This New Bourbon-Inspired Hotel on Louisville's Iconic Whiskey Row Celebrates the Region's Spirited History

For bourbon lovers, it doesn’t get much more iconic than Louisville’s Whiskey Row. Once the center of the bourbon industry, this block-long stretch of the city’s historic Main Street is now a must-visit spot on anyone’s list coming to Bourbon Country. Old distilleries and barrel houses are turned into up-and-coming hotels and restaurants—including the newly opened Hotel Distil.

This 205-room hotel is all about bourbon. No, really. Housed in the former barrel house of the old J.T.S. Brown and Sons distillery, Hotel Distil pays homage to the longstanding bourbon culture in Louisville, then and now. Industrial, bourbon-inspired design meets modern amenities...makes bourbon buff’s heaven?

Upon checking in, guests will receive a “prescription card” that invites them to join a nightly tribute (and whiskey cocktail!) at 7:33 p.m. in celebration of the repeal of Prohibition. The time translates to 19:33 using 24-hour clock notation. As in, the year that Prohibition ended. Back then, Kentuckians could receive a “prescription” that granted the use of bourbon for a myriad of medical needs. All very serious matters, of course. (Sarcasm noted?)

If you’re lucky enough to stay in one of the 11 Connoisseur Suites, enjoy an in-room bourbon cart and visit from a bourbon expert who brings along a selection of bourbon or specialty Old-Fashioned cocktails along for tasting.

Hotel Distil also includes two new hotspots even non-guests will love: Repeal, an oak-fired steakhouse that uses old barrel staves to stoke the fire, and Bitters End, a rooftop bar with a retractable glass roof, which means you can enjoy the cocktails and view of Whiskey Row year-round.

All that and you’re on the cusp of the Bourbon Trail and Churchill Downs to boot. Craving an Old-Fashioned yet?

WATCH: Mississippi Bourbon Punch

For those just dipping their toes into bourbon-drinking, try a big-batch recipe like our Mississippi Bourbon Punch.