Elwood Hotel & Suites

The Elwood Hotel is cute, and the staff were friendly and welcoming. Check-in went smoothly, and we appreciated the clean, spacious room. But we barely slept. Our room was at the end of the building near the highway, where constant traffic noise made it hard to rest. Morning light also came through the sides of the pull-down blinds and woke us early. The thermostat only let us adjust the temperature within a limited range, apparently because it’s centrally monitored. We like to leave the fan running at night for airflow and white noise, but couldn’t. The hotel has charm and great staff, but the road noise, lack of temperature control, and light coming into the room made it a very unrestful stay for us.

The room was clean, everything was in order, and the bed was comfortable. We got a cozy enough night’s rest after a full day. What really stood out was how welcome the folks at Elwood made us feel. From the moment we arrived, they were polite, hardworking, respectful, and offered no-nonsense, old-fashioned Southern hospitality. A solid place with no complaints. Whether you’re in Lexington for the track, bourbon, or just passing through, this is the spot. We’ll be back, and I strongly recommend it.

The staff were friendly, and I appreciated the good, free coffee in the morning. But after one night, I can’t recommend the Elwood in good conscience. There was a visible stain on my sheets, bad enough that I was surprised I had to point it out, though they changed them right away. The hotel felt damp and mildewy, with dehumidifiers on every floor. My second-floor room smelled like stale cooking grease because it was over the kitchen, and much of the downstairs smelled the same. I wonder if higher-level rooms had that problem too. The windows and rooms weren’t well insulated, so I heard everything in the hallways and on the street. That was especially challenging given the hotel’s proximity to a hospital. The rooms were spacious, but didn’t feel cozy. It was disappointing and not worth the money I saved by staying there.

Patty pointed me toward the burger, and that was a good call. The Smashburger and aperol spritz went together really well, both packed with flavor. Trace, our beverage specialist, helped make dinner memorable. Fiddletree Kitchen and Bar is a gem inside the Ellwood Hotel.