What service can you provide to groups that they normally might not receive?
The Historic Canterbury Hotel is known for our personalized service. Every experience is customized based on their need or request. Since I am from Indianapolis and live downtown (right around the corner), the service and recommendations are based on our staff’s experiences in the city. We pride ourselves on a warm and comfortable hotel stay and service.
The first experience our groups have is pulling up in front of the hotel where our entry is on the sidewalk. A bellman opens the brass door and provides a warm welcome. Our concierge desk sits in the entry and we are ready to answer questions about the city. We are one of the few hotels in downtown Indianapolis that still has this freestanding concierge desk. Groups and guests don’t typically stand in a line and wait to ask a question. Since we’ve met guests on arrival, they feel comfortable approaching the desk, taking a seat and talking about what they want to do.
What are your bar or nightclub recommendations?
The Slippery Noodle is just blocks from the hotel and one of the oldest operating bars in the city with history dating back to the 1850s. Guests experience multiple live jazz and blues bands playing in different areas of the bar. During my tenure the Slippery Noodle is probably the most recommended bar. It plays late and is memorable.
Can you recommend a good place to take a stroll?
The great thing about Indianapolis is that it is a walkable city. For a stroll to see the most recent history in the city, guests can walk a block south of the hotel entrance to Georgia Street, which was Super Bowl Central earlier this year. There are nice restaurants along the way to take a break.
The Canal Walk is just a few blocks from the hotel. It is a 3-mile loop that takes visitors along a scenic canal setting where paddle boats and gondolas glide along the water. Depending on how far someone wants to stroll, the Canal Walk can take them onto another walking system called the Monon Trail, which is a walking/biking path system that runs through the city of Indianapolis.
During the winter, a stroll through Circle Centre Mall works well. Our hotel has a private entrance for our guests, so they can just stroll right in and around the mall.
Are there any quirky places we should check out?
Indianapolis is made up of “districts” and a few of them are quirky with things to do, places to see and great spaces to eat.
Fountain Square is southeast of the hotel. Think retro 1950s vibe. It’s one of the few places in the country with duck pin bowling—smaller lanes, smaller pins and balls with no holes.
Mass Ave is filled with independent shops and restaurants guests can only find in Indianapolis. There’s a great wine shop where you can buy a bottle off of the shelf, get a cheese platter filled with Indiana cheeses and sit back to relax. Next door it’s The Best Chocolate in Town—that’s the name and take it literally!
A cab ride away, but worth it, is Broad Ripple. It’s the artsy area of Indianapolis with some great eateries and late night bars.
And not to be missed is Monument Circle. It’s the center of the city, but what makes it unique is that it is a monument honoring Hoosiers killed during the American Revolution. There’s a museum inside and visitors can go up to the top inside the monument to get a nice view of the circle, which is a large roundabout.
What is an unusual request from a group you’ve had?
Indiana hosted the NCAA Final Four in 2003. On Sunday (the day off for teams and Easter day), we had a great request. Kevin Costner, Chuck Norris and Ted Danson were staying with us. They wanted to go shoot some hoops of their own. I made a call to the YMCA in downtown Indianapolis. The facility was closed, but a unique agreement was reached that got them into the gym. They signed a basketball, which was then auctioned off to raise money for the YMCA. A win for everyone!
Recently Chef Gordon Ramsey stayed with us for a few days. He was shooting a food show in Indianapolis. Of course he had to go buy all of his food before the shoot, but where was he going to keep it? He asked and we made room in our refrigerators and freezers for him. Cool!
A party of 12 wants to have dinner right away. What restaurant can accommodate last-minute requests of this size?
Mo’s-A Place for Steaks. I can call the owner and he’ll set it up, no problems. Guests are always impressed with the atmosphere and the food. I’d also call St. Elmo. It’s a famous steakhouse right next door to the hotel. It’s great for large parties staying at the hotel since they walk right over.
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