T+L’s Review of The Trail Hotel in Bardstown, Kentucky

“We’re so glad you’re here,” the front desk staff member greeted me with a smile. Ten seconds in at the brand-new The Trail Hotel, which had just opened in May, and I was already experiencing some of Kentucky’s signature Southern hospitality.

After flying into Louisville airport, I made my way to Bardstown, aka the Bourbon Capital of the World, and checked into the Prohibition Suite at the city’s first high-end boutique hotel. Over shrimp cocktail and tuna crudo, Jason Thompson, the director of bourbon experiences and sales, and Norma Smith, one of the hotel’s two bourbon butlers, filled me in on its history.

Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was originally opened as a Holiday Inn on April 1, 1971. It was sold in 2004, rebranded, and served as a hotel for a dozen years. It sat empty from 2016 to 2021, before being put up for auction. Then, high school friends Will Hardy and Nathan “Ejo” Edmonds put in a bid and won.

Right on cue, the other bourbon butler, Jackie Hill, walked over to our table, introduced herself, and added, “My husband and I met here 18 years ago, and got married soon after. It was the happening place to be—and really the only place to go—back in the day,” Hill told me. She went on to reference grade school pool parties, live music and dancing in the bar area, and countless couples’ first dates that happened in the building.

“The first two contracting firms that we spoke to would only work with us if we bulldozed. From a financial standpoint, that would’ve been cheaper,” Hardy said. “As we spoke with the community, we were reminded about how important the Holiday Inn was. We decided we didn’t want to be the guys who destroyed dreams to facilitate our own, which was to make Bardstown even more of a destination. With The Trail Hotel, we’ve taken what was broken and brought it back to life to preserve those memories.”

It took some time, creativity, extra money (Edmonds and Hardy were glad to welcome Brook Smith as an investment partner and co-owner), and some serious TLC, but they were able to transform the bones of the two-story motel-style building into a hotel that feels like stepping inside a stylish and modern Southern country club. Warm, polished, and welcoming all at once, the co-owners collaborated with Joseph & Joseph Architects for the restoration and redesign. They dreamed up creative amenities, such as a rejuvenation lounge, an indoor golf simulator, and bourbon butlers, which is their twist on a concierge. And once the stage was set, the team hired a team of incredibly talented staff, including a level three sommelier who has worked at three-Michelin-starred The French Laundry and an Emmy Award–nominated chef.

The Trail Hotel’s debut seems to be a win for locals and visitors alike. “We’re filling a major gap by bringing The Trail Hotel to Bardstown,” Hardy said. “We are home to 11 top distilleries, but this town has never offered any high-end lodging or food elevation, where visitors felt like they could stay for several days […] Through revitalizing the hotel and creating the bourbon butler program, we’ve set up a ‘one-stop shop’ to guide the guest experience in Bardstown.”

Ahead, my review of The Trail Hotel, bourbon country’s coolest new boutique hotel.

The Rooms

The Trail Hotel offers 87 classic and deluxe guest rooms, as well as eight bourbon-themed 548-square-foot suites.

I rested my head in the Prohibition Suite, lined with art that pays tribute to Repeal Day in 1933. Each suite features a spacious living room area complete with a couch, coffee table, bar, and TV, as well as a bedroom boasting a king-size bed. In the bathroom, guests will find cozy branded robes and walk-in showers.

The 274-square-foot guest rooms are available with either two queen beds or a king-size bed, and some have either a shared or private patio. The mid century modern interiors are styled in dark hues along with stylish leather and wood accents.

Food and Drink

Prior to signing on as The Trail Hotel’s executive chef, Marvin Woods wrote three cookbooks, hosted the Emmy-nominated show Home Plate, and helped former first lady Michelle Obama with her Let’s Move! campaign. Woods now helms The Trail Hotel’s signature 110-seat restaurant, Oak & Ember, and its lobby bar Embers.

After I savored a bowl of comforting Kentucky burgoo, Woods stopped by to deliver a beet salad topped with perfectly seared skin-on chicken and a side of cavatappi mac and cheese that made my inner child swoon. Summarizing his creations as Southern fare with a healthy-ish twist, Woods told me that he looked forward to celebrating local ingredients and recipes on his breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.

For the perfect pairing, tap into the powers of the hotel’s director of food and beverage, Cole Liegel. A veteran of the three-Michelin-starred Napa Valley institution, The French Laundry, level three sommelier Liegel helps patrons select the best bottle to pair with their meal. (His riesling recommendation for me was spot-on.) From local beers to world-class wines to a large list of Kentucky bourbons, there’s something for every taste and palate. Along the way, if you sample and fall in love with The Trail Hotel’s signature bourbon, swing by the retail shop, scan the QR code on the label, and it will be shipped to your doorstep.

The hotel also has a secret speakeasy, The Bourbon Vault, with its entrance hidden behind a floor-to-ceiling piece of art. The dim, 36-seat lounge offers a quiet respite and another splash of bourbon.

The Trail Hotel does not offer in-room dining.

Activities and Experiences

The Trail Hotel’s rooms form a U-shape around the pool and an oversized hot tub. As I lounged in a comfy beach chair by the pool, I didn’t need to go far for refreshments as The Swim Club Bar offers snacks and beverages.

Inside, over bites from a charcuterie board, I giggled my way through a few holes on a virtual championship golf course at Par & Pour, The Trail Hotel’s high definition golf simulator. Groups of up to eight can book this lounge, which comes with a full food and drink menu, as well as private bar services.

Within 24 hours of booking a room at The Trail Hotel, a bourbon butler reaches out to customize your experience, securing restaurant reservations, booking VIP distillery tours, tastings (and drivers), and coordinating cultural experiences.

Since my bourbon butler, Norma, knew I preferred a diverse day rather than one completely focused on spirits, she created an itinerary that celebrated the area’s food, drink, history, and natural beauty. We started with brunch at Mammy’s Kitchen & Bar and then hiked through the rolling hills near the Abbey of Gethsemani. After lunch at Five Brothers Kitchen & Bar inside the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, we enjoyed a grain-to-glass course before a tour at My Old Kentucky Home, a historic 200-year-old mansion and plantation.

The Spa

Instead of a traditional spa with massages, facials, and nail treatments, The Trail Hotel has a Rejuvenation Room, a 660-square-foot detox wellness area with a sauna, cryotherapy pod, oxygen bar, and IV therapy lounge.

Although I had paced myself and drank plenty of water, I was feeling a bit stiff and sapped after my flights to Kentucky, so I booked my first-ever IV therapy treatment with Jennifer Cambron, who recommended a vitamin B complex boost. I didn’t notice a huge difference immediately, but I slept like a dream that night and may have had a little extra pep in my step as I walked laps around the airport the next day.

Family-friendly Offerings

While minors are welcome at The Trail Hotel, due to its proximity to the Bourbon Trail and the adult-focused amenities, I’d recommend it as an ideal getaway for the 21+ crowd.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The Trail Hotel fully complies with ADA regulations for service animals, and the step-free entrance to the hotel features automatic doors. Each of the four fully accessible guest rooms and the accessible king suite are equipped with lower sinks and counters, wheelchair-accessible doorways and layouts, roll-in showers with grab bars, and visual and vibrating fire alarms.

Location

The Trail Hotel is a 45-minute drive from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) and approximately 55 minutes from Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport (LEX). The Trail Hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to places located within a three-mile radius of the hotel, including downtown Bardstown, My Old Kentucky Home State Park, the My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, and several local distilleries.

For an additional fee, you can book a car service from and to the airport. The hotel team can also arrange transportation for experiences curated by the bourbon butlers. Still, a rental car can be handy for day trips to Louisville or Lexington. Nearby, you can explore several golf courses and lush green spaces (don’t miss Bernheim Forest and Arboretum). Bardstown is part of Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

The Trail Hotel doesn’t have partnerships with major credit cards or reward programs. Currently, the hotel offers a 15 percent discount on stays of three nights or more. Nightly rates at The Trail Hotel start from $229.

Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.