Hotels in Louisville

The two grande dames of Louisville hotels are the Camberley Brown, Fourth Street and West Broadway (tel. 502/583-1234; www.thebrownhotel.com; $119-$225 double), and the Seelbach Hilton, 500 Fourth St. (tel. 502/585-3200; www.seelbachhilton.com; $239-$284 double). The Seelbach opened in 1905, the Camberley Brown in 1923; both are downtown (within boasting distance of each other). Both also have top-flight formal restaurants: the English Grill at the Camberley Brown, and the Oakroom at the Seelbach Hilton.

Along the Ohio River, the gigantic Galt House, Fourth Street and River Road (tel. 800/626-1814 or 502/589-5200; www.galthouse.com; $165-$210 double), is Louisville's only riverfront, full-service hotel. A few blocks away, the new Louisville Marriott Downtown, is a 616-room high-rise at 280 W. Jefferson St. (tel. 800/533-0127 or 502/627-5045; www.marriott.com; $139-$249 double).

The chic 21c Museum Hotel, 700 W. Main (tel. 877/217-6400 or 502/217-6300; www.21chotel.com), is downtown Louisville's first cutting-edge boutique hotel, featuring a 9,000-square-foot contemporary art gallery and ultramodern furnishings in its 90 rooms. Rates range from $159 to $279 double. Proof on Main is the hotel's upscale restaurant, serving Tuscan-inspired American food, including Kentucky bison and various bourbon-spiked specialty dishes. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; entrees start at $18.

Holiday Inn (tel. 800/HOLIDAY [465-4329]; www.holiday-inn.com) alone has more than a dozen different properties in the Louisville area. A Jameson Inn can be found at 1301 Kentucky Mills Dr. (tel. 502/267-8100).