Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport: where to stay, areas…

Louisville Muhammad Ali International is about 15 minutes from downtown, on a side of the city dominated by the UPS hub: useful only for those with a night flight or an early-morning one. Travelers coming for bourbon, Churchill Downs or the historic center sleep better right downtown, walking between Whiskey Row and the NuLu district. Those who work at one of the companies along Hurstbourne Parkway, on the east side of the city, find it more convenient to stay in that area, even though they then need a car to get everywhere else.

Airport area

Free shuttle on request or taxi, a few minutes from the terminal.

Best for: Travelers with a night flight or an early-morning one who have no interest in the historic center.

Pros

Free shuttle at several hotels
Quick access to the highways into downtown

Cons

Industrial area, close to the UPS facilities
15 minutes from downtown and Whiskey Row

Recommended hotels in this area

Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Airport: About 2.5 km from the terminal, with a free shuttle on request.
SpringHill Suites Louisville Airport: A minute's drive from the terminal, with a buffet breakfast and a shuttle running 24 hours.

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Downtown

City centre · Taxi or rideshare, about 15 minutes from the terminal.

Best for: Travelers who want the historic center, museums and the bars of Whiskey Row within walking distance.

Pros

Walking distance to museums, theaters and the Ohio riverfront
Dozens of restaurants and bourbon bars within a few blocks

Cons

Parking almost always paid
Higher prices on weekends with events at the KFC Yum Center

Recommended hotels in this area

The Brown Hotel: A historic 1923 hotel on the corner of Fourth Street and Broadway, with a free shuttle to the airport.
21c Museum Hotel Louisville: Boutique hotel with a free contemporary art museum inside, on Main Street.
Hampton Inn Louisville Downtown: A few steps from the KFC Yum Center and Fourth Street Live.

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NuLu and Whiskey Row

Neighbourhood · The same distance from the terminal as downtown, about 15 minutes by taxi.

Best for: Travelers who want galleries, independent restaurants and urban distilleries, a step from downtown.

Pros

A neighborhood of galleries and independent restaurants
A few minutes' walk from the riverfront and downtown

Cons

Fewer hotels to choose from than downtown
Nightlife concentrated on just a few streets

Recommended hotels in this area

Hotel Genevieve, part of JdV by Hyatt: In the NuLu district, two minutes' walk from the market, with three bars on site and a café.
Hotel Distil, Autograph Collection: On Whiskey Row, in a former distillery building, with a rooftop bar and a retractable roof.

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