Looks like Starwood's Le Méridien brand is expanding its reach across the American heartland: After opening in Columbus, Ohio last year, the brand has tapped Indianapolis as its next destination. Le Méridien Indianapolis will debut in November 2014 following a $9.5 million renovation of The Historic Canterbury Hotel in the city's downtown area.
Cool historic touch: The Canterbury site dates back to 1858, and was rebuilt in 1928 as a hotel that was meant to evoke Canterbury, England.
As part of the renovation, the finished Le Méridien Indianapolis will have 100 guest rooms, a re-designed restaurant and lounge, an expanded fitness center and more than 1,750 square-feet of upgraded meeting and event space. It will also include the brand’s Le Méridien Hub, which turns the lobby into a social gathering place with a dedicated Master Barista, a recently launched initiative to meet the growing demands of coffee lovers (we're not complaining). Nice touch: The Master Baristas lead coffee-related initiatives at each hotel and keep up to date with all the coffee trends.
Le Méridien Indianapolis is walking distance to the Indiana Convention Center, Indiana Statehouse and the offices of numerous corporations including Eli Lilly, Brightpoint and Wellpoint. The hotel is also close to the city’s theatres, museums, galleries and music venues, and a private entrance directly connects the hotel to the Circle Centre Mall, where guests can access the city’s indoor Skywalk system—a must on cold and rainy days.