The old song says, “Everything old is new again,” and that is an appropriate description of Lexington’s downtown hotel, The Georges. Named after three men named George with strong Lexington ties – George Washington, George C. Marshall and George Patton, the hotel opened in the spring of 2014.
The inn occupies two of downtown Lexington’s oldest surviving structures; the Alexander-Withrow House built in 1789, and the Central Hotel, the oldest part of which dates from 1809. Both buildings have served as private homes, shops, inns and offices over their long lives. Additional suites at The Georges are located in historic Lawyer’s Row, overlooking Courthouse Square, built c. 1846. The Alexander-Withrow House is the only building still standing in town to survive the Great Fire of 1796. The Livery is located in a building previously built by John Sheridan in 1887.The Georges has recently acquired another building waiting for renovation.
The 1960s saw a swelling of interest nationally in historic preservation, and Lexington was not immune. When a local landmark home was threatened with demolition to make way for an office building, locals rallied, and a buyer was found to purchase the home and restore it. But it was apparent that other handsome 19th century structures were in jeopardy, if not only from demolition but also from neglect. The Historic Lexington Foundation was formed in 1966 to raise funds to purchase significant buildings, stabilize them structurally and resell them with protective covenants requiring that the exteriors remain essentially true to their 19th century roots.
In 1969, the foundation’s first acquisition was the Alexander-Withrow House. This project became the model for revitalizing the entire block of North Main Street between Washington and Henry Streets. When the project was complete, it was sold to a local developer, who made the upper floors into a cozy bed and breakfast, with retail space on the street level.
The Central Hotel was a more ambitious project because it was larger, and because the structure was in much worse shape. But when completed, it became an inn. Coincidentally, the buyers of the Central Hotel building also bought the Alexander-Withrow House and operated them together, just as The Georges.
The Georges offers 33 uniquely appointed rooms and suites, custom designed and furnished, with luxury amenities such as Frette bed linens & robes, and Peacock Alley blankets. The elegant bathrooms are finished with custom tile work, Gilchrist & Soames bathroom amenities, walk-in showers in each room and a luxurious free-standing soaking tub in select suites.
The newest addition is The Livery, formerly the Sheridan Livery, originally owned and operated as a livery stable and stage line has been renovated into 12 hotel rooms and a private event space for weddings and large receptions..
The Georges was voted #2 and #4 best city hotel in the continental U.S. in 2020 and 2021 respectively, and fifty-third of the top 100 hotels in the world in 2020 according to the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. Last year marks the 26th edition of the annual survey, in which 300,000 Travel + Leisure readers rate experiences in a variety of categories, from cities and hotels to cruise lines and airlines.
For your palate and amusement, The Georges presents Haywood’s Piano Bar & Grill featuring classic cuisine with live entertainment and TAPS, a beautiful lobby lounge and casual restaurant serving upscale pub fare, creative cocktails, and craft beer.
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