Welcome to what has unofficially become Minneapolis hotel review week. On Tuesday we reviewed the Marriott Minneapolis City Center, Wednesday it was the St. Paul Hotel and today we have the Millennium Hotel Minneapolis. Unlike the first two reviews, which were fairly snarky and negative, I found this hotel to be a delight. On to the review!
There are many factors that go into my hotel choices beyond choosing the “best hotel” each time. Location is important, as are rewards. Rates are important (conference rates can be a blessing), and so are expense accounts. The term “best” hotel can apply to any of these things.
The best hotel when someone else is paying. The best hotel for room upgrades. The best hotel for sporting events, etc.
Then there is the Millennium Hotel, which I believe to be the best value hotel in Downtown Minneapolis.
The Dark Side of Hotel Ratings
There were a few nights in Minneapolis where I had to pay for my own hotel room out of pocket. When that happens, I try to find the cheapest hotel within walking distance of where I need to conduct business. Mid June, the only hotel priced under $200 a night was the Millennium hotel in Minneapolis.
Looking at the ratings, I was skeptical about booking this place. It sounded horrible.
But the hotel looked really nice in pictures. There had to be a disconnect between what the reviews said online and what you see at the hotel.
After reading the most recent reviews, it looked like the hotel had just completed an extensive renovation. People were much more positive about their experiences in recent months, so I decided to give it a shot.
How did it turn out?
The room
I was impressed by the hotel as soon as I walked into the lobby. It was very nicely done and felt like a hotel of high caliber. Check-in was a breeze and the staff were very nice. Almost too nice, like they were trying to reverse their negative Yelp reviews with each customer greeted.
When I got to my room, I was impressed by the decor and comfort of the bed.
There was just enough room for my needs, and all furniture appeared to be very new and in excellent shape. You can almost smell the newness in the pictures.
The desk had a decent sized working area (not huge by any means), which helped for answering emails in the morning before teaching.
For whatever reason, I had booked myself into an Accessible Club Room, which meant that there was no closet and an open bathroom plan.
While some people may find this annoying, I actually liked the open configuration of the room. It fit my needs well, since I am always worried about forgetting things in the closet.
The room also had a view of the Minneapolis Convention Center. Not the prettiest view in Minneapolis, but better than the Marriott.
If I were to have one complaint about the hotel, it was their terrible thermostat that didn’t work. Not sure whether to blame the hotel or Trane, a Minnesota company, but the room was either far too cold or way too hot throughout my stay.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was wide open, as you would expect an accessible room to be. Again, no complaints on my end.
I also managed to take my favorite mirror-selfie of all time in the bathroom.
Toiletries were Millennium branded. I would give them about 2.5 stars on my 5 point scale.
The Club Lounge
My Club room came with lounge access. I came here in the mornings for coffee and a carb-laden breakfast.
This is why work travelers gain so much weight.
My seating area each morning involved coffee, water and reading on the iPad. Pretty much the same thing I do wherever I happen to be staying.
The club lounge access was nice for getting some extra water and maybe a soda. I wouldn’t count it as a quality breakfast destination, though.
The Verdict
I consider this to be the most underrated hotel in Minneapolis. Because of what I am assuming to be poor management in the past, it is being judged as a bad hotel. The reality is that this hotel is completely remodeled, is very nice inside and has a friendly staff. They deserve better than their rating. Their poor rating was my benefit, though, because it lead to a significant discount for my stay.
Prices are already starting to go up, so if you are looking for a deal in Minneapolis, now is the time to act.
Would I stay here again? Definitely, but probably wouldn’t pay extra for a club room.