Got Colts tickets or a convention badge? Book a hotel with its own skywalk and you’ll reach Lucas Oil Stadium without stepping outside. The covered walkways run into the convention center, and an underground passage carries on into the stadium. The Omni Severin Hotel lost its link when its skywalk across Georgia Street closed for good, so don’t book it for the indoor walk. Here’s where I’d book, starting with the JW Marriott Indianapolis.
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Indianapolis Hotels
| 1. JW Marriott Indianapolis Largest Hotel on the Skywalk Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: Indoor walkway to the convention center, 10-minute walk to the stadium Guest Reviews: Made-to-order breakfast, on-site bar and restaurant, high-floor city views, modern rooms Best Room: Queen Room with Two Queen Beds and View – High Floor Good to Know: Arriving early for a game? Ask about early check-in when you book. Price: From USD $270 – $345 per night |
| 2. Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown Best Value Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Location: Indoor walkway to the convention center, 12-minute walk to the stadium Guest Reviews: The Bistro, Starbucks coffee, breakfast, well-equipped gym, valet parking Best Room: Suite, 2 Queen, Sofa bed Good to Know: The self-park garage is easy to get lost in, so note your level. Price: From USD $160 – $180 per night |
| 3. The Westin Indianapolis Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: Indoor walkway to the convention center, 9-minute walk to the stadium Guest Reviews: City-view rooms, on-site restaurant, Club level rooms Best Room: Guest room, 2 Double, City view Price: From USD $225 per night |
| 4. Hyatt Regency Indianapolis Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: Indoor walkway to the convention center, 10-minute walk to the stadium Guest Reviews: Heated indoor pool, atrium lobby, Eagle’s Nest revolving rooftop restaurant, gym Best Room: King Room with Sofa Bed and View Good to Know: Head to the second floor for the indoor route to the convention center. Price: From USD $180 – $255 per night |
| 5. SpringHill Suites Indianapolis Downtown Every Room a Studio Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Location: Indoor walkway to the convention center, 12-minute walk to the stadium Guest Reviews: Fresh breakfast, studio rooms, 24-hour gym, attached parking garage Best Room: Studio, 2 Queen, Sofa bed, Skyline view, Top floor Good to Know: Park in the attached garage and you’ll reach the hotel without going outside. Price: From USD $160 per night |
| 6. Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis Downtown Best for White River State Park Views Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Location: Indoor walkway to the convention center, 11-minute walk to the stadium Guest Reviews: Breakfast with fresh fruit, round-the-clock coffee, updated rooms and bathrooms Best Room: 1 Bedroom Suite, 2 Double Good to Know: Breakfast seating gets tight at busy times, so go down early. Price: From USD $155 per night |
Which Indianapolis Hotels Are Connected to the Convention Center?
Every skywalk ends at the convention center, but the hotels reach it by different routes.
- The Marriott Complex on West Street: JW Marriott Indianapolis reaches the convention center by a skywalk that runs through the Government Center parking garage on Washington Street. Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, SpringHill Suites Indianapolis Downtown and Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis Downtown feed into that same skywalk, so all four hotels share one route east.
- Where Do the Westin and Hyatt Connect? Each has its own link, separate from the Marriott route. The Westin Indianapolis crosses by a covered bridge that also reaches the downtown mall, and Hyatt Regency Indianapolis connects through the Plaza Park garage.
- Three More Hotels Sit on the Network: Indianapolis Marriott Downtown and Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Downtown Union Station both have their own skywalks into the convention center. Signia by Hilton Indianapolis, a 40-story tower on Georgia Street, links in by skywalk over Capitol Avenue.
The four Marriott hotels share one walk, so I’d let price decide between them.
Downtown Hotels Without a Direct Skywalk
Some of the hotels closest to the convention center still put you outside for part of the walk. Know which ones before you book for a January game.
- The Omni Severin, a Block Away: The Omni Severin Hotel sits on the south side of Georgia Street, one block from the convention center. The walk is short, but you cross the street in the open.
- Why Count Embassy Suites and Conrad as Indirect? Embassy Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown connects by skybridge into the downtown mall, and Conrad Indianapolis reaches the mall through the Artsgarden over Washington Street. From there you carry on to the convention center, so your indoor walk depends on the mall being open. Ask at the front desk which doors are open before you leave your coat upstairs.
- Stay South of the Convention Center for the Shortest Walk: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Indianapolis Dtn-Conv Ctr Area by IHG, Staybridge Suites Indianapolis Downtown-Convention Center by IHG and Tru by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown have no skywalk at all. They sit 3 to 6 minutes on foot from the stadium, closer than any connected hotel.
If snow’s in the forecast, I’d pay for a skywalk room; on a dry September Sunday, I’d take the south side.
How to Walk to the Stadium Indoors
The convention center is the hinge: every skywalk lands there, and a separate passage carries on to the stadium.
- The Walkway Under Capitol Avenue: An underground walkway runs along the west side of Capitol Avenue from the convention center’s newest wing into the stadium. It was built with the convention center’s expansion onto the old RCA Dome site, so it’s part of the building, not a street crossing.
- Go Out on Georgia Street Before Kickoff: Georgia Street turns into the Colts fan zone before home games, with food trucks and photo spots outside the stadium. Step out for it, even when the skywalk would keep you dry.
- Is the Roof Open? That depends on the weather, and the Colts decide before each home game. The two roof panels take 11 minutes to open, and the north window opens too, framing the downtown skyline from inside.
In December I’d stay inside the whole way; in September I’d walk Georgia Street for the fan zone.
Busiest Weekends to Book Ahead
These are the weekends downtown fills, so lock in your room the day your tickets land.
- Memorial Day Weekend: The Indy 500 runs on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, and race-weekend rooms downtown book out months ahead.
- When Does Gen Con Take Over? At the turn of July into August. The gaming convention fills the convention center halls, and the skywalk hotels go first.
- Colts Sundays Run Into January: Home games fill downtown from September through the end of the season. Those late-season Sundays are when an indoor walk earns its keep.
For a Gen Con or race weekend, I’d book before I’d even planned the rest of the trip.
Where to Eat Near the Skywalk Hotels
Two downtown institutions sit on the streets east of the convention center.
- St. Elmo Steak House: Indianapolis’s oldest steakhouse has worked the same Illinois Street block for more than a century. Order the shrimp cocktail: four jumbo shrimp in a sauce spicy enough to clear your sinuses.
- Want Live Blues After the Game? Head to the Slippery Noodle Inn on South Meridian Street, Indiana’s oldest continuously operating bar. The building has been pouring drinks for more than 170 years, and the stage is all live blues.
I’d do St. Elmo for the pre-game dinner and the Noodle for the night after.
FAQs
1. Is there a hotel attached to Lucas Oil Stadium?
No hotel connects directly into the stadium. The building works as part of the convention complex, with 183,000 square feet of exhibit space and 12 meeting rooms of its own, and its only enclosed link runs underground to the convention center. That’s why big conventions spill into the stadium halls, while hotel guests reach them through the convention center.
2. Can you walk from the skywalk hotels to Gainbridge Fieldhouse?
Yes, and the Hyatt end of the network gets you there fastest. The Pacers’ arena sits on South Pennsylvania Street, a 7-minute walk from Hyatt Regency Indianapolis and 9 minutes from The Westin Indianapolis. From the four hotels on West Street, allow 14 to 16 minutes on foot, so leave earlier if you’re staying on the Marriott side.
3. Which skywalk hotels are closest to White River State Park and the zoo?
West Street’s hotels win. Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown and SpringHill Suites Indianapolis Downtown sit a 9-minute walk from the Indianapolis Zoo, Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis Downtown 10 minutes and JW Marriott Indianapolis 11. The zoo sits inside White River State Park, with Washington Street running along its southern edge past all four hotels.
4. How far is Monument Circle from the convention center hotels?
Five minutes on foot from Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, the closest of the skywalk hotels. The Westin Indianapolis is 7 minutes away, and the four West Street hotels sit 11 to 13 minutes out. The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument at the center stands 284 feet tall, and an elevator takes you most of the way to the observation deck, with 31 steps to finish.
5. Do you need a car if you stay at a skywalk hotel?
Not for downtown. The Red Line rapid bus, app-based taxis and the 8-mile Cultural Trail all serve the stadium area, and the trail’s southern spur runs along Capitol Avenue past the convention center to the stadium. From the airport, it’s a 20-minute drive in an app-based taxi, so you skip downtown parking altogether.
6. Which skywalk hotels are closest to Victory Field?
Three of them sit a 3-minute walk from the ballpark: JW Marriott Indianapolis, SpringHill Suites Indianapolis Downtown and Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis Downtown. Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown is 4 minutes away. The Indianapolis Indians play there, and the ballpark sits inside White River State Park, a 10-minute walk from the zoo.
7. Is Mass Ave walkable from the skywalk hotels?
It’s a long walk, so ride the Cultural Trail instead. From Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, the closest skywalk hotel, the Bottleworks District near the top of Mass Ave is 25 minutes on foot, and the West Street hotels add another 6 or 7. The trail’s northeastern spur follows Massachusetts Avenue, with bike-share stations along the way.
