Just a few weeks after staying one night at the Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Downtown Union Station, I was back in Indianapolis for another one night stay. This time I accompanied my wife, Annie, who had to go to Indianapolis for a work meeting. All of her coworkers booked rooms at the JW Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, so she did as well. I absolutely loved this high-rise luxury hotel, which is the tallest hotel in the state of Indiana.

Having just completed stays at both the Crowne Plaza and JW Marriott, it’s hard not to compare the two. However, it’s not fair to do that because the Crowne Plaza brand is not intended to be as luxurious as JW Marriott’s. Room rates will surely be higher at the JW Marriott than at the Crowne Plaza, but I think it’s worth it given how nice the JW Marriott is.

Location

Indianapolis has made itself into one of the top convention cities in the United States. The downtown area is setup perfectly with numerous hotels and restaurants to cater to the convention crowds.

The JW Marriott Indianapolis Downtown is the most luxurious of the five connected hotels that comprise the Marriott IndyPlace. This unique setup of hotels is located adjacent to the Indiana Convention Center and just 15 minutes from the Indianapolis International Airport.

In addition to the JW Marriott, IndyPlace includes a Marriott, a Courtyard, a Springhill Suites and a Fairfield Inn & Suites. This group of hotels is just steps from Victory Field, home to Indianapolis’ minor league baseball team and White River State Park. It’s also a short walk to Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

Parking

As is common in many cities, parking is quite expensive. There are two options for hotel parking — valet and self parking. The valet, with in/out privileges, costs $55 per night while self parking is available for $50 per night.

Lobby

The modern lobby is quite large and had four desks that could each accommodate two check-ins at a time. With over 1,000 rooms and conventions and meetings happening all the time, there’s no doubt it was designed to handle big crowds. We checked in in the evening, so it was not very busy, but there were several staff members available to check us in. All of the employees we encountered during our stay were very friendly and well-trained to assist guests any way they can.

To the right of the lobby is a big lounge area with a small bar and an Italian restaurant. The elevator banks and a grab and go nook are also down this way.

To the left of the lobby is the sports bar and an escalator to the second floor.

The Room

Our room was located on the 33rd floor, which is the top floor of the hotel. The elevators are surprisingly fast for such a large hotel, no doubt helped by having two different elevator banks. One bank goes up to floor 22, while the other services floors 23 to 33. Upon exiting the elevators, we were treated to a very nice view of the White River and the state park, including the TCU Amphitheater.

I’ve always loved the look of city skylines and being on the 33rd floor gave us a great view of downtown Indianapolis.

The modern and clean decor continued into the room itself. It has everything you need, including a king bed, a work area, smart TV and a coffee station with refrigerator. Plus, as you’d expect with a newer hotel, there were plenty of outlets and USB ports.

I worked in the room for half a day and found the desk to be very comfortable. The only negative was with the TV. The room’s WiFi must’ve been weak because the TV kept freezing every 10-15 seconds. We usually keep the TV on while we fall asleep, so the freezing became very annoying very quickly.

The Bathroom

The feel of the bathroom was no different than the rest of the hotel. It was very clean and showed no signs of wear and tear. The shower was the highlight, as it had two body jets in addition to the main nozzle.

Hotel Amenities

Dining

There are two dining options located on either side of the hotel lobby.

OP Italian

OP Italian offers fresh made pasta, seafood, Neapolitan pizzas and many other Italian comfort foods. Just outside of the restaurant entrance is a small bar that faces the lobby lounge. This bar is quieter and more low-key than the sports bar on the other side.

High Velocity

High Velocity has over 60 high definition TVs and offers classic American fare in a laid-back atmosphere. After putting away our luggage in the room, we headed down for a drink at the bar. The restaurant itself is huge and the bar is smack dab in the middle.

The bar area is pretty cool, but we didn’t love the positioning of the overhead TVs. Our Chicago Bears were playing the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football, but if we stared at the TVs too long, our necks would hurt. They’re just too high and too close to be able to watch comfortably for a long periods of time. There are TVs everywhere, though, so you can always find another spot that’s more comfortable.

Starbucks

There’s a Starbucks located on the 2nd floor by the entrance to the convention center skywalk. While it was as busy as you might expect the next morning, they did a good job of keeping the line moving.

Fitness Center

The 24-hour fitness center is located on the 2nd floor and has everything you could ask for. It features free weights, weight machines, treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical machines and exercise bikes, including Pelotons.

Bottom Line

I really enjoyed this hotel and would definitely stay there again. It has everything you’d want in a homebase during a meeting or convention. It’s modern and clean with an inviting atmosphere and customer-focused staff. It also has two great dining options, two separate bars and a nice sized lounge. It’s also a great location for non-business trips too, with easy access to Lucas Oil Stadium and other nearby attractions.