The Best Places to Stay in Bourbon Country : Traditional Bed and Breakfasts

The Bunghole bourbon bar at Bourbon Manor.

<<< PREVIOUS – Boutique Hotels | Air BnBs – NEXT >>>

Bourbon Manor | Bardstown, KY: Bourbon Manor is in a league of its own. As the first Bourbon-themed Bed and Breakfast in the country, it sets the bar for the Bourbon traveler. Head to Bardstown to stay in their cocktail themed rooms (we recommend the Mint Julep), and try Bourbon-inspired small plates at their Bunghole Lounge. Their Bourbon Tour and Tasting packages are all-inclusive crash courses in the Bourbon Lifestyle. With flights, distillery tours, dinner at Bourbon themed restaurants, and more, Bourbon Manor is the starting point for the Bourbon Traveler.

DuPont Mansion | Louisville, KY: A stay at the luxurious and intimate DuPont mansion makes the Bourbon experience a breeze. When you add their Kentucky Bourbon Tour option to your stay, you’ll be awoken with Bourbon inspired breakfasts and sent to bed with Bourbon desserts. In between, you’ll be taken on an all-day tour for two to three of Kentucky’s Bourbon distilleries, have a Bourbon- themed
dinner at Buck’s Restaurant in Louisville, and more. Sink in to the elegant four poster or canopy beds in their historically themed and know you’ve seen the best of Bourbon Country.

Chateau Bourbon’s welcomes guests with a charming baby blue exterior.

Chateau Bourbon B&B | Prospect, KY: This charming bed and breakfast sits only 10 miles from downtown Louisville, getting you out of the hustle of the city while still offering you the option to get downtown and dine at some of the best restaurants in the state. Their plush, softly toned suites have names like “Angel’s Share,” “Single Barrel,” and “Stillhouse,” making it clear that Bourbon lovers are more than welcome. Package deals offer treats like Bourbon chocolates and strawberries, making it the perfect romantic staycation even for those who live in Louisville. Once you’re rested and relaxed, drive fifteen minutes to Kentucky Artisan Distillery, where spirits like Jefferson’s Ocean start their journey.

Louisville Bourbon Inn | Louisville, KY: This charming Bed and Breakfast offers eight different themed suites, and six of the eight are named after cocktails with our favorite spirit inside. With deep red walls, a four poster bed, and its own fireplace, the Mint Julep suite in particular is stunning. Try their guided all day Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour package, where you’ll see three distilleries and taste Bourbon-infused meals, or the Ghost Tour, where you’ll visit haunted spots in historic Louisville. If a little Bourbon can’t calm your nerves after that, we don’t know what will.

The True House in Frankfort is minutes from big names like Buffalo Trace.

The True House | Frankfort, KY: This traditional BnB is situated in historic downtown Frankfort, the state capitol of Kentucky. The home was built in 1888, but is packed with modern amenities and within walking distance to restaurants, entertainment, shopping, historic buildings, and state offices like Kentucky’s beautiful Capitol Building and current Governor’s Mansion. Given Frankfort’s location, the True House is centrally located to many distilleries, including Four Roses and Wild Turkey. After a long day of distillery tours, you can sample some Bourbons at Capital Cellars and Bourbon on Main, which are just a couple blocks from the True House.

The Meeting House | Frankfort, KY: Wake up in Frankfort to Bourbon-themed breakfasts at the on- premise bar and café at the Meeting House BnB. Each room in this refined 1840’s manor is named after a Civil War figure. Explore the parlor and library, then head to nearby distilleries like Buffalo Trace and Three Boys Farm Distillery, or drive ten minutes outside the city to see the newly restored Castle and Key. Built by E.H. Taylor over a century ago, this old-turned-new distillery has the first female master distiller in Kentucky in the talented Marianne Eaves.

Candle Loft | Bowling Green, Kentucky: This bed and breakfast is set on Fountain Square in the historic Downtown. Inhale the scent of the handmade Bourbon candles that light each room, and head to Corsair Distillery to craft your own Bourbon in a mason jar. This distillery crafts “Booze for Badasses,” and bottles names you might recognize like Ryemaggedon, in addition to a host of experimental releases.

The painted brick mural at Spirit on Main lists a few of our favorite reasons to come to Kentucky.

Spirit on Main | Lebanon, KY: This suite has everything you need to make your stay in Bourbon Country, feel like home. Wake up to make breakfast in a fully-equipped kitchen and enjoy your morning coffee while admiring the mural on painted brick – “Only the Finest Bourbon, Whiskey, and Moonshine.” Stay in town to tour Limestone Branch Distillery, where well-known whiskies like Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey are made or go check out the legendary Marker’s Mark Distillery which is only a few minutes away. You can also drive a quick half hour to Danville to tour Wilderness Trail Distillery. Bardstown is only a half hour in the other direction – so you’ll never run out of things to see.

Colonel’s Cottage Inn | Bardstown, KY: Become a Bourbon expert at the Colonel’s Cottage Inn. Their Bourbon University offers classes in Cocktail Mixing, Connoisseur Tasting, and more, led by The Colonel himself at The Kentucky Bourbon House. Located in downtown Bardstown, you’ll be in the center of the Bourbon Capitol of the World, and their quaint and intimate cottages will lend to the historic feel. Tour Barton 1792 and finish your day with a drink at the famous Old Talbott Tavern, or wander through the many museums on Main Street.

Beaumont Inn | Harrodsburg, KY: Nestled in the countryside of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, Proprietor Dixon Dedman, founder of Kentucky Owl, runs the Beaumont Inn and the Old Owl Tavern. With over 70 Bourbons and a James Beard Foundation America’s Classic Award, the food and drink alone make this one worth the stay. Choose a Taste of Kentucky package with Bourbon flights and cheese pairings and a southern breakfast the next day, or let them plan a Bourbon Trail Tour, Horse Farm Tour, or Wine Tour for your stay.

<<< PREVIOUS – Boutique Hotels | Air BnBs – NEXT >>>

Caroline Paulus
Caroline Paulus is the Senior Editor for The Bourbon Review. She lives and writes in Lexington, Kentucky. Follow her on Instagram @misswhiskeyhistorian to keep up with her latest in bourbon news - and a few old finds, too.