Tru by Hilton Shepherdsville Louisville South

The room was amazingly clean, and check-in and check-out through the app were seamless. We had a great stay at Tru by Hilton Shepherdsville while in Louisville for a wedding, with our dogs along. The staff were kind and attentive, the beds were comfortable, and breakfast was great. Our fluffy boys had plenty of room, and the dog-walk area was mowed and tidy, with bags and bins for waste. The lobby also had lots of games and things for the kids. We'd definitely come back.

The ground floor was a fun surprise, with hanging chairs, two giant Jenga sets, giant Connect 4, a pool table, board games, and an outdoor seating area. There was even a whiteboard by the elevators with local attractions and their closing times, a great idea for hotels. I tried Tru after staying at a Hampton Inn the night before, so I could compare. The staff were friendly and efficient, and the colorful room met my expectations. It was about 20% smaller than Hampton's, with simpler furnishings that felt less substantial than IKEA. My fellow traveler thought the room felt European, and it was perfectly in all the corners. Planes flew right over the hotel as they descended, waking me in the middle of the night. I watched for 30 minutes, though I could be wrong about it, I felt that noise would've been isolated in a Hampton. Breakfast had fewer hot options than Hampton, and the on-demand machine made hockey-puck-sized pancakes. It was an experience, and I'm glad I tried this flavor of the Hilton portfolio. A great place if you don't like relaxing in your room.

The staff were friendly and the common areas and rooms were clean. Breakfast ran until 10:00 am on weekdays, which was handy, though the hot food was only warm at best and the pancake batter was gone. My room faced Hwy 65, and traffic noise went on all night. The bed was extremely uncomfortable, so I got maybe three hours of sleep. I won't stay again because of the bed.

Manager Sandra made sure we had a hot breakfast and everything else we needed after we drove in through a snowstorm and overslept. The location also works well for sightseeing, between Louisville and Mammoth Cave. It's a beautiful place. I just wish my kids had been along to enjoy the pool table, basket-chair lounge, and table games.