There is something to be said for southern hospitality. Well, a lot of good things to be said for it, in fact. From the moment I made contact with Jocelyn at the Hotel Indigo Downtown Memphis, I knew our stay was going to be great. Jocelyn graciously agreed to host Just Get in the Car at this ideally located downtown hotel in exchange for us sharing our experience there.
Hotel Indigo is a boutique brand – each of its hotels has a unique sense of décor that matches the city it’s in. For Memphis, the hotel embraces the city’s music history. It looks and feels like you might be in the lobby of a vintage music studio or radio station, rather than a hotel. And if you collect IHG reward points, even better – they fall under their umbrella!
Shawn and I anticipated this trip for months. We’ve had a long summer, filled with lots of sadness with the death of my father, and also lots of travel – mostly with the kids. This was going to be our time to get away and spend some time together in a city new to both of us. We were thrilled to have the Hotel Indigo host us for this much anticipated weekend.
A quick and easy drive from Memphis International Airport, the Hotel Indigo is literally in the middle of everything you might want to do in downtown Memphis: five blocks from the famous Beale Street, 3 from the river, and just one block from AutoZone Park, if you are looking to catch some baseball. Along with all of that, there are plenty of awesome restaurants (like The Rendezvous, for you BBQ lovers) just a short walk away. We only got in the car to do some further out exploring, but you could certainly spend your whole trip without ever having to do so.
An easy way to get around the city from the hotel, in lieu of driving or walking, is to make use of the conveniently located bike and scooter share options. Coming from Philadelphia, where it is an every bike, car, and person for themselves free for all – we were impressed with the efforts Memphis has made on its streets to create a harmonious and safe experience for all travelers.
When we arrived at the hotel, we parked at the meters outside of the lobby, because we wanted to get our bearings. But you should know that you can turn the corner onto Court Avenue, and into their parking garage. There you will find convenient ‘check in’ spots to use while you go inside and, well, check in.
At the front desk, Kaion greeted us enthusiastically. If I am being honest, I did feel sort of important when he said things like “Ohhhh, Kristin! Social media, travel blogger … wait we have something for you here”, and presented me with an adorable welcome bag full of goodies. Thank you to the sales staff for leaving that for us!
The Hotel Indigo Downtown Memphis hosted us for our stay. Our descriptions and opinions are 100% our own!
Our first stop was to say hi to Elvis at the jukebox, and take a look around the vintage radio themed lobby, inspired by the first all-woman radio station, WHER, that was started just down the road.
After some pics in the lobby, we went straight up to our room. The comfortably sized, modern but vintage inspired room was a welcomed site after our afternoon of travel. Our king-sized bed was super-comfortable, which was a welcome feature after long days of walking, music, BBQ and drinks. Below are some pictures of the room. I was very excited to see a Keurig machine, which beats most hotel room coffee making options.
The bathroom was large, and the shower was awesome, with a rain shower shower head and handheld attachment as well. Who doesn’t love a luxurious shower? As in most hotels, there were complimentary body wash, shampoo, soap, and lotion provided. The bathroom also had a hair dryer underneath the sink. However, with the temperatures outside, I knew blow-drying my hair would be a fruitless effort!
The room had lots of storage options, a fridge, a desk, and a sitting area. There is Wi-Fi provided for guests.
Almost all the rooms are just a short walk from the outdoor, rooftop pool. Most hotels just have a small hole in the ground filled with water. But the Hotel Indigo Memphis pool looks like a great place to party! If you get tired of swimming and sunbathing, you can pick up a game of bean bag toss or life sized jenga. Various seating arrangements are set up, and there is a handicap lift so that everyone can join in the fun of the pool. There is also plenty of seating, so if you want to hang out with some friends and beverages, you can have yourselves a pool party! While we were checking out our room, we noticed a small group of people doing just that. Before we left, we did manage to sneak in a morning swim. We were the only ones out there, but that’s probably because it was 9AM on a Sunday morning!
In addition to the pool, Hotel Indigo Memphis has a nice fitness center with weights and cardio machines. We didn’t utilize it during our trip, though. We got our exercise by exploring the city and lifting forks, ribs, and drinks! If you need a quick snack (or maybe some Tylenol for your hangover) there is a marketplace for you’re on the go snack needs, as well as some delicious sandwiches and salads from the 3rd and Court Diner next door! If you just want to sit down and hang out, the lobby has lots of seating, while outside of 3rd and Court, there is outdoor seating. It is in the front of the parking garage- but they make it work!
The housekeeping crew, like all the staff, was super friendly! Whenever we passed someone in the hall, we were greeted with a smile and an enthusiastic “hello!” I wish I could be that cheerful while working!
Once we settled into our room, we went for a walk to get a lay of the land. We quickly realized that we were so close to most everything we wanted to see! I was impressed with the system of waterfront parks and walkways. We even passed by a fun birthday party at one of the gazebos.
After we got our bearings, we headed back to the hotel to grab a drink at 3rd and Court Diner, where we quickly made friends with Jeff and Nick behind the bar.
Jeff and the other staff, as well as some of our fellow patrons, gave us some suggestions for things to check out in the area. We even got a lesson in ‘cracklin’, which is a term us yankees were not familiar with. Turns out it is basically bacon, or if you want to be fancy – dried pork skin. Sounds gross, tastes yummy! We also tried a pimento cheese ball, which seems to be another local favorite as I saw it on some other menus as well. We decided to hang out for some drinks, where Jeff introduced us to some local beers from Crosstown, Meddlesome, and Wiseacre.
We had such a fun night chatting with Jeff and the other people at 3rd and Court, that we returned for more drinks the second night. This time, Jeff paired a couple of the beers with some Girl Scout cookies – yum! We liked Wiseacre’s Gotta Get Up to Get Down stout with a thin mint. There just wasn’t enough time to try everything on 3rd and Court’s menu, but, seeing the posts from 3rd and Court always make me hungry – and regretful that we didn’t try more while we had the chance! If you make it to the Hotel Indigo in Memphis, you definitely need to check out 3rd and Court, and say hi to Jeff for us!
Despite how comfortable and inviting Hotel Indigo is, we had to go out exploring – there is just too much to see and do in Memphis. However, the time we spent there was so relaxed and enjoyable. The facility is super comfortable, the staff is very friendly, and the atmosphere is great fun.
We had the most enjoyable time with Hotel Indigo as our host for our fun filled weekend in Memphis! We can’t wait to check out some of their other locations.
If you decide to go to the Hotel Indigo Downtown Memphis, tell them that Just Get in the Car sent you!
What a fun place to stay!! Love all the theming!! Perfect for Memphis!!
I there really is so much to see and do in Memphis. I did not know about this place. Seeing the lobby would make me want to see more.
This looks like a great hotel. We stayed downtown on our last visit to Memphis, and I agree that being in walking distance to Beale Street is the best! I will keep this hotel on my radar for our next trip.
Looks like a great place to visit.
Thanks for all the great information about Hotel Indigo. Before reading your post, this hotel would not have been on my radar but now I would definitely check it out. Good to know that they are part of IHG rewards too.
I have not had the pleasure of staying at an Indigo Hotel yet, but you have made it very enticing. I love the decor of their hotels and plan on staying at one in the near future.
I love all the colors. The jukebox is awesome!
What a fun little hotel! I love the jukebox! Looks like a great place to stay.
Surprised how much we loved Memphis when we went in July. We stayed in the big pyramid. This place looks like a great location and amenities.
Looks like cool hotel!
This looks like a great place to stay in Memphis. I am thinking of planning a trip soon!
I’ve been to Nashville a couple of times and am looking forward to exploring Memphis next time. And this looks like the perfect place to stay!
Sounds like a great place to visit! Thanks for sharing.
Looks like a nice place to stay.
I have been wanting to try an Indigo hotel. I am an IHG member as well. I love the decor in this one! Thank you for the info. I will be using it for our trip there!
Looks great! Memphis is on our list to visit!!!
I love Memphis – I’ve only visited once and it was for a short 24 hours but we packed a lot into that time and had a blast. It’s definitely on the list of places I want to get back to so I’ll definitely check out Hotel Indigo when we do!