I am attending a Business meeting and will be staying at the downtown Ramada Conference Center. Is that a safe area of downtown? Or would car only travel be recommended? Good non-chain restaurants nearby?
Thank you for your feedback.

We were in Indianapolis on business a few years ago, and although we lodged in the suburbs, we thought we might find good restaurants downtown.

Big mistake. Downtown Indianapolis is run down, old, dirty and has very few places open in the evening. We saw more homeless bus stop type characters than anything else. It may be vibrant during the day, but like many cities, when the commuters go home it becomes rather dank and certainly scary to a degree.

Stay in the suburbs if you can.

I was in Indianapolis for the Formula One race last month. We stayed in the suburbs while our friends stayed at a wonderful bed and breakfast in the Chatham Arch section of downtown. We we exceedingly jealous and spent most of our time at the b & b - exploring the neighborhood amd mking the short walk to midtown. In Chatham Arch we ate at Agio's (imaginative Italian) - friendly and yummy. Across the street from Agio's was a Meditaranean/eclectic place which was very good. Downtown was lovely: beautifully lit old buildings. We felt very comfortable walking. I'm a city girl and I love Indy. By the way - that B & B is called the Nestle Inn (N. East Street).

Well Pearl, whom do you trust? Someone who gave you so-called experiences without naming/recommending certain business establishments, or someone who DID?

Avoid downtown, despite what the travel agents here want you to believe and BUY. Be safe.

Hi -- I don't know how long ago Sapphire was in Indy, but I PROMISE you that the downtown is clean, safe, and extremely active day and night. I lived there most of my life, and still have family there. There has been a renaissance of the downtown in the past 10 years which started with the construction of Circle Center Mall. Though I have family to stay with there, I recently booked a room downtown and played tourist in my home town--which was a lot of fun. Streets downtown are busy and active well past midnight now with all the clubs, etc.

Kathleen is right--there are several beautifully renovated downtown neighborhoods, including Chatham Arch and Lockerbie Square. All are fun for exploring, and along Mass. Ave, which is near these neighborhoods, are many art galleries, "off broad-type" theaters, etc.

There are many fine museums, jazz & blues clubs, restaurants, carriage rides at night, shopping at Circle Center Mall, pro sports with the Pacers and the Colts, and farm team baseball, a lovely walkway and park along the canal where you can rent paddleboats, etc. Both the Pacers and the Indians have new venues, that are beautiful if you want to tour those.

(At the risk of dignifying xxx@xx's comments, they don't know what they're talking about. Obviously they have a bone to pick--this is the only board I know of where any casual recommendation is perceived as being from travel agents.)

Believe me, Indy is wonderful. A well-kept secret.

If you want to send me the specific address of that Ramada, I can probably help further. While I know the city extremely well, I do not know that specific property off-hand. Happy to help further if you want to write me (privately or here is fine).

I was wondering about this Ramada as well. I'll be staying there later this month. It's the Ramada Limited on Pennsylvania.

Hi Kara -- That is a different Ramada than the original post asked about. That one was about 5 miles south of downtown. Without knowing the cross street to Penn, I believe yours is in downtown, and should be very well located to walk to everything--stores, restaurants, clubs, etc. Penn runs north/south, and is is one block east of Meridian, the main thoroughfare through the city. If you'd like to write to me personally with the exact address (cross street to Penn would help), I can help further. I haven't stayed at that hotel, but definitely can provide info about the city if you have specific questions.

Gee, someone who has specific hotel addresses AND lots of info about the city? Could she be a travel agent? Naaaaaaa!

Go to Ramada web site and look up the address yourself. And yes, downtown Indy is nasty. The so-called "renaissance" that someone described should tell you all you need to know. If the city was clean and safe, why would it need a "renaissance?" And just because a few hotels invest some cash to try and attract business travelers does not mean that the urban ills disappear.

Stay in the burbs, cleaner and safer.