The Martin House - In the heart of historic downtown Lexington
House
Sleeps: 8
Bedrooms: 3 
Bathrooms: 2
Description
This spacious 2 story brick home centrally located in Lexington’s Historic South Hill district is the perfect spot for Bluegrass area visitors. A unique home, built in 1908, it is registered with the Bluegrass Trust for Historic Preservation, and is an intriguing combination of private retreat with modern amenities and downtown convenience. The newly remodeled, completely fenced in back courtyard will keep your pets safe while providing an inviting, peaceful venue for relaxing, and grilling out – but one has only to walk out the front door to discover all that downtown Lexington has to offer. This charming home has lots of character with 10 foot ceilings, hardwood floors and six uniquely tiled fireplace mantles throughout as well as 1st floor screened in porch and 2nd floor balcony overlooking the courtyard and downtown Lexington. Both bathrooms were completely renovated in 2017. Other special features are a cozy seating area in the open, airy kitchen, a beautiful spa like bathroom downstairs, and another quaint seating area located upstairs. A wonderful get away after a long day of sightseeing in central KY!
Architecture:
The Martin House is a late Queen Anne 'Free Classic' residence, and is a good example of this transitional period in architectural styles. Sophisticated in it's massing, simple in it's trim, it is balanced between the Queen Anne use of variety of surface and form and the Craftsman emphasis on simplicity.
House History:
Jesse Woodruff and his family lived on this block from 1864 through 1908, first next door and then, from 1893 onwards, on this site in a house whose one story footprint on the 1907 map is much different from the current building's. His relative, Thomas B. Woodruff continued to live next door through at least 1925. The present house was built between 1908 and 1911 when J. M. Martin, agent, Chattanooga Brewing Company, and his family acquired the property. They lived here through 1921.
A 1976 renovation moderinized the interior and the rear of the building while preserving well-cared for details. It served as a duplex until 1983, when it was returned to single-family use.
We acquired the house in April, 2004 and initially planned to return it to duplex form, using one for ourselves and renting the other. However, we fell in love with the entire home and couldn't bear to make those changes! So instead, we started renting it as a vacation home in September, 2005. We found this to be a great compromise as it allows us to share our home with visitors to Lexington, hopefully bringing them great enjoyment, while also being able to stay in and enjoy our home as well!
About our neighborhood:
The South Hill Historic District is a neighborhood of early residential homes adjacent to downtown Lexington. In 1781, Lexington's five-man Board of Trustees successfully petitioned the Virginia Assembly for 710 acres of land that was divided into half-acre and five-acre lots, according to a town plat. 'The south hill' was made up of larger lots located outside of the town of Lexington that were soon subdivided. South Hill is so named because in pioneer days the area overlooked the Town Branch of Elkhorn Creek that once flowed through the center of the city. The homes in this district were built over a period of time spanning more than 100 years. The earliest homes were built during the early 19th century and are mainly Federal and Greek Revival styles. Most of the older homes are in the northern half of the district. The district also includes homes built after the Civil War into the early 20th century. Buildings designed by two of Lexington's greatest architects, John McMurtry and Cincinnatus Shyrock, can also be found in this district. The mixture of styles on each street is aesthetically compatible, of similar scale and placed on lots of similar size. However, the scale and lot size on each street differs, with the bordering streets of the district such as South Limestone and South Broadway containing larger houses on larger lots set further back from the street.
This district consists of many homes that were once owned by free African Americans at a time when slavery was still an institution in Kentucky. Prosperous whites lived alongside prosperous African Americans with many middle class citizens also living in the district. The oldest home in Lexington, the Adam Rankin House is located in this district on South Mill Street.
Despite the rapid growth of Lexington and the neighboring University of Kentucky, the South Hill Historic District has remained virtually untouched with some commercial infringement on the outer edges of the community. At one time located on the outskirts of Lexington, the neighborhood is now in the heart of the city.
Amenities
Entertainment- Television(Tv)
- Video library
- Books
- DVD player
- Stereo
- Games
- Games for kids
- Toys
- Satellite / Cable
- Oven
- Microwave
- Toaster
- Blender
- Coffee grinder
- Coffee maker
- Dishwasher
- Grill
- Ice maker
- Kettle
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Dishes and utensils
- Pantry items
- Kitchen
- Dining
- Balcony
- Deck / Patio
- Lawn / Garden
- Outdoor furniture
- Porch / Veranda
- Internet
- Parking
- Living room
- Paper towels
- Air conditioning
- Heating
- Washing machine
- Clothes dryer
- Linens provided
- Towels provided
- Hair dryer
- Iron and board
- Basic soaps
- Toilet paper
- Wireless internet
- Satellite or Cable
- Washer and Dryer
- Heater
- Children Welcome
Rates
| Season | Nightly | Weekly | Weekend | Monthly | Min Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Rate Mar 7th 2024 - Mar 7th 2025 |
$295 | $1775 | - | $5500 | 3 |
Additional information about rental rates
- Cleaning fee $150.00
- Pet Fee $25
- Check In 03:00 PM
- Check Out 11:00 AM
Rental Notes
Lexington KY transient Taxes of 8.5% must be collected and paid for homes in Lexington. Since Homeaway does not provide a way to do this, we will send you a request for payment once you have booked our home. We are SO SORRY about this inconvenience! Homeaway collects only state taxes.
-Pet Fee is $25/ night for first dog, $15/ night for second dog. Other pets may be considered, ask us :)
Nick W.
Charming home close to everything
We had a great stay at this historic house, and enjoyed the proximity to many walkable amenities in Lexington. We walked almost everywhere, taking advantage of all the shops, bars, and restaurants nearby. House has been kept up nicely despite being built over 100 years ago. Our dog loved the fenced in and private backyard!!
Victoria R.
Historic home, great location
Home is with in walking distance from downtown and many fun restaurants. Inside, there were many fun sitting areas and beautiful old fireplaces. Felt like we were exploring a piece of history yet the Bathrooms and kitchen were beautifully redone. Parking was as described, tight but workable. It is on a busy street and near a hospital so needed earplugs to sleep. Would definitely stay here again if in the area.
Kenneth B.
October Weekend in Lex
Great place - tons of space - close to UK campus and downtown. Wonderful place for a weekend at the horse races and touring bourbon distilleries! Hosts were wonderful and access to the house was easy.
MARGARET T.
Beautiful house, great location and perfect back yard for our dog.
Spent a long weekend at the Martin House and couldn't have had a better mini-vacation. House is within walking distance to many restaurants and a short distance to Keeneland and the Kentucky Horse Park. The house has everything you need and is very homey and comfortable. Highly recommend a stay here. Hosts are very responsive and even leave a plate of delicious chocolate chip cookies for guests! Will definitely be back next year.
Paul M.
Perfect location!
We were in town for a family wedding and this was the perfect place for our family! It was located so close to the venue as well as the other pre-wedding events we had to attend while here. We have two young children (3 and 1) and the set up of the upstairs was perfect for our family while allowing the grandparents a little privacy downstairs. We also hosted a family brunch while staying at the Martin house and the backyard was a perfect spot for letting the kids play and allowing the to adults relax. The home was well appointed with everything you could need - more than any other place we’ve stayed and the owners were so gracious and super easy to deal with. We couldn’t be happier with our time spent here. Absolutely recommend!!!
Tom C.
Great location
Great location and beautiful house and yard.
Thomas B.
Comfortable historic house
Really enjoyed staying in the historic Martin House in Lexington. The house is well appointed and is great for up to three couples. Lots of seating areas and rooms to relax. The back porch and back yard were great for sampling some of the bourbon we bought. Easy walking distance to downtown restaurants and the UK campus. Great self guided walking tour of the historic district a few blocks away. The owners are very attentive and brought cookies and the next mornings breakfast soon after we arrived. Very nice experience.
Jon O.
Great time at The Martin House
The Martin House did not disappoint. The house was as beautiful as the pictures. It couldn't be in a better location. We had a short walk to either downtown or campus. It's also a short drive to local distilleries and Keeneland. So much to do. We will definitely book The Martin House next time we are in Lexington. The property owner had fresh cookies on the counter when we arrived and delivered breakfast foods shortly after our arrival. It was a great experience. The owners truly cared that we had a good experience. Thank you!
Geneen G.
Charming house in a great location!
Excellent location with easy access to shops and restaurants.
Kimberly C.
Perfection
Everything about this property is perfection. The communication with the owners, early check-in accommodations, the location, the cleanliness and the special touches upon arrival, that included flowers, delicious cookies and breakfast supplies. The owners set high standards and other VRBOs should take notes.