Freedom, truth, love, beauty.

The Hotel Minneapolis Is Nice

Over the weekend I visited Minneapolis to watch the Bison play in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

I stayed at the relatively new Hotel Minneapolis.

Highlights:

• The bed was extremely comfortable. Soft sheets, down comforter, plenty of down pillows, extra pillow and cotton blanket in the closet.
• The room and hotel were clean and modern.
• Great in-room amenities, including wired and wireless internet, iPod compatible clock radio, large HDTV with functional inputs and no annoying menu system or on-demand service, and a well-lit workstation.
• Valet parking, extremely friendly staff, short bar (used as breakfast bar in the morning) and full restaurant.
• The full restaurant and bar was fantastic. Definitely gourmet, with gourmet prices on their entrees. But their happy hour specials are crazy: we had drinks, three different appetizers, and a flat bread pizza for $30. Show up on the week of your birthday and get a free bottle of wine with a price equal to your age.
• Two blocks from a light-rail stop, five blocks from the Metrodome, two blocks from Nicollet Mall, within walking distance of Target Field when it is completed.
• All of the staff were extremely friendly and helpful.
• Less than $100 per night, which I think is an insanely good deal. I’ve stayed in much worse hotels for $50-$100 more per night.

Oh, I can’t forget the free, warm cookies available at the check-in desk.

The only negatives were the lack of a free breakfast—though the room service breakfast prices were not bad at all (coffee, fresh fruit juice, and choice of seasonal fruit, cereal with berries or bananas, or oatmeal for $6 if I remember correctly)—and wireless Internet that curiously was free on my iPod Touch but $7 per day on my Apple laptop.

I definitely recommend Hotel Minneapolis the next time you stay over in the Twin Cities.