Indianapolis Group Travel

It's May.  The weather hasn't been the best so far this spring.  It's been cold, rainy, stormy, rainy, cloudy, rainy, wet and rainy.  With the nicer (hopefully) weather coming up this weekend, I'm really looking forward to getting on my bicycle and riding around town.  I just moved downtown about two miles away from work and love to ride around downtown and to my downtown Indy hotel.

Downtown Indianapolis is such a bike-able area!  We have the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, the Central Canal Towpath and hookup to the Monon Trail.  See my post from last April about Indy being named a top 10 bike-friendly city!  There is so much to see and do in downtown Indy and traveling by bicycle is a quick, healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around.

May 20th this year celebrates the Indianapolis Bike To Work Day.  Residents from all over the city will leave their car at home and put on their helmets for a ride.  Even those who live outside of downtown and usually commute can put their bike on the bus and ride to a closer spot before pedaling.  As an employee of our green hotel Indianapolis, I'll definitely be participating on my new single-speed cruiser.  I've never been able to participate before, having lived 30 miles away from downtown.

There will be plenty of bicycle parking on Monument Circle, just 1/2 block from the Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown.  The festivities kick off at 6:30am with group bike trains from various points throughout Indy.  Monument Circle opens to bikers at 7am, a speech by the mayor and others will take place just before 8am and there will be food and vendors on the Circle all day.  Lunch rides on the Cultural Trail will happen at noon.  Finally, at 3:30pm, the Tomlinson Tap Room will begin their happy hour and will be serving fresh, local beer.  Tomlinson Tap Room is located just one block from our three star hotel downtown Indianapolis inside the City Market.

• Lucas Oil Stadium
• Indianapolis Convention Ceter
• Murat Center
• Conseco Fieldhouse
• Indianapolis Speedway

1. Visit the Groups & Meetings Page of our website.
2. Click on the "Get Started Now" button on eEvents
   • If you're not ready to book your meeting and just need pricing, click on the "Get Started Now' button in the Pricing Request box.
3. Follow the steps and fill out all information completely.
   • The more information we have, the less we have to bug you!
4. Submit!
5. The sales manager in charge of servicing/managing your event will call you within a day to confirm the details of your meeting.

Congratulations!  You just got engaged!  After the excitement, you realize you have so much to do to prepare and plan for your wedding.  Find a ceremony and reception venue, pick colors, decide on a menu, whittle down the guest list and find an Indianapolis wedding hotel for your friends and family coming in from out of town.

Yes, we are an Indianapolis wedding hotel located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis.  We can help you with your friends and family Indianapolis group travel.  Discounted rates may be available for your group of 10 rooms or more.  Indy is a busy city, so we always recommend checking the convention calendar to try to avoid the busiest dates of the year where availability is limited and rates are high.  You want Uncle Ted to be able to buy you a gift and not spend all his money on the hotel, right?

Not only can we help with your hotel reservations Indianapolis, Celia Belden, Catering Sales Coordinator, can assist you with your small(er) ceremony and reception!  Our James Whitcomb Riley room seats about 90 for a ceremony (it's uniquely shaped), and our Benjamin Harrison Ballroom maxes out at 120.

Click the photo for more information, or to submit a request for a proposal or book your room block yourself, check out our eEvents page.  Start the process of booking with our three star hotel downtown Indianapolis today!  Our location is perfect for your wedding guests to enjoy the fun, and walkable, downtown area!


Some of the wedding venues to which we are closest, 2nd closest or are great partners:

• D'Amore Events of Indianapolis (attached through Chase Tower Parking Garage
• The Rathskeller
• Murat Centre
• Indiana Landmarks Center
• Conseco Fieldhouse
• Roberts Park United Methodist Church
• Scottish Rite Cathedral
• Mavris Arts & Events Center
• Fountain Square Theatre
• Indianapolis Zoo
• Community Life Center

Most folks not involved in racing are familiar with the Indy 500, but those of you who are tried and true race fans, are also aware of the Brickyard 400 and no doubt, you might be headed to Indy this year to either participate in some form or another or come as a fan.

Since 1994, the Brickyard 400 is one of the annual races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for stock cars.

The race covers 400 miles, 160 laps on the famous 2.5-mile Indy Motor Speedway oval.  Here's a great video from YouTube that shows the start of the 2007 Brickyard 400 from a fan's perspective - to get you in the mood!

As with most NASCAR events, the Brickyard 400 is a great family event, especially if you are looking into Indianapolis group travel options.  Why?  The Indy Motor Speedway is an ideal family setting as an international icon in race history and not to mention entertainment for the entire family. 

Here's a quick calendar of events for 2011's Brickyard 400:

• Thursday, July 28, 2011 - Brickyard 400 Camping Lots Open
• Friday, July 29, 2011 - Practice Day
• Saturday, July 30, 2011 - Qualifying Day
• Sunday, July 31, 2011 - Brickyard 400

Although the Indianapolis Colts were not able to make it to the division championships, we were still included as a wildcard playoff team in the American Football Conference for the 2010 NFL.

Before the team faced their final game of the 2010 season, the Colts held pep rallies in six elementary schools in Indianapolis.  Blue, the team’s official mascot, also visited pre-selected elementary schools in Terre Haute and Anderson.  These events were closed to the public and media permits had to be secured from the school administration.

The Colts also hosted a Kids Club Playoff Extravaganza exclusive to the members of the Colts Kids Club..

On January 8, the Colts played against the New York Jets to get into the Divisional Playoffs.  The Jets won with a score of 17-16 and will be playing against New England on January 16.

While that may be the last game for the Indianapolis Colts this season, football fans should not wait long as the 2011 NFL Draft is set for April 28-30.  After that will be another line of NFL pre-season events for the Colts and the other NFL teams.

Of course, if you are a true NFL fan, then you are well aware that Indianapolis is hosting next year's Superbowl.  So in other words, Indianapolis is the home for the 2012 Superbowl.  If you are planning on making it to the Superbowl next year with a group of friends then you might want to look into Indianapolis group travel at our newly renovated hotel Indianapolis.

For inquiries, call 317-955-9700 or visit Indianapolis hotel packages online.

• Fri Nov 26 - Nov 27 2010  IHSAA State Football Championships 
• Sun Nov 28 2010  Indianapolis Colts vs. San Diego Chargers 
• Tue Nov 30 2010  International Motorsports Industry Show Reception 
• Wed Dec 1 2010  Beck's Hybrids Christmas Extravaganza 
• Wed Dec 1 2010  GER & D 2010 Team Meeting 
• Fri Dec 3 2010  Midwest ISO Holiday Party 
• Sun Dec 5 2010  Indianapolis Colts vs. Dallas Cowboys  
• Fri Dec 10 2010  Indianapolis Housing Agency's Year End Celebration 
• Sun Dec 19 2010  Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars 
• Sun Jan 2 2011  Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans 
• Sat Jan 29 2011  Monster Jam 
• Fri Mar 4 - Mar 6 2011  Indianapolis Home & Flower Show 
• Sat Mar 12 2011  Supercross 
• Thu Mar 24 - Mar 26 2011  Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) 

Guess what?  Race season is just around the corner!  There are three races this season: The Indianapolis 500 (The Greatest Spectacle in Racing), the Brickyard 400 (NASCAR) and the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP.

As a newly renovated hotel in Indianapolis, we are happy to offer rooms and rates during the Indy 500.  Our Indianapolis group travel deals are great for your group if you need ten rooms or more.  The Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown is the northmost Hilton hotel in downtown, making it the Hilton hotel nearest the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

For group rates and Indianapolis hotel reservations information, please contact Camille Lauer, Corporate Sales Manager at clauer@fhginc.com or 317.405.5710.

Happy New Year and welcome to 2010!  There's going to be a lot happening this year!  The Colts have home field advantage for the playoffs and face off against the Baltimore Ravens this Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium!  Being one of the hotels near Lucas Oil Stadium, our lobby is decked out with Fatheads, flags, bobble heads and our staff will surely be in Colts attire starting tomorrow!

We are officially one of Indianapolis' newly renovated hotels!  Only a few final touches remain before we're 100% complete.  Our restaurant, the Great American Grill, has been completely redone and has a very chic feel to it.  The guestroom beds, carpet and furniture have been replaced.  Lobby furniture is brand new and, as and Indianapolis meeting hotel, we have updated our meeting space as well!  Check our pictures out on our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter too!

The Hilbert Circle Theatre will be host to some great shows this season.  I'm particularly interested in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's presentation of The Music of Pink Floyd!  Of course being a concert fanatic, I'm very excited to see what other venues will present this year.  We're the closest hotel to Murat Centre, so why not stay with us when you come to your next show?  Don't forget about the Pacers and those performances at Conseco Fieldhouse to which we're one of the the closest hotels.

Big things will be happening in 2010!  Oh...ladies and gentlemen, Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching!  So when you get engaged, be sure to call our wedding hotel when you're looking for a place to host your rehearsal dinner, small ceremony or reception or simply need a discounted hotel room block for your group's travel!

Happy New Year from the Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown!

Need a mini get away?  How about coming to an Indianapolis Downtown Hotel like the Hilton Garden Inn.  Book a night and go see an Indiana Pacers game. We are one of the Hotels Near Conseco Fieldhouse, by only being two blocks north you can easily walk there in 5 mins.  If you need any tickets feel free to call the hotel for suggestions. If you need an Indianapolis Group Travel discount, don't hesitate to contact our sales office for a price break.  Being a Newly Renovated Hotel we want to make sure you know about our new Garden Sleep System beds.  They adjust on the side to fit your comfort needs. 
Check out the Pacers' Schedule down below!

It's FOOTBALL SEASON!!  This Thursday, September 3 marks the end of the Indianapolis Colts' preseason!  Our first regular season game is Sunday, September 13.  The Indianapolis Colts face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars at home!  I don't know about your team, but we have Blue Friday here in Indy.  Our hotel celebrates the Colts games by displaying larger-than-life Colts players in the lobby, flags in our lobby palm trees, and a banner or two.

Of course, most employees really love Blue Friday because we get to wear something a bit more casual and our Indianapolis Colts jerseys!  You can check out our team spirit on our Facebook page photo gallery!  We even bring out the war paint and temporary tattoos from time to time!  Are you a member of the Colts Blue Crew?  You should be!

Of the hotels near Lucas Oil Stadium, we may not be the closest, but we certainly bleed blue (most of us).  When you are searching for Indianapolis hotel reservations, whether you're supporting the Colts or the Texans, 49ers or Jets, we'd love to have you stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown!  If you're coming from out of town for the Titans game, or any other, call me to check for Indianapolis group travel options!

Home Games:
Sun, 9/13:  Jacksonville Jaguars
Sun, 10/4:  Seattle Seahawks
Sun, 11/1:  San Francisco 49ers
Sun, 11/8:  Houston Texans
Sun, 11/15:  New England Patriots
Sun, 12/6:  Tennessee Titans
Sun, 12/13:  Denver Broncos
Sun, 12/27:  New York Jets

If you are going to be traveling regularly to downtown Indianapolis over the next year or so, you should definitely attend one of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra’s upcoming concerts. The 2009-2010 Season starts this September and will end in May of 2010. Throughout this period, you can experience an outstanding repertoire of classic creations by the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra…how do we know this? Christian Celis-Schemidt, our Director of Sales, has joined the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra’s Board of Directors.

Within this organization, one of the things Christian will work toward is advancing the artistic contribution that this fine organization makes to our city, by raising the awareness to expand its audience. So, if you are in town over the next few months, please check the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra’ website for performances (http://www.icomusic.org). Also, starting in September, the Chamber Orchestra will be celebrating its 25^th year and for the occasion, they will feature a myriad of talented musicians for every taste and every season. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Handel’s Messiah are only glimpses of the upcoming performances.

A collaborative creation with the American Pianist Association is also a part of this celebration.  “ICO [Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra] Conversations concert will feature a performance by American Pianists Association Fellow, Adam Golka, followed by a distinctive, intimate discussion about music. This unique concert experience caters to audience involvement, allowing the exploration of the lives and contributions of pianist-composers such as Rachmaninoff, Chopin, and Liszt”.  Be a part of this fine organization by joining Christian at these distinguished concerts!

Why not make a night of it? While enjoying the ICO at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center – Frank and Katrina Basile Theater, stay at a historic hotel in Indianapolis! It's a great idea for Indianapolis group travel. Call Christian at (317) 405-5708 and he can help you set up a hotel package with the ICO and a block of rooms at our beautiful Indianapolis downtown hotel!

...Everywhere I look around!  Love is in the air, every sight and every sound!

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet!  I receive many phone calls from soon-to-be brides and grooms, friends of the couple, planners, mothers and fathers.  They look for blocks of discount hotel rooms and hotels near the Murat Centre or Mavris, Scottish Rite, The Rathskeller or Fountain Square Theatre or ceremony or reception site.  They want menus for rehearsal dinners and brunches.  Almost every weekend throughout the year, the Hilton Garden Inn is host to many friends and family members of the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs.

There are many Indianapolis wedding hotels from which to choose.  Of the downtown Indianapolis hotels, I think we are a great choice!  Of course, I am biased, but it's a charming historic hotel in Indianapolis, and soon to be newly renovated hotel!  Our great location, history, friendly staff, comfy rooms and catering capabilities make us a great option!  With that said, I thought I might offer some of my own planning tips for our Indianapolis wedding hotel:
 

• If your reception serves alcohol, choose a hotel close to the reception location.  Guests will appreciate the short walk or cheap cab ride back.  If not, consider providing a shuttle for your guests.  I can give you some choices.
• Have your rehearsal dinner or day-after brunch in the hotel!  You will be able to get a great deal on a private room for your meal(s) when you have a room block in the hotel.
• Research the hotel online before you call.  Many times I get calls asking to accommodate 250 or 300 guests for a reception - too large for us.  I hate telling someone that we can't do it, and they waste precious planning time.
• Gift bags are a big hit!  Thank your guests for sharing in your union by making gift bags for them.  We will deliver them out at check-in!
• Why not take advantage of the hotel for your bachelor or bachelorette parties?  Indianapolis group travel rates are available for you!