The Manchester Brings Bluegrass Hospitality To Lexington
The Kentucky boutique draws influence from the city's bourbon industry and equestrian history
(The Manchester)
Location: Lexington, KY
Perfect For: Bourbon enthusiasts looking for a high end boutique stay in the heart of Kentucky
At Lexington, KY boutique property The Manchester, guests can experience what hotel GM Gabe Isaac calls “bluegrass hospitality.” It’s a distinctly Southern type of stay at the Distillery District hotel, as Isaac tells A HOTEL PODCAST.
“We're what I like to consider the gateway to the South. So Lexington is, you know, if you go a little bit north and you're not really getting that Southern vibe. But Kentucky as a whole is, you know, as a gateway state, shares this amazing sense of hospitality. So whether you're in a Southern town like Lexington or a more Midwestern vibe like Northern Kentucky or Louisville, all of the cities in Kentucky have very different vibes, different experiences. You know, Louisville is a little more Midwestern. Lexington is definitely more southern, but they share the sense of hospitality. I mean, it could be because much of Kentucky is rural. It could just be, who knows what, it's in the water. But we like to call it bluegrass hospitality, because we do share it no matter where you are in the state, and It's a welcome home kind of feeling. So…this hotel is our home. It's my home. The teammates feel it. It's their home and they want our guests to…feel like personal guests in their own home. And so it's just, it's an emotion. It’s just a warm welcome.”
(In-room reading at The Manchester)
Upon entering the lobby of The Manchester, decorated with wood walls and brick flooring and showcasing an array of bottled bourbons for sale, guests will notice multiple archways separating the main room and the lobby bar. It’s a design choice the hotel team refer to as “rickhouse-revival.” A reference, Isaac shares, to the rickhouses that “store the barrels of bourbon while they age.”
(The Manchester lobby)
“Bourbon has to be a certain age before it's even considered bourbon and can be bottled and sold,” the GM explains. “And so you have these rickhouses, depending on the brand or the distillery, they may rotate them. Some of them heat the rickhouses. Some are not. It's a very unique experience at every distillery. But they share a shape and a general layout. And the building kind of has that same vibe.”
(Bourbon available for purchase in the Manchester lobby)
The rickhouse-theme carries over to the hotel’s 125 rooms via the olive green headboards and the shower tile arch. Calming dark blue walls set the mood against leather touchpoints throughout that pay homage to The Manchester’s equestrian influences. All of which is intended to make guests feel at home.
(The Penthouse Suite at The Manchester)
“The overall experience was intended to be very residential,” Isaac reveals of the guest rooms. “This is something that, you know, these rooms are designed like you may find in your home or in your friend's homes. Hardwood floors, rugs instead of carpet, warm wood tones, leather upholstery. It's supposed to welcome you and make you feel. There's a level of comfort. The beds are very plush. It's inviting in a way that makes you want to stay longer.”
(The living room of the Penthouse Suite at The Manchester)
The hotel’s bespoke aesthetic comes via accomplished hospitality designer Jenny Bukovec, whose credits include properties like Life House Nantucket and The Hotel Chalet and who handled interior design, art, uniforms, and digital content for the hotel’s launch. Working with the hotel’s Co-founders Nik Feldman and Hank Morris, the team drew from “experiences in the state to inspire,” Isaac states.
“The photographs that you see (throughout the hotel) were commissioned by us from a photographer who just roamed the state and took endless shots,” the GM shares of the hotel’s design influences. “And so…that helped to inspire. And then I know Hank had a pretty clear image of what he wanted, but, once you get the colors on the walls, if they don't work, then you repaint. So they really did lean on not just Lexington, but the surrounding areas, the equine industry, bourbon, they toured distilleries, all to get the inspiration that they needed to put this all together.”
(Rooftop lounge Lost Palm)
The hotel’s welcoming blend of Kentucky-inspired design and Southern hospitality hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last summer, TIME named The Manchester to its World’s Greatest Places 2024 list. It’s a recognition that Isaac describes as “incredibly surreal. Almost unbelievable in my experience.” The GM is quick to attribute the honor to the hard work of the hotel’s team.
“You have to campaign for those kinds of things, and we don't even have an agency working for us right now pushing PR,” Isaac reveals. “So, to receive something like that organically is such an honor. The team…to see their faces light up and smile, it just reinforced why we got it. So the team…the pride that they have in what they do. I mean, you see it every day. And then to be able to tell them, share with them that we were awarded something so fantastic. It's reassuring. And it's wonderful to be able to share that with them.”
For more from Isaac, including insights into bluegrass-inspired restaurant Granddam and Southern Florida-influenced rooftop lounge Lost Palm, check out The Manchester GM’s interview on A HOTEL PODCAST below.
Find more via The Manchester. And subscribe for more from A Hotel Podcast on LinkedIn, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Words and visuals by Jaime Black.
Overnight accommodations and dining for Jaime Black provided by The Manchester and Granddam.