Twin Cities Hotels
I’m coming off the heels of two brief award stays in conjunction with the MTM Diamond meetup in Minneapolis. I tried out two hotels new to me, also a pair I would’ve had no other huge reasons to visit. There’s nothing like a MTM Diamond meetup to bring me out of my shell! Today, I’m sharing thoughts on these two Twin Cities hotels, neither worthy of an individual article. But together, it’s a strongly mediocre piece, right?
Hotel Indigo Minneapolis Downtown
Previously the Crowne Plaza, the property was renovated and opened as the Hotel Indigo in 2023. As I looked for viable lodging, I found the property attractive enough, and the pricing and booking options were quite fortuitous. I used the Citi travel portal and selected a rate including breakfast for just over $300. This paired up nicely with my wife’s Strata Elite $300 hotel credit. This credit is effectively transferrable, since the portal allows cardholders to book rooms of others. I also liked that this hotel credit immediately discounts the price at the time of booking, rather than needing to wait for the credit to trigger later.
Between the time I booked this reservation and the actual stay, I again reached IHG One Rewards Diamond status. At check-in, I mentioned that I didn’t book directly, but I was a Diamond member interested in an upgrade. After confirming my status, the rep bumped me up from my standard room to a premium one on the corner of the 14th floor. She also threw in a couple free drink coupons since the reservation already included complimentary breakfast.
I enjoyed the bright, airy room with windows on two sides. Decor was stylish but far from tacky. I also appreciated the Indigo’s smartly-designed bathroom and dressing area. Counterspace in the bathroom was a bit small, but adjacent was a full counter/makeup area with stool. Behind stood the exposed closet, something I generally dislike. But within the same space sat a handy bench for dressing. How clever!
The Indigo features Star Bar and Bistro. The dimly-lit lounge features high ceilings, stained glass and “stars” twinkling on the ceiling. The circular bar in the center reminded me of the Sapphire Lounge LGA. The bistro around the corner served brunch until 3 pm during my weekend stay. I was effectively able to enjoy an early breakfast and a late lunch with the complimentary breakfast coupons good through 3 pm on the weekends.
Everything worked here, and I had a delightful stay.
Radisson Blu Mall of America
Fresh off obtaining top-tier Choice Privileges Titanium elite status, I decided to book a single-night stay at the Mall of America location – one of only three Radisson Blu properties in the States. It was also a somewhat convenient location not far from MSP before my departure.
I arrived at 2 pm, an hour before official check-in time. My standard room was available, but I could be upgraded to a studio suite if I waited. I chose the latter, and fortunately, it was available within an hour. I asked about my Titanium breakfast benefit at this property, and the front desk rep stated I obtained Executive Lounge access. She explained that the lounge is open for the evening reception and breakfast. I would’ve preferred restaurant breakfast. But I chose not to pursue this, as I was curious about the additional evening reception.
The studio suite amounted to a larger foyer and more seating in the bedroom area. Rooms have clearly been refreshed from what the property features online. Storage was plentiful. But the room came with a sadly-common, bothersome trait – the wiring for the mounted television hung from the bottom. The room was fine overall, but it felt like a middle-of-the-road Hilton property. That’s a bit of a disappointment for what is perhaps Choice Privileges’ top brand.
The Executive Lounge was just steps from my 13th floor room. It has floor to ceiling views of the Mall of America roof and the JW Marriott on the other side. Seating showed a bit of age, but otherwise, the lounge seemed in good condition. The spread featured the following:
- Charcuterie
- Bulgogi Wings
- Fried Rice
- Complimentary beer/wine served by the lounge attendant – about a half-dozen beers and house red and white wines
- Sodas, coffee, and tea in the foyer
I ended up leaving earlier than expected the next morning, and I missed the breakfast offering. Based on the just-okay evening reception the night before, I doubt I missed much. The brief stay was fine, but I won’t be bending over backwards to return to this Radisson Blu.
Twin Cities Hotels – Conclusion
While IHG One Rewards is still relatively niche compared to the programs from Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott, it’s clearly more refined than Choice Privileges. I knew that before the trip, and the experience turned out that way. I’m tremendously happy to return to the ranks of IHG One Rewards Diamond after a few months away. I’ve often received superior elite recognition from IHG than its competitors. Despite its recent refresh, the Choice Privileges program still can’t measure up to the best of the others.
Have you stayed at either of these hotels? What did you think?
