead of three. It is in an old building that has been renovated and unless I just completely missed it, there was no swimming pool to speak of. A rooftop deck/atrium would be stellar certain times of the year.
The fitness center/"spa" as described is on the bottom basement level and generally tough to find and not the most welcoming.
The concept is great, but generally I prefer more from a hotel for a leisure trip. This would be a great spot for a night or two on business where you will not be doing more than sleeping at your hotel.
This review is for the museum. Oh how I wished I knew about this place before planning my trip to Louisville, otherwise I would have stayed here too, budget be damned!
After my meal at Proof I was smitten. Any place that serves good food, eclectic drinks while playing Mustang Sally, Mos Def and the Clash deserves 5 stars. Anyway, enough about the restaurant.
I have to admit I didn't know about the museum attached to the hotel, and I am a modern art fanatic, so upon walking into the gallery I was blown away. The museum features art collected by the owners of the hotel as well as other living artists of the 21st Century. Photography by Mikhail Baryshnikov showcasing forms of dance in the Dominican Republic were on display along with a number of video installations, and sculptural works. My favorite was "Text Rain" by Camille Utterback & Romy Achituv, and with this video installation you become part of the piece. There were about 3-4 separate galleries within the space for solo shows, one of which featured an artist currently incarcerated in the Kentucky penal system. There's also a cool space downstairs featuring additional works, and it looks to be a venue for special events too.
I adored this place for the simple fact that it was unexpected. It really exposed my ignorance of Louisville, and I was so glad to have learned about this place. I can't wait to come back, learn more about this city, and stay at this hotel!
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After many trips to Louisville over the last year, with glimpses of the 21C as it was being built from scratch on each visit, i had the opportunity to stay there just a few weeks after opening... Derby Week no less.
The place was ABUZZ with activity.
The 21C takes its name "Museum Hotel" very seriously. The wife half of the husband-and-wife team who developed the hotel is a member of Louisville's Brown family and her global upbringing allows the 21C to walk a balance between down-home Kentucky and cosmopolitan funk from the art adorning the walls to the video installations appearing around unusual corners.
You enter the hotel into a large art gallery, featuring curated shows, and at every turn, including the large 'museum' space downstairs, are pieces from Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson's personal contemporary art collection. Word on the street is that Louisville's residents are conflicted about the art --- much of which is provocative and further afield than community opinion might generally accept.
The bellhops and valets ride Segway scooters to and fro around the building, while the staff is highly attentive and friendly without ever being obsequious.
All of this is before you even enter your room, which is spacious, comfortable, and more alive with energy than anything thrown out by a W. Brick walls, a huge 42-inch plasma TV, a real work desk with Aeron chair, and high-speed wireless internet make it a great place to get work done, while the bathroom is stocked with amazing Malin & Goetz bath products.
Oh, and did I mention that the concierge calls two days before your arrival to inquire about your musical tastes? Why you ask? For your customized iPod Nano which appears on its own stereo docking station for listening pleasure while in the room.
The hotel's restaurant Proof on Main serves nouveau country cooking with Tuscan influences, and focuses on foodstuffs available through local farms and growers. The bar is one of the best hotel bars i've been to in a long time.
The 21C is reason in itself to travel to Louisville --- long weekend anyone?
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My new favorite hotel. I travel to Louisville frequently for work and I always look forward to staying at 21C. It's artsy and fun. They have ipods in each room and you can call ahead and they will create a playlist for you. Uber cool.
The sheets and pillows are incredible but the mattresses suck. They are springy like a Fairfield Inn mattress. And the thermostat refuses to go below 68 degrees and the air barely comes out of the vents.
sitting in my room at the 21c hotel. I just have to tell someone how cool this hotel really is. It has the feel of "W Hotel" but with an art twist, which in my opinion sets it apart. The staff is very friendly and accommodating.
They have a bed and treats for my dog, and a crib for my son. Perfect. Also ordered room service for breakfast. Food was really good.
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"If this was an apartment, I'd live here." These were my husband's first words in our room. This is a wonderful hotel. The decor was NY loft. The bed was so comfy with a good assortment of pillows and super soft sheets. The towels were ultra plush. Kohler fixtures in the bathroom. Widescreen flat panel TV. Original art work. Everything was perfect. Every staff person we encountered was helpful and charming.
This was a stop-over as we drove back from the Westin Spa Resort in Hilton Head, SC and I wish we had just stayed at 21C the whole time. Well worth every cent.
If at all possible, go down to the restaurant instead of ordering room service. The food from Proof is too good to let die as it steams it its little cover on its way to your room.
Forget the W. This is -- hands-down -- one of the coolest hotels I have ever stayed in. The 21C is no misnomer; it's truly housed in a museum with funky multimedia displays, and large plastic red penguins and segways out front. The beds are ridiculously plush and comfortable, the carefully selected, ever-trendy Malin and Goetz toiletries are divine, and the huge plasma screen TV certainly helped matters. The best service ever, including a delicious/gourmet bacon, french toast and cheesy grits combo that was thrown in (it won't break the bank even if you have to pay for it.) So what that the fire alarm went off at 2 am and the coffee maker was too high tech for 3 liberal arts college alumni?
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Awesome Hotel. Great mix of funtion and style. Rooms feature a plasma TV, Herman Miller chair, and an IPOD. Nice bar with a very good restaurant Proof. Would highly recommend.
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I got a chance to visit 21C as part of some family-related business. We had dinner nearby. The relatives were wowed and everyone got a chance to spend some time in the room as well as the museum area. 21C is a world-class boutique hotel in an environment that is interesting for both its historic context and the adaptive reuse of that space.
