BLOOMINGTON — If you're planning to visit Bloomington and stay overnight, you will soon have a new option downtown that is not affiliated with any major hotel chains.
The Posh on Kirkwood hopes to open its 45 guest rooms as soon as the middle of the month. It is taking reservations starting on October 1.
The fully-independent five-story hotel is on the corner of Kirkwood Avenue and Washington Street. It was built within a former Peoples State Bank branch and keeps elements of the bank, such as its former vault.
"This is an opportunity for us to really showcase this property as the jewel box of Bloomington," Posh on Kirkwood general manager Matt Swisher said. "Bloomington brings a different level of energy. To help lure potential leisure travelers and have a potential destination for them to stay, it's going to be amazing."
The hotel will join several modern options in downtown Bloomington, including the Graduate hotel on the same block of Kirkwood Avenue.
Posh on Kirkwood sales manager Jennifer Mervar said the hotel's unique amenities, including a rooftop terrace and a wood-lined boardroom named for Indiana Hoosiers football coach Curt Cignetti, has attracted customers even before its opening day.
"Before we even kicked off our reservations, we had more than 500 people on our waiting list," Mervar said. "We have a bank that has never even considered having its executives come here. They will be here next summer for a board meeting."
The hotel is also within walking distance of the future Bloomington Convention Center expansion, which is expected to open in 2027.
Jordan Smith of Visit Bloomington said the new hotel options downtown show the city is in demand for tourists.
"Some sort of concert, special event, nightlife, or festival...it all happens right here in the heart of Bloomington," Smith said. "The closer you are to it, that's where you want to stay and where you want to be."
While the Posh on Kirkwood is not open yet, the Gable's Bagels cafe on its ground floor opened for business on Wednesday.
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