Planning bachelorette party - 4th street, help! (Louisville, Bardstown: top hotels, hotels)

[BellaLove15]

Hey everyone,

I am planning a bachelorette party for my best friend. We are all from Indy and have heard great things about 4th street in Lousiville. Does anyone have good suggestions on Hotels that would be in the heart of 4th street, walking distance to bars..

Also, any suggestions on fun bars/nightlife? We all love to dance so would like something upbeat where a lot of people are. Also - we are interested in taking pole dancing lessons (just for fun, none of us are strippers lol!) Does anyone know anyone who gives lessons?

Any other suggestions of fun things to do around this area? We will be there for a couple days Obviously, I know nothing of the area. Anything would help.. thanks!!

[mdawg]

Stay at the Seelbach Hilton, 21C, the Galt House, the downtown Marriott, or The Brown Hotel. The Hyatt is okay, but a little outdated and plain IMO. Take a taxi up to Bardstown Rd./The Highlands and go to places like Molly Malone's, Wick's, Phoenix Hill Tavern, or pretty much any bar in the area, this is where many locals go on the weekend, 4th Street Live is more for tourists and out of towners, but it is still really fun. Not sure where you can get pole dancing lessons lol.

[Ryan2099]

Do a search of the Louisville forum. Either the end of last year or earlier this year somebody started a thread on "poledancing lessons" in Louisville.

I don't know if they were inquiring about them or offering them but its a place to start.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by mdawg

Stay at the Seelbach Hilton, 21C, the Galt House, the downtown Marriott, or The Brown Hotel. The Hyatt is okay, but a little outdated and plain IMO. Take a taxi up to Bardstown Rd./The Highlands and go to places like Molly Malone's, Wick's, Phoenix Hill Tavern, or pretty much any bar in the area, this is where many locals go on the weekend, 4th Street Live is more for tourists and out of towners, but it is still really fun. Not sure where you can get pole dancing lessons lol.

Mdawg, your data is helpful but usually a little outdated. The Hyatt has undergone a complete renovation in the last two years, and is a nice option for stumbling home from fourth street, along with the Seelbach if you like history but smaller rooms or the Marriot should you like new and modern stuff.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by BellaLove15

Hey everyone,

I am planning a bachelorette party for my best friend. We are all from Indy and have heard great things about 4th street in Lousiville. Does anyone have good suggestions on Hotels that would be in the heart of 4th street, walking distance to bars..

Also, any suggestions on fun bars/nightlife? We all love to dance so would like something upbeat where a lot of people are. Also - we are interested in taking pole dancing lessons (just for fun, none of us are strippers lol!) Does anyone know anyone who gives lessons?

Any other suggestions of fun things to do around this area? We will be there for a couple days Obviously, I know nothing of the area. Anything would help.. thanks!!

It is surprising how little people from a city two hours away know about Louisville. I found that to be universal when I lived in Indy for almost a year; however Louisville is more interesting from a cultural and nightlife, and especially, dining perspective.

You can see my hotel recs above. I would choose one of those three for closest walkability to fourth street. However, the nicest and most unique hotel in the city, which you will not find in Indy (although the new Conrad is gorgeous) is the 21C Museum and Hotel. It is a short 5 dollar cab to fourth street and is located next to a bunch of cool museums, should you have any nerdy tendencies in your group.

Luxury Louisville Kentucky Hotel :: 21c Museum Hotel (http://www.21chotel.com/hotel/default.aspx - broken link)

You absolutely must dine at its restaurant, Proof (unless of course your group is more the Olive Garden/Outback kind of crowd in which case Proof may be too "odd" for them)

Also, downtown, you cannot miss this restaurant which simply cannot be found in Indy:

http://www.732social.com/

It is a place where you can share plates, very contemporary like a place called Avec and Blackbird in the West Loop of Chicago. It is small, loud, and does not take reservations, so go early like at 7 and try to get a big table for your girls.

Fourth Street Live is kind of cheesy, but is fun, especially on Saturday night after midnight, when it is most crowded. Remember bars in Louisville stay open until 4 am, and for this reason, many of the dance clubs especially will not start to fill until then. The bars up the escalators are usually the most fun for dancing. The most upscale is called Hotel, which has a nice VIP, and a mix of mostly house but also some hip hop. It is similar to Ice on Meridian in Indy.

There is also a rock themed bar, a tropical themed bar, and a coutry bar upstairs. All have a very diverse and different crowd, and one allows dancing on the bar with your girls (Tengo Sed Cantina) which is similar to a nicer Tiki Bob's when it was in better days.

My favorite place there is the Maker's bourbon lounge which is more a place to get drinks rather than dance. There is also a Howl at the Moon like the one in Indy. Sully's can be fun too, and there is a nice bowling alley there.

http://www.4thstlive.com/index.cfm

Right on fourth street is a pole dancing studio in the historic Starks building. I'd call them now, but I would make a full day Saturday of bourbon tasting, pole dancing, and a night capped off at fourth street Live on Saturday:


Pole dancing:

************ - About (http://www.moderndayfitnessky.com/index.html - broken link)

I have had good experiences with two limo companies, Community Aztec and Person to Person. Both have reasonable rates on Limos. Be sure to ask one for a stripper pole in it.

May be more of a guys thing, but this is fun http://www.justaddbourbon.com/planav...rbantrail.aspx


For Friday night, I would check out Louisville's two other main nightlife districts. One can best be compared to BroadRipple in Indy, but much larger and IMO better. This area is known as the Highlands and is more an Irish Pub kind of scene. You will want to check out Molly Malone's and Flanagan's. On certain nights there can be a fun little dance scnene in the back of Flanagan's behind the courtyard (ask a bartender where is the "red room"). Molly Malone's and nearby Oshea's also have some element of dancing later at night and may even have a live band. Before hitting this area, however, you will want to start out in the St Matthews bar district. I would start at either Brendan's or the Molly Malone's St Matthews. Ask the locals if there is anything going on at Saints, and its upstairs called Skybar that night. For Friday, you could eat a number of restaurants. One of my favorite sushi places is called Sapporro and is located on Bardstown Road in the Highlands. They also have hibachi and you could get a large Hibachi table. Should you prefer a more quiet and low key sushi spot, there is a place called Caviar around the corner form fourth street downtown which has a private tatami room. There are so many good restaurants in Louisville it is difficult to recommend more unless you get more specific. There is also two more spots which you may want to try on Friday, also downtown:

http://louisville.metromix.com/bars-...795757/content

http://www.primeloungeky.com/

There's lots more to this fair city, but I think you have a start...

some sites to search names of what I have said:

www.leoweekly.com
www.metromix.com
www.consuminglouisville.com
www.backseatsandbar.com
www.louisvillehotbytes.com (check out free food forum and sign up for advice should you be a foodie).

[mdawg]

Originally Posted by stx12499

Mdawg, your data is helpful but usually a little outdated. The Hyatt has undergone a complete renovation in the last two years, and is a nice option for stumbling home from fourth street, along with the Seelbach if you like history but smaller rooms or the Marriot should you like new and modern stuff.

I just stayed at the Hyatt for Thunder this year. I think I know what I'm talking about. The rooms are on the small side and the lobby/front desk need a little sprucing up. It is fine but I think there are better downtown hotel options. Oh, and BTW there is no longer bowling at 4th Street, its now the Sports and Social Club, so I think youre the one with the outdated information.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by mdawg

I just stayed at the Hyatt for Thunder this year. I think I know what I'm talking about. The rooms are on the small side and the lobby/front desk need a little sprucing up. It is fine but I think there are better downtown hotel options. Oh, and BTW there is no longer bowling at 4th Street, its now the Sports and Social Club, so I think youre the one with the outdated information.

Sports and Social Club has bowling, so no, you are wrong .

We will have to agree to disagree here on the Hyatt. The lobby is true 1980's atrium style, but I do not think it is out of date. And the rooms are very nice and renovated in the last 2 years with 500 thread count beds, clean new carpets, furniture, and carpet, a modern style, and flat screen TVs. It is a nice "upper middle class" option if one would like to stumble to 4th street and not pay for the newness of the Marriot. I do love the Seelbach, especially its bar and historic lobby, but the rooms are small (MUCH smaller than the Hyatt by nature of its history) and until the ongoing renovations are complete, I do not think it is in line with a true 4 star price that it commands. BTW, to the OP, you may want to try priceline to get a bargain price on these hotels. You can usually get a nice room for 100 a night using priceline, which is the cost of a low end Holiday Inn in a big city, while in Louisville you can get an upscale hotel for that price.

If you do not believe my reviews, look at the consensus on tripadvisor or yelp and they are in line with my comments.

Also, let me reiterate what a gem the 21C hotel is for this region. It was named the top hotel in the WORLD by Conde Naste Traveler just last year:

Conde Nast Readers Name the Top Hotels Around the World

[shazdeh]

STX, are you a tour guide? This is great information for someone who is planning to move to Louisville. It seems like you really like your CITY. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[DonCorleone]

"You must spread some reputation around before giving it to styx again"

Thanks for the advice...we're coming up for a bachelor's party but you gave me some great insight. Thanks.

[BellaLove15]

Yes thanks for the great advice everyone! I think we are going to stay at the seelbach - found a suite for a reasonable price there. I am still planning the night based on your suggestions, they were very informative - should be fun! thanks!