Tapping deliciously into Kentucky’s world-famous bourbon culture, new-in-2023 The Manchester Hotel in the historic horse capital of the world raises the bar for boutique hotels in the Bluegrass State.
It was dusk when we arrived at The Manchester Hotel, its handsome, hulking red-brick façades warmed by amber uplights against a violet sky, lamps glowing cosily in its warehouse-style windows. Given its historic location on the site of Lexington’s first, 19th-century distillery, we assumed it was a remodelled rickhouse – a specialised warehouse for ageing barrels of Kentucky’s most famous export. The charming, old-fashioned Southern welcome we received from the lovely young front-of-house staff did nothing to break the spell, nor did the scene we found in the lobby bar, a spacious, low-lit lounge decorated in rich blues and warm tobacco browns beneath a graceful triple-vaulted ceiling. How could we not sidle up to the bar to shake off a long drive with the bartender’s recommended cocktail – bourbon-based, natch?
It was a surprise, then, to discover that The Manchester Hotel is a new-build, opened in 2023 in the city’s Distillery District, a long-neglected neighbourhood that began something of a renaissance five years ago and is gradually filling up with cute, lifestyle-forward little businesses. Comprising 124 rooms and suites, it’s the brainchild of Nik Feldman, a New Yorker investment bro who fell hard for Lexington playing polo here on summer holidays, and who teamed up with hotelier Hank Morris to bring the city known as the ‘horse capital of the world’ a stylish, vibey new destination that’s today wowing both visitors and locals.
Hank collaborated on the interiors with the NYC-based practice Jenny Bukovec Studio, and while the colour palette, art collection and design motifs are pure Kentucky, there’s a degree of polish, assured wit and attention to detail here that’s distinctly Manhattan. The lobby’s gentleman’s club hues are echoed in the expertly appointed rooms and four grades of suites, with dark wood, tactile fabrics and leather panels as signature design features.
| Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
| The Sophisticate | LEX, SDF | GMT -5 |
| While you’re Out There |
| Along with horses and bourbon, music – especially bluegrass – is a hallowed pillar of Kentucky culture, and a few blocks west, there’s a great place to discover what the state’s younger generations are doing with their musical roots. The Burl, a converted 1920s loading dock, is a star of the upcoming Distillery District and hosts around 300 gigs a year by artists from near and far across rock, country, folk and more. You can also geek out on the arcade’s museum-worthy selection of working pinball machines and chunky vintage cabinet video games. |
Curved corners and archways, too, are hallmarks, to gorgeous effect in the two-tone bathrooms, where the shower booth’s elegant arched entrances chime groovily with art deco-ish light fittings. Bag a Manchester or Penthouse Suite, and you’ll also be served a magnificent, in-bedroom bronze soaking tub next to floor-to-ceiling windows with bird’s-eye city views. We found our entry-level King Room a teeny bit compact, but on-point spatial design made sure this never compromised our comfort, and amenities including bottles of More Labs’ pre-emptive ‘Morning Recovery’ – “Take while drinking” – retro Marshall Bluetooth speakers and lush Le Labo products raised many a smile. Even the small but cannily equipped 24-hour gym is a thing of beauty, styled like a vintage boxing club and flooded with daylight.
This is not to say that the owners of The Manchester Hotel haven’t taken great pains to honour local heritage and celebrate its sophistication, from the mini-bars’ bourbon-flavoured, grass-fed Kentucky-raised beef jerky, to the public spaces’ striking contemporary-art-twists on equine portraiture, to the elevated Appalachian roots of the outstanding cuisine in the main Granddam restaurant.
This is the domain of young Ecuadorean Executive Chef Paula Endara, who has adapted her stellar pedigree in seasonal, sustainable and community-driven dining to her new home, and her fervour for discovering the richness and range of local produce infuses every dish. Appalachians-foraged mushrooms, locally hunted venison, and heirloom corn from the Lexington nonprofit Seedleaf are among her staples – as are selected unique ingredients sourced from Amazonian farmers in Ecuador. And while elevated Southern classics are the backbone of her menus, she makes room too for creative fusions with Cajun, Creole and Ecuadorian twists, as well as imaginative plant-based options. Her quinoa green bowl, with salsa verde, pickled shallot and crumbled feta, was the most memorable hotel breakfast dish we’d snarfed in a very long time.
Equally exciting is the gorgeous, rooftop cocktail lounge Lost Palm, an oasis of refined tropical kitsch themed for 1960s South Florida, whose sharing plates menu sees Paula spotlight her proud Latina roots. Blessed with sweeping views across the city, its terrace also hosts very popular Friday- and Saturday-evening DJ sets that bring beach club vibes to bourbon country.
Photography by Matt Kisiday and courtesy of The Manchester Hotel
