The Biddle Hotel and Conference Center has reopened its doors to guests after being closed for more than a year during the pandemic.
During the 2020-21 academic year, the hotel attached to the Indiana Memorial Union in the heart of the Bloomington campus was used as housing space for students toallow more opportunities for social distancing.
With its proximity to downtown Bloomington and a thriving Kirkwood Avenue, as well as an IndianapolisAirport shuttle that stops at the hotel entrance, the Biddle Hotel sees manyprospective students, alumni, conference attendees, and candidates for faculty and staff positionsthroughout the year. In addition, the hotel often welcomes visiting professors; in fact, it has already seen an increase this academic year.
IMU associate director Michael Campbell said the staff is doing everything it can to keep the hotel a safe space as the pandemic continues.
“We have a policy called theBiddle Clean Promise. The promise lists the high-touch surfaces that are sanitized between every guest,” Campbell said. “It is about anticipating the needs of our guests before they even arrive.”
The hotel underwent renovations in 2017 to give each room more of a campus feel. The décor switched from ’90s floral to clean and modern with red and gray accents, along with pictures from around campus in most of the rooms. There are also accessible rooms, grand suites for larger groups and an option to book multiple rooms at a time.
The rooms are not the only renovations that have taken place at the IMU. The dining areas have been restored and feature many healthy options, including salads to go and—the fan favorite—sushi. As a result,more spacesto dine and eat have been created not only for hotel guests but for the IU Bloomington community.
The IMU kept many of its historic touches—including the old Indiana Memorial Union sign that hung outside for years, as well as stained-glass windows—but couched it inside fresh spaces with plenty of seating for hungry visitors.
How to stay
The Biddle Hotel and Conference Center offers189 air-conditioned accommodations and is available for anyone wanting to stay on the Bloomington campus. For reservations or more information, visit the Biddle Hotelwebsiteor call 812-856-6381.
