More about Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Downtown (Union Station)
Stay Downtown Indianapolis
by djramey
It is tough to come by a hostel or YMCA in the city of Indianapolis, no worries however, the vast array of hotels, motels, and inns in Indy will get anyone with any budget a good nights rest. In the downtown area, one can find the Holiday Inn near Union Station. Union Station use to be a hotspot for nightlife when I was growing up, but has recently changed ownership and became no more.
I would defenatly recommend staying somewhere in the heart of downtown, and make this your hub of travel. As I have said before, Indianapolis is a walking city and most of the major attractions, shopping malls, and markets are within a hop, skip, and a jump away.
Indianapolis' Union Station...
by ChiBronco
Indianapolis' Union Station and Circle Centre Mall
seem to be the Major Hot Spots.The Area around
Union Station extending over to the RCA Dome is
very popular during the Colts Football Season with
Parties going on Outside during the early Fall.
Indianapolis is a Very Laid back city and these areas
are the most popular anywhere in the City.It is absolutely
alive during Football game weekends and was very
popular with tourists during the Final Four Tournament. The Dress code is very relaxed in most of the Clubs
and restaurants Downtown.The Sports Bars in this
area really let you unwind and Cheer your head off
and have a good time.
Union Station
by sambarnett
Opened in 1888, Indianapolis' Union Station is, according to Indiana: A New Historical Guide, "one of the last remaining Victorian train stations in the Midwest."
In the 1980s Union Station was turned into a restaurant and shopping center. According to reports I read during one of my last visits to Indy that idea isn't fairing too well anymore. I guess folks got their fill of rock'n'roll T-shirt shops and Left-handed stores.
If you're looking for Amtrak service, head to the nearby Greyhound bus station at 350 S. Illinois Street.
Slippery Noodle
by Kay_C about Slippery Noodle
Great Blues Bar - live blues 7 nights a week. This is the oldest bar in Indianapolis (1850) and on weekends they have two live bands - very popular place and a lot of fun! Interesting bit of history is that it was part of the Underground Railroad linking to Union Station with underground tunnels. Casual
Very nice
by TripAdvisor Member FrqTravlr
I was at this hotel as part of convention and was placed into the "secured" area as a frequent traveler upgrade. The room was spacious, quiet, and efficient for working. Excellent location within walking distance of many downtown attractions. I needed a late checkout on the day I left and the staff was very accomodating. I asked for an airport taxi 5 minutes before leavign and it was waiting for me when I checked out. Only $15 via private service. I'd stay here again.
Marketing is everything
by TripAdvisor Member drhmai
The marketing for the hotel reads "Our hotel is still an active railroad station and trains pass through on a regular schedule. The muffled rumbling and subtle vibrations of the trains as they roll through the building enhances the ambiance of staying in our hotel, where you can experience the authenticity of a living railroad station."
This is the only hotel at which I have stayed where a welcome package includes a pair of earplugs! And they are needed! Two locomotives sat rumbling approximately 100' from my window from 4:15 to 6:20 am. Management said "Sorry - thats part of the charm of the facility".
If you know nothing about trains - visit. However if you would like to sleep in your hotel room - book elsewhere.
For train enthusiasts only
by TripAdvisor Member Frack
I stayed in the hotel for a conference. It is literally on the train tracks. The noise was terrible in the conference rooms & somewhat noticable in my room, as well. The rooms made from real train cars were cute, but tiny. Great, if you have some sort of train fantasy, but most of us could pass. The beds were super comfortable, though.
The pool was kind of grubby. There was a bounty of young, barely supervised kids. I was very unhappy to share the jacuzzi with 6 yr.olds, after along day. Near the end of the weekend, we dubbed it the "Pee Cuzzi".
The food in the hotel restaurant was average-good & the service was great. There are many excellent eateries within walking distance, though, so you are not limited to club sandwiches & other uninspired offerings.
My experience was just average.
Great beds!
by TripAdvisor Member Nancee2006
I used to live in Imdianapolis, and remember when the hotel and train station were re-done and made into a "festival marketplace." I always wanted to stay in one of the train car rooms. We finally decided to stayed there after Christmas this year to visit relatives. I also chose the downtown location since we would be visitng the zoo and museum, which are very close by. It's a superb location for downtown activities. All the staff were very friendly and attentive.
The kids loved the pool and used it twice over the 2 days. For the price,the train car room it was much smaller than I would normally prefer. We (me, my husband and 2 kids ages 11 and 12) were rarely all in the room at once so it wasn't a huge factor, but we felt crowded at times. The bathroom was clean and the shower was great but the exhust fan did not work; neither did the light in the make-up mirror. (We notified the front desk of both issues but nothing was done.)
The new beds and pillows were VERY comfortable. We loved them. The hotel advises you at check-in that the hotel is still attached to a working train station and some accompanying noise may occur. Our train car room was on "the quiet side" so whether it was due to that, I do not know but never heard a thing. A few times the vibrations could be felt but it was very minimal. No noise issues at all.
The restaurant was nice (we had breakfast there once) and there is a "gift closet" (our term, it was TINY) for any necessities. While watching the kids at the pool, the bartender gave me coffee for free which was appreciated.
The hotel has, to me, an atmosphere I can only call "sedate." Not much light comes in due to the nature of the construction; after all it's part of a renovated train station so there isn't a lot of room to adapt. I just like more light in general. Not a complaint, just a statement.
The adjoining station house is a gorgeous building where I used to work, back in the day. I snuck over at one point to get a short glimpse of part of it, now used as a banquet hall (a wedding dinner was in progress). I would have LOVED to hotel to have had tours or something available to me to be able to look around. My son wanted to see it, but I felt like we'd have been trespassing. There was no literature or anything on offer about the history of the station or the buildings other than a few plaques/signs here and there. They'd heard me talk about it so much, it was sort of a letdown to not get to see the station.
We loved it overall and would stay again but not in a train car room.
Can't complain
by TripAdvisor Member michelleyak
We stayed two nights Dec 30 & 31 and got a reduced rate because I am a government employee. For the price WE paid, ($93/night), I think it was a good deal. They were trying to charge $249 for the 31st and had we actually paid that much, I would have been disappointed.
The location is great. It's right downtown within a few blocks of Circle Center mall and literally right next door to the RCA dome. So if you are going to see a Colts game, this would be an ideal place to stay.
As far as the train noise, I would say it's not a problem at all. I did hear it some, but it never woke me up. It basically sounds like a semi truck driving down the street a block away from your house. It didn't "shake" anything. At least not our room.
We had two double beds: VERY COMFORTABLE. The pillows are better than mine at home. They were so great. The room was pretty clean. The bathroom could probably use a good power scrub on the tile, but it wasn't gross or anything.
The restaurant food was really good. We ate there for dinner and then again for breakfast the next day. The prices are comparable to someplace like maybe Outback Steakhouse. We had two small kids with us and the waiters and staff were all very nice and understanding of the loud shrieks and huge messes that follow us everywhere we go. My 3-year old dropped a piece of bacon and threw a HUGE fit. My husband took him out into the lobby to calm him down. When the waitress discovered what all the fuss was about, she came back with a HUGE plate of bacon and they didn't charge us for it. She was very kind. The restaurant was not busy either time we ate there. The breakfast buffet is a rip-off. Order from the menu instead. The buffet costs $12 whereas you can get a decent breakfast from the menu for $6.
They have valet parking for $20 (plus tip) or you can park in the underground ramp right next door for $18/day. The only advantage I see for doing the valet is that they have "in and out" priviledges, so maybe you would save yourself some money if you are planning on coming and going quite a bit. Or if the lot next door is full, it might be smart to do the valet so you don't have to drive very far to park.
Photos
Union Station
union station clock tower
Union Station (FC)
Union Station, Chicago
Forum Posts
Creative things to do in Indy for a bachlorette party?
by matronofhonor
My sister wants to go to Indy and stay in a hotel for her bachlorette party. I am looking for creative things to do in Indy...is there transportation besides Limos to rent? What area is the best? Downtown or Broad Ripple? Thank you in advanve for all of your help.
Re: Creative things to do in Indy for a bachlorette party?
by Ischyros
Not sure what you mean by creative, but there are a lot of things to do downtown as well as at Broad Ripple. Broad Ripple is more for clubbing, while downtown seems more for shopping. As for renting transportation, if you're downtown you can always do a horse-drawn carriage ride after dark! Indy's famous for those.
Re: Creative things to do in Indy for a bachlorette party?
by recipe_addict
Well, there is The Slippery Noodle Inn, and there used to be a piano bar there in Union Station... Hollywood Bar and Filmworks is right there too... Around the circle someplace there is a cigar bar. Not quite sure what your idea of fun for a bachelorette party is...
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