Get a sneak peek inside Lexington’s ‘stunning’ boutique hotel in Distillery District
The exterior of Lexington’s newest boutique hotel borrows from its industrial surroundings and the city’s past.
It’s fitting.
The Manchester, near the corner of Manchester Street and Oliver Lewis Way, is on the site of the former Ashland Distillery, Lexington’s first registered bourbon distillery dating to 1865. The red brick exterior of the Manchester mimics historic brick bourbon rick houses.
“We wanted it to look like it’s been here forever,” said Nik Feldman, one of the developers involved in bringing the city’s newest downtown hotel to life.
The seven story, 125-room hotel with a rooftop bar and restaurant will officially open Friday, in time for Lexington’s growing and popular Railbird Festival at The Red Mile.
The independent hotel has taken approximately 18 months to build.
Step inside the front door and it’s like stepping back into a different era — where a hotel was more than just a place to stay.
“We modeled it after The Phoenix,” said Hank Morris, Feldman’s partner who has overseen the construction and design of the hotel. The Phoenix was a downtown hotel near the site of Phoenix Park on the corner of Main and Limestone streets.
Morris and Feldman want the Manchester to be a gathering spot, an oasis for guests and locals alike.
The front lobby has intricate brick work and multiple seating locations. There’s no bright, florescent lights or kitschy over-the-top signage. It’s not copy-and-paste design.
With the help of interior designer Jenny Bukovec, Morris and Feldman wanted to create a lobby that was both comfortable and comforting.
Some of the furniture and fixtures were built and sourced in Morocco and France.
There are subtle nods to Lexington and the Bluegrass’ bourbon and horse industry but with modern touches and flourishes.
Go through the arches in the lobby and guests can immediately see the hotel bar. A large Marjorie Guyan image adorns one wall.
Including the work of local artists was a priority, Feldman said.
The bar takes center stage in the room.
That’s where Michael Florence, a Kentucky native who has worked in restaurants and bars for decades including stints at several popular Lexington restaurants such as Middle Fork and Pearl’s, will oversee the bar program. Florence has developed several drinks to go with the menu at Granddam, the hotel’s 140-seat restaurant.
The Granddam will serve elevated Appalachian specialties, said Morris.
The interior of the restaurant has plenty of seating for small groups, including a special room that can be booked for larger parties. There’s also plenty of seating for two for special occasions and date nights, Morris and Feldman said.
The walls of the Granddam feature horses and prominent Kentucky women and some notorious ones such as Belle Brezing, a Lexington madam who ran a brothel.
Behind the bar and between the hotel and an a new event space coming in October is a patio for hotel guests and Granddam diners.
Hotel guests can enter the event space at the back of the property through the patio. If a wedding or corporate event is booked at the event venue, guests are able to walk easily between the hotel and an event, Feldman said.
Mazunte, which has three locations in Ohio, will open its fourth location in the event space at 903 Manchester St. this fall. Mazunte will have a restaurant, a bar space and two event spaces next door.
On the top floor is a unique indoor-outdoor rooftop bar — the Lost Palm.
This is not your Dad’s Tiki Bar, Morris said. Think 1960s Florida. There are several photos of long-closed Hialeah race track on the walls.
Morris said in addition to drinks, there will also be food service. Alligator-based dishes will be on the menu.
Most of the bar is inside, but it does have an extensive roof-top deck complete with old-school cabanas that people can rent.
“It’s more of a lounge than a high-volume bar,” Morris said.
But it’s far from stuffy. Take the Palm’s bathroom walls. There’s ornate wall paper with monkeys on green vines taking swigs out of booze bottles.
An oasis and bunk beds
The rooms are designed to be an oasis, Morris said.
The walls are painted a dark but sedate blue, a nod to the University of Kentucky. The headboards are wrapped in leather, a subtle hat tip to horse racing. There are no phones in the rooms, Feldman said. Everything will be done via text.
A cocktail cart will go from room to room during Happy Hour to offer drink specials.
There are also five rooms with double-bunk beds, a newer product in the hotel market. The bunks are double size mattresses for adults.
“It’s for families or smaller groups who may be coming in for a bachelorette party or friends’ weekend,” Feldman said.
There are also five penthouse suites with mini kitchenettes. Each of the suites is unique. One of the suites has two bedrooms, and one of those bedrooms includes a bunk bed for traveling families. Most have claw-foot tubs in addition to walk-in showers.
“We wanted to provide a higher end long-term stay,” Feldman said.
One of the suites is already booked out for weeks, he said.
They also wanted to provide unique Bluegrass experiences. Want to learn how to play polo? The Manchester can arrange that. Want special instruction on bourbon prior to hitting the Bourbon Trail? They’ve got you covered.
Feldman and Morris have decades of experience in the hotel industry. The two met at Cornell University in New York. Feldman, a former polo player, spent summers in Lexington playing polo and working on horse farms. Feldman has long loved Lexington and wanted to return.
“We saw there was an unmet need in this market,” Feldman said of the boutique hotel concept.
It’s been a more than three-year process to get the EOP Architects designed hotel from concept to completion. The construction, by Wells & Wells Construction, took around 17 months to complete. The city served as a conduit to a $39 million bond or loan for the new hotel. That means the city has title to the land and The Manchester leases it for 40 years.
Many new hotels in downtown Lexington have received tax incentives or public tax dollars — including the 21C Hotel and City Center’s two Marriott hotels.
Morris and Feldman said they feel fortunate so many people have believed in The Manchester.
“We feel so blessed,” Feldman said.
Visiting Lexington is an easy sell, they both said.
“When people come from out of town, they may have an idea of what Kentucky is,” Morris said. “But when they get here, they realize what a great place this is.”
Feldman said the two own more property in the Distillery District and may look to develop more properties in the area.
Hotel adds to booming area of town
The Manchester opens as the city has poured millions of dollars into revamping the area around the newly renovated and expanded Central Bank Center. The privately-funded but public Town Branch Park hopes to break ground sometime this year. Town Branch Park will be in between the center and Oliver Lewis Way bridge.
For the expansion of the convention center to be a success, the city needs not just more rooms but a diversity of room types, said Mary Quinn Ramer, president and CEO of VisitLex, the city’s tourism and convention bureau. Ramer is also a member of the Central Bank Center board.
Meeting planners want a set number of rooms within walking distance — typically a quarter of a mile — from the convention center, Ramer said.
“As we attract larger conventions to the destination, we need more sleeping rooms within walking distance to the venue,” Ramer said.
Moreover, Ramer said for the city’s tourism business to grow, it needs to offer more options at lots of different price points.
Some travelers want the basics. Others want unique experiences, she said.
“Today’s traveler is more discerning than ever, and for a destination to have options that appeal to a wide range of interests, budgets, locales and more, it is critical to have a diverse hotel product,” Ramer said. “The Manchester Hotel is stunning. Every detail has been carefully articulated. It’s wonderful to see our destination continue to evolve in both its offerings and its accommodations.”
The Manchester fast facts
Location: 941 Manchester Street near the corner of Manchester and Oliver Lewis Way
Website: www.themanchesterky.com
Phone Number: 859-785-3900
Opening Date: June 2, 2023
Restaurants and bars: The Granddam and The Lost Palm
Operators: Nik Feldman and Hank Morris
Rooms: 125
Starting rate: $220
Types of rooms:
44 Deluxe king rooms
35 Standard king rooms
30 Queen double rooms
6 ADA accessible rooms (1 king room/ 5 queen double)
5 double bunk bed rooms featuring double beds
5 penthouse suites including one suite with two bedrooms
