Crowne Plaza Indianapolis-Dwtn-Union Stn by IHG

We liked the train car stay for our 2 grandkids.

Everything from staff to rooms were amazing

The esthetics, the theme was very nice. The train and statues were creative.

Everything was great !

Stayed here for business in Indianapolis a couple of times. Really nice design incorporating the old railroad station. Option to stay in train carriages a nice option.

Good size rooms, very clean and comfortable and whole hotel is airy and high standard.

Good bar with great service which serves late.

Gym is ok but not huge.

Breakfast is usual IHG, ok but not massively inspiring.

Great location for downtown, NBA and NFL.

Overall a good hotel at which I like staying.

Hotels nestled inside train stations are not just in Europe! Let alone ones letting you sleep in actual historic restored train cars if you’re lucky. I stayed at this property for a few nights in early January, mostly unexpectedly, and my quick decision to book turned out to be a win.

- Atmosphere: The common areas are steeped in history but timelessly renovated for the modern day. The place isn’t huge, but the layout of inner-facing rooms makes for an enjoyable “maze” to explore. On at least one morning, I noticed a member of staff diligently vacuuming the floors, and overall the hotel is extremely well-maintained.

- Location: The Crowne Plaza is central (and connected) to the convention center, despite heavy construction taking place right across the narrow hotel drive. This will complicate arrival/departure for many guests, and Ubers/Lyfts/DoorDash will likely struggle, but nothing can’t be solved with just a lot of clear directions typed through chat, right? Regardless, at least for me, I valued the location as prime for walking around much of downtown Indy.

Do note: There is NO indoor access between the hotel and either the actual Union Station itself or the bus terminal. If you’re riding Amtrak or catching a long-distance bus early the next day, you’ll need to exit outside and walk around the building. It’s not a horrible walk, but for convenience’s sake, it would be neat to build a connector passageway inside. Who knows if that would be feasible.

- Service: I appreciated the helpfulness and professionalism of all the staff, but Crystal stood out in particular as a real shining star. I remarked to myself that, honestly, she really has been the only truly stellar, personable, “I-get-you” type of person working at a front desk at a hotel in the U.S. whom I’d interacted with in several years…a rare type in hospitality! Thanks for making my stay so lovely.

- Amenities: I was dismayed they didn’t have a charging cord or port I could borrow even for just a single night, which is always a nice gesture for hotels to provide guests who may have forgotten them at home. Instead I’d have had to purchase one at around $20, which I ended up passing on. There’s an on-site restaurant and bar open very late that serves decent fare, although prices are certainly urban-high. I didn’t see a pool, but I may be wrong to say there isn’t one.

All in all, I observed very few fully free amenities during my stay, but since I didn’t book direct, I understand how this might have been a factor.

- Room: Despite having to extend my stay every single morning for mostly ridiculous external travel circumstances, I was able to keep the same room each night, 302. A standard-level room (not in a train car), it was fantastic and met all my needs. Clean, comfy, large enough, and functional with amenities like ample USB outlets and a big work desk. I realize reviews harp on about the noise from trains rumbling by at night, and call me crazy—but I heard NOTHING. I simply love inner-facing rooms, since there’s no sounds of traffic on the streets outside, no blasting music from bars, etc. In this case, hearing no trains at all, I slept in utter solitude.

- Value: January’s an off month, but paying my price per night of $120 was superb value for money. Even rates at $200-300 a night would be worth another stay for me.

I’ll be back! Thanks for an excellent stay.

Tout

Unique setting, very clean, staff extremely friendly. Breakfast buffet (not included) was one of the best hotel buffets I’ve had.

Clean, pleasant look, walking distance to convention center