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Seelbach Hilton Louisville
Rating Details »
500 Fourth Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 585-3200
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 585-3200
- Price Range:
-
$$$
13 reviews for Seelbach Hilton Louisville
This was a beautiful hotel. During my stay in Louisville (or...Indyucky...) this was a highlight. The lobby of the hotel is beautiful--with a huge large staircase...it would be nice for a fancy affair. The beds were heaven (though small. they were like mini-fulls...fine for me, but maybe not for everyone) The linens and comforters were clean and crisp and you could just fall into the pillows.
The staff was sweet and nice--though they did not really give good tips on where to eat, we had to go to the Tourism Center for that...They had a nice shuttle to the airport (holla to Rick). The hotel was quiet and clean. There are two sets of elevators--one fast and one incredibly slow (I think that might be the haunted one...) Crabtree and Evelyn goodies in the bathroom.
The bar was dark but cozy--the wine filled to the rim.
Otto's the restaurant inside the hotel was good but the service there was so slow. Like you should just get the buffet. Actually when I asked for more food at the buffet (they had run out of tomatoes and mozorella...the host told me that he "thought" he could find some more...hmmm) There is a Starbucks in the lobby (hello Lance and Will) and a little gift shop (hello advil)
I had a hilarious time in Louisville--this was the best place to crash and call home for those few days. A nice place to rest your head after your adventures.
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Kinda mixed on this one. The draw about the place is the rich history, and "The Great Gatsby" connection, however, the issues with this place is its historical landmark status.
Everyone raves about the lobby because it is quite elaborate. While the lobby indeed is impressive, I'm not staying in the lobby, so what good is it to me once I've checked in?
It's hard to get your luggage and open the main doors of the hotel. This was not a huge issue, but irritating. If bell hops were in place at all times perhaps this would not be an issue, however, I found myself getting a little peeved at having to deal with it.
I was initially assigned to a room on the fourth floor which was a mistake. There was a very loud vibrating noise in the hallway, and I heard so much noise in the hallways as well. People's conversations, people coming and going in the elevators. I felt as if I had no privacy at all. So I asked to change rooms.
A very kind young lad helped me move my belongings to another room on the 6th floor. This room was much more quiet, more private, and much larger than the previous room. He told me I needed vitamin C, which was true, as I was still recovering from a cold (yes, people in Florida get colds), and he sent up an orange juice for me :) Super sweet!
The hotel is generous with toiletries which seems to be change from some hotels I have visited lately. The gym is sufficient, and the hotel also offers day passes to the Y which is nice.
If you choose to stay here, just know they cannot do certain renovations to the hotel because it is a historical landmark. So you will hear conversations of your neighbor. It may not have the room conviencies as more modern hotels, and may not be the best for business travelers.
By all means, make sure to ask for a large room, because the rooms are tiny. If you're ok with all of the above, go for it, and good luck!!
If I could give this Hotel more than five stars I would. It reminded me of the grandeur of the Fairmont here in San Francisco. The rooms were comfortable and cleaned on a timely basis. The breakfast buffet was excellent, I especially like the biscuits and gravy. The service exemplary.
We did not even hear all the noise and commotion that was going on on 4th Street. I would definitely go back again.
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nice to stay somewhere that was not Generic America.
Great hotel with great service. My room had a four poster bed and was very nicely finished.
The only downside with an old hotel is the size of the rooms, if you tried to swing the proverbial cat, you would bang it's head on at least two walls!
The hotel bar is awesome, listed in some magazine somewhere as one of the 50 coolest bars in the world. I dont know that I would go that far, but it was quaint.
I will stay again if in Louisville
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Would Stay Again.
Excellent Service
Beautiful Lobby
Nicely Appointed Rooms
Nice Lobby Bar
First Rate Dining at The Oak Room on 2nd floor.
Enjoyed the history, the architecture, & the location.
No complaints and room price was reasonable.
I wish I could have stayed here on my recent trip to Louisville. Stepping into the lobby is like stepping back in time. It made me want to dress up like an Edwardian lady, corset and all, and swish around the lobby with a parasol in hand.
The interior just screams classic turn of the century luxury hotel, with lots of details wainscoting, huge ceilings, frescoes, tile, dark wood, and bronze. The hotel is a welcome change after walking through the abomination that is Fourth Street Live. I was glad to just walk into somewhere semi-civilized that returned my trust in humanity.
The breakfast at Otto's was delicious, featuring a buffet with smoked salmon, creme fraiche, fruits, pastries, bagels, biscuits and gravy, french toast, eggs, omelets, and several different juices. For such a spread, the price was not too outrageously expensive. We had tried to find somewhere open downtown, but it seemed all the little cafes were closed on the weekend, so Otto's saved us.
I have a Love-Hate relationship with this hotel.
My company had a contract with them so this is where everyone stayed when in town for meetings.
Love the Old Seelbach Bar. Lots of good times here. Beware of the bourbon-soaked cherries that the bartenders hand out to unsuspecting females! I learned to appreciate Woodford Reserve at this bar. (I'm a wine drinker usually)
I love the Big four poster Beds in the rooms. Always cozy.
I love that the breakfast that is always delivered on time. Food is
so-so but at least you can get a bite in and some coffee before you are ready to greet the world.
I love the historic painted frescos in the lobby and the story that the hotel is haunted.
I do not love that there is only a tiny shelf in the bathrooms and almost every one is tilted so that your stuff rolls right off!
I do not love that the doors have a good 1 1/2" crack under them so that you can see people's feet as they walk by in the hallway (and enjoy their conversation). Not to mention the blinding light shining on you as you try to sleep.
Last but not least, I do not love that the rooms are all so very dark even with all the lights on and that the elevators work sporadically.
PS. Never had any problems with on-time shuttles but never trust the wake up call system!
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Legend has it that this hotel inspired the setting of The Great Gatsby. It's worth a stay for the history and architecture alone. The Oak Room used to serve much better food.
The Old Seelbach Bar is still a great place to hang out and pretend to be a movie star.
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Lovely joint to hear some jazz and have a drink in the lobby bar - "The Old Seebach Bar" they call it...
Nice room, great drinks, friendly waitstaff, fair prices.
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Crappy overly priced hotel... good central location but better to stay at the Marriott or other hotels in the area. It might be historic, but the room doesn't need to feel like it.
The food was horrible... thankfully a Starbucks is caddy corner to the place.
Overall, crappy. Don't waste your money.
Thankfully it was a decent hotel considering it was teh only one with a room left before the Derby. There is a Starbuck's off the lobby for your morning jolt.
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A historic hotel, indeed. The Seelbach had a part in The Great Gatsby (called the Muhlbach Hotel in the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald was stationed here prior to WWI) and was also a haven for Al Capone in the whiskey-running era. These days it's a well-maintained, small, stunning establishment.
The Seelbach is fine for a place to stay. However, it is definitely not the nicest hotel you'll encounter, nor the most luxurious. Its history and charm are undeniable. The location is exceptionally convenient if you've got things to do and people to see in downtown Louisville. We stayed here for a wedding and were satisfied with the accommodations. The bed was very comfortable, the room was clean, and the linens were made/changed in a timely manner.
However, a few things bugged me about this place given its supposed 5 star rating. First, we were put on the concierge level for some reason (which was fine), requiring that we enter our key every time we get in the elevator. Not such a big deal, but the key didn't work on several occasions. It was annoying to have to wait in line for a fixed key more than once. Second, the bathrooms are tiny! There is barely any room for one person to get ready, much less two. The room was pretty tiny in general, which I sort of understand due to the hotel's age, but it made getting dressed, ironing, packing, etc an interesting task.
The thing that bothered me the most, though, was that we called the front desk on Saturday night to find out about a shuttle to the airport. They said 6:30am would be a perfect time to depart and that they'd take care of it. We got downstairs at 6:30am only to be informed that the 6:30am shuttle had already departed. WTF? We didn't call for our health the evening before! The concierge was exceptionally rude about it. In fact, they didn't even have our name on the list! I know that we weren't crazy because another woman came down right when we did and found herself in the same predicament. We managed to get a cab and share it with the other stranded guest, but needless to say, we were quite disappointed that they left us at the hotel when we had specifically called for a place on the shuttle (and no one informed us that the shuttle left at predetermined times). We were left with the impression that the shuttle left when the hotel's "valued" guests requested a departure. So annoying to spend $25 unnecessary dollars.
Overall we had a fairly pleasant stay. This hotel is fine for business or if you don't plan to spend an inordinate amount of time in your room. I don't recommend it for a vacation or leisurely trip, though. The rooms simply are not spacious or luxurious enough for the price.
