We had a little impromptu stay-cation in downtown Indy last night. One of my girlfriends from NYC was in town for the night and thanks to her rad job she hooked us up with front row tickets to Janet Jackson. It was so much fun to catch up and do something different. She even brought surprises for me that her and one of my best friend's put together. They surprised me with my favorite bagels ( and they were fresh!), Tate's cookies from The Hamptons where I spent every summer Saturday for years, a cute little pouch from the Holiday Market at Bryant Park that we went to together every year for almost a decade, and a personalized Christmas ornament from the market for Mike and me. It was so thoughtful and so sweet and I felt so loved and not forgotten, even all these miles away. Adult friendships in major transient cities like NYC are special because most don't really have "family" there. Your friends become your family and that lasts forever, no matter the miles.
Since we live north of the city and would be downtown that night anyway, around 2:00 pm Mike suggested we snag a last minute hotel room and make a night of it. YES. One of the many reasons I love that man. We decided to try The Alexander. I have had a lot of brides do photos in front of the blown glass lanterns in the lobby and seen some local fashion blogger shoots from there, but I had not ventured in myself. I was really excited to check it out.
The valet guys were extremely helpful and friendly. We got checked in right away and headed up to drop our bags after I took 677.8 photos in the lobby. Mike is such a good sport. The Alexander states it's mission as a hotel centered around art and design and that is clear as you explore the hotel. To quote a NY Times article written about The Alexander :
"Indianapolis Museum of Art curators have filled a nearby hotel with contemporary art that resonates with and sometimes mocks the region. At the Alexander Hotel, designed by Gensler, windows here and there are covered with the artist Kim Beck’s vinyl silhouettes of local weeds. The sculptor Sonya Clark built a portrait of the Indianapolis hair-care tycoon Madam C. J. Walker out of 3,840 combs. Paul Villinski’s wall-mounted installation is made from vinyl records by musicians including the Gary, Ind., native Michael Jackson. And Mark Fox’s stream-of-consciousness text, cut from reflective stainless steel, notes that John Dillinger is buried about seven and a half miles from the Alexander, and that hotel rooms are zones of “mirrors and copulation.”
I mean, how cool is that?? Sometimes Indy really surprises me with little gems like this! Architectural Digest even named The Alexander "the most beautiful hotel in Indiana". loved everything down to the geometric wall paper in the halls. While all of the installations were interesting and thought provoking, I have to say my favorite was the vinyl record wall installation by Paul Villinski. I have been a big fan of Villinski's for awhile now as he is based out of New York City and did an installation in the Park Avenue home of my former boss. Every time I walked into her entry I was greeted by one of his metallic butterfly installations that spanned two stories high. We are also huge music lovers and travel all over the US to concerts. This exhibit was really special to me and gave me chills that it brought the whole night full circle and made my Indiana life and my NY life seem connected somehow. That is the power of art!
The hotel boasts three restaurants in and around the building:
We grabbed some drinks and apps at Platt 99 before heading over to dinner at Burger Study. Platt 99 has a mixologist bar menu and friendly servers. I had an Irish coffee that was served with an entire pot of french press. So good. I have not eaten at the other two places, but I have heard good things. Have you tried them? If so, leave a review for me below! I was too busy enjoying my night out to take any good photos of Platt 99, but it is a really fun and vibrant space.
If design is not of importance to you, I would recommend this hotel simply because of it's super convenient location to Lucas Oil and all the fun things that downtown Indy has to offer. Another great thing about this hotel is that they are energy efficient. The lights can only be used when a room key is inserted ( ideally meaning someone is in the room). I think this is great feature that every hotel should take advantage of. Our room even had a nice little view and there is a fun mural across the street that is great for a quick photo opp.
I think my only complaint about The Alexander is that there is not a page dedicated to the artists on their website. The art in this space makes the hotel what it is and it is such a HUGE thing for Indy that I am really surprised that there is not more of a shout-out the the makers and their work. Maybe I missed it on the site? Another interesting article about The Alexander here.
Where are your favorite places to stay in and around Indy?
