Kentucky,  Travel

Derby City Loft Condo, Louisville, KY

September 25, 2019 / 42 Comments
Share
Tweet
Pin
0 Shares

My husband is the BEST at planning getaways for just the two of us! We both love to travel but he is by far MUCH better at remembering that taking time to travel as a couple is just as important as traveling as a family.   His trip planning resume is quite impressive to include: Key West, Maui, New Orleans, Mackinaw Island, the Grand Canyon and most recently, Louisville, Kentucky. 

This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.

Downtown Louisville.

I’ve gotta hand it to him, he really thinks things through when he looks for a place to stay and truly outdid himself with Derby City Loft.  (booking details below) 

HomeAway

Not only were we in the heart of downtown, we could literally walk to nightlife and restaurants at 4th Street Live, shopping boutiques, the river front and even the grocery store!  Not having to drive everywhere slowed down our weekend and really gave us the feeling of Louisville. 

Look at that selection!

Plus, the condo was FULL of music, movies and personality.  The owner is actually listed in the “Guinness Book of World Records,” and his claim to fame is simply fabulous!  (Any guesses??  I’ll share the answer below!)

Welcome to Derby City Loft

The front entrance to Derby City Loft is located inside Bycks’s Lofts, right off of 4th Street. Directly behind the building is the 2nd back entrance and parking garage (a free parking pass was included at the time we booked our reservation). 

Front entrance to building off street.

From the front entrance there is long hallway (that leads to the condo) with beautiful exposed brick walls.

Hallway walk to condo.

The building has so much character and even has that “old building” smell… which is a good thing! Along the walls throughout are photos and information sharing its long history. We couldn’t wait to see what the condo looked like in person.

Living and Dining

From the moment we walked in, we could feel the energy of this condo! Everything from the unique light fixtures and antique furniture, to the original hardwood flooring from the 1890’s, added to the vibe.

Kitchen and Dining area.

The living room was connected to the kitchen/dining area and was full of entertainment options. Dozens of movies, cds and records to choose from. You could literally get lost in deciding what to do.

To the left of the couch is a bar area… and record player (which we used)!

Cozy quarters.

I really liked the light fixture overhead! It reminded me of the cracks in a sheet of ice over a frozen pond.

Living room light fixture.

The easy chair was very comfortable and my favorite lounging spot! Books and a chess game are nearby for when you need some time to relax.

Sit back and relax!

We spent quite a bit of time looking through all of the books, movies, cds and records. The room was full of things to check out, but it didn’t feel cluttered or overdone. It was truly the perfect balance.

Bedroom Suite

The bedroom is located directly off of the living room area and is cozy and full of charm. It is sophisticated yet spunky and I LOVED the paint color and the antique furniture.

Rest and Relaxation!

Just look at how gorgeous this antique dresser- with marble top- is! It actually made me pause before setting my things down on it, to admire the craftsmanship. Old furniture gets me every time!

I LOVE this antique dresser!

As if the antique dresser wasn’t enough, there was a nightstand, on the opposite side of the bed, to go with it. I often wonder about who may have owned antique furniture I come across. Oh, the history!

Nifty Nightstand.

There are also sliding, hanging doors that can be closed completely, to add privacy to the bedroom.

Sliding, hanging doors.

We found the doors pretty useful, as the windows in the living room let in quite a bit of light in the morning.

Bathroom Business

So, the important thing to remember with this bathroom is it was CLEAN! Now I know that sounds ordinary BUT dirty baseboards, especially in bathrooms, are my biggest pet peeve. For me, clean baseboards show attention to detail. Nothing ruins the feeling of a clean bathroom for me more than seeing overlooked baseboards full of hair, lint and dust. Gross, I know!

Check out that sink!

Thankfully, when we stayed, the baseboards in the bathroom (and throughout) had definitely been cleaned on a regular basis. Phew! The bathroom was spacious and well taken care of.

There were plenty of extra towels available and during our visit we found shampoo and soap provided in the shower.

Check out our video tour!

Odds and Ends

There were so many unique things that stood out about this condo. Probably the most fun though, was finding the “sticky notes” from previous guests scattered throughout. It made the condo feel “real” and it was so interesting seeing what everyone had to say, or draw.

Some of sticky notes left on fridge.

Remember the “Guinness Book of World Records” title the owner holds?! Well, one of the sticky notes we found just happened to be attached to his accomplishment. “WOW!” indeed! Congratulations!

Guinness World Record

We even left our own note behind on the antique dresser with mirror, professing my love for it! I try!

Nearby Food and Entertainment

Due to the condo’s downtown location, we thought we may have difficulty locating a grocery store or market. Thankfully, we were wrong!

Falls City Market

Located on the first floor of the Omni Louisville Hotel (210 W Liberty Street), the Falls City Market is a short, ten minute walk from the condo. It is the perfect spot to grab some breakfast and lunch goodies for your stay.

Inside entrance to Falls City Market.

Falls City Market offers a variety of cereals, fresh produce, dairy, desserts, candies and “grab-n-go” options if you prefer. You’ll even find toiletry items, unique gift ideas and a specialty liquor selection.

Dry goods selection.

Several dining options are available inside the market as well. You can order anything from tacos, to sushi, to barbeque and even Heine Brothers’ Organic Fair Trade Coffee!

Bridges BBQ counter

The store was very clean and the staff was friendly. We were thrilled to see when we checked out, they used paper bags to bundle up their customers’ purchases!

Fourth Street Live!

If you are looking for a spot to dine or heading out for some night life, then you need not look any further than Fourth Street Live! This unique, two-level, open-air entertainment option is located in the heart of downtown…AND is one block away from the condo.

Fourth Street Live!

We had a great time visiting a few of the nightlife options, including Howl at the Moon, a dueling piano bar. It was amazing to watch the artists sing and play music from a wide variety of music genres. Upon request too!

All of the establishments on the block are located in the area under the enormous awning, and getting from place to place is quick and easy. Fourth Street Live! is definitely a “must visit” while in Louisville.

It’s Your Turn!

We really enjoyed our time spent in Louisville! Much of that had to do with the character, amenities and convenient location of Derby City Loft. It certainly left a memorable impression on us.

For more information and to book your own getaway at Derby City Loft, be sure to check out their listing at HomeAway.com for more details (Property #998467).

Check out some of the other incredible places we’ve stayed during our travels:

Be sure to check out our Top 30 Gift Ideas for Travelers. It is full of unique ideas to give to those in your life who love to travel… or to add to your own personal carry-on. We’ve even included the one item we won’t go to Disney without, it might surprise you!

Share
Tweet
Pin
0 Shares

42 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.