From the press release, conveniently put out by 21c Museum Hotel:
For the second consecutive year, 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky has been selected as the #1 hotel in the United States and #6 in the world in the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards appear in the November issue and are the results of the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice survey. This year nearly 26,000 individuals participated in the voting, evaluating more than 10,000 properties and destinations worldwide. 21c is the only U.S. hotel to be ranked as one of the world’s top ten hotels in the 2010 poll, beating out luxury brands such as Mandarin Oriental and Ritz Carlton. The rankings are based on the quality of rooms, service, food and dining, location and overall design.
“We are humbled that travelers from around the world have given us this honor for the second year in a row,” said Steve Wilson, Founder and CEO. “This award tells me that people have embraced the experience of 21c, and that the definition of a top notch hotel experience is changing. It doesn’t have to be about plush carpet and gilded mirrors. By engaging people not just in gallery spaces, but also in places where they eat, play, walk or look up from the grind, we show that art is not something that stands apart from life, but is a part of life.”
21c Museum Hotel was opened in 2006 by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, contemporary art collectors and philanthropists, who had a vision for bringing art into people’s daily lives and supporting the revitalization of their hometown. Housed in a series of renovated 19th century tobacco and Bourbon warehouses, the 90 room hotel is situated in downtown Louisville’s arts and theater district, and has become a cultural destination for locals and travelers alike. 21c creates a truly unique stay by combining world-class contemporary art, dining and hotel experiences.
Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson says, "I've talked to many people around the country who've come to stay at 21c because they've heard it's a world-class hotel. And every one of them tells me the same thing - Condé Nast is right. It's the best in America."
