The Alexander, Autograph Collection

The Alexander, an art boutique hotel in downtown Indianapolis

The Alexander, Autograph Collection is an art boutique hotel located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. It presents itself as the first Autograph Collection property in the city and blends contemporary design, a curated art collection and hospitality. It has 209 artfully designed rooms and a renowned art collection, as well as its own dining experiences.

Its location places it near Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium, and just minutes from the Indiana Convention Center, Monument Circle and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, at the center of the city's main sports, entertainment, dining and cultural attractions.

Accommodation and event spaces

The hotel offers rooms and suites, including extended-stay suites. For meetings and events, it has more than 16,500 square feet of space, with function rooms and unique spaces. The offering is completed by event packages, celebration spaces and wedding options.

Art throughout the hotel

The art collection, described as multi-million-dollar and made up of commissioned and curated works by local and international artists, is displayed throughout the lobby, guest rooms and meeting spaces. Featured pieces include:

• Plat 99, by Jorge Pardo: one of the hotel's largest and most interactive works, with hand-stamped tiles from Mexico, 99 acrylic pendant lamps and 21 additional lamps on the grand staircase. It incorporates railroad rails found during construction.
• Blind Eye, by Jennifer Steinkamp: the hotel's only digital work, transforming a birch forest through the seasons on a continuous immersive screen.
• Heartland, by Nina Katchadourian: Indiana road maps cut out to form a heart, a nod to Indiana as the "Crossroads of America".
• Standing Wave, by Alyson Shotz: a sculpture of thousands of acrylic strips forming two overlapping waves that change color depending on the light.
• Dream Queens' Salon, by Guy Goodwin: a work made with reclaimed cardboard that blurs the boundaries between painting, sculpture and collage.
• Madam C.J. Walker II, by Sonya Clark: a large-scale portrait of the first self-made American millionaire, composed of 3,840 black plastic combs, honoring the entrepreneur who moved her beauty empire to Indianapolis in 1910.
• Anthem, by Paul Villinski: an installation of birds hand-carved from old vinyl records, with references to Indiana music, including a Jackson Five LP.

In addition, Nick Walker's murals run through the CityWay parking areas, featuring his recurring "vandal" character. Walker is one of the best-known names from Bristol's early graffiti scene; Stanley Kubrick commissioned him to recreate New York graffiti for Eyes Wide Shut and his work appeared in the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" video.

Dining

The hotel has the restaurants Plat 99 and Nesso Italian Kitchen, which offer innovative dining experiences. Plat 99, designed by Jorge Pardo, integrates the artwork into the space and its culinary program was created to complement the venue's aesthetic. A refreshment hub for meetings is also offered.

Recognition

The property has been recognized by Condé Nast Traveler: fourth-best hotel in the Midwest in the 2022 Readers' Choice Awards and among the top three in Indiana in the 2020 awards. It is also IACC certified.

The name and local identity

The hotel's name refers to Alexander Ralston, the architect who designed Indianapolis in the 19th century and who, according to accounts, may have been part of the Burr conspiracy. His mark is reflected in the logo — the mile square he laid out —, in the maps in the rooms, in the carpets of the Ralston room and the ballroom, and in the names of the meeting rooms, taken from historic Indianapolis neighborhoods. Ralston trained under Pierre L'Enfant, the planner of Washington D.C.

Location and contact

333 South Delaware Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204, United States · Phone: (317) 624-8200