Description: I love hotels. I'm one of those people who has to open every drawer, assess the view, and pass judgment on the interior decorator before I can settle in. My mother always brought me back hotel toiletries as souvenirs of her business trips when I was a kid. Perhaps that's why as an adult, the thought of staying in a hotel fills me with age-inappropriate glee. Or maybe it's just the fact that I don't have to make my bed. Either way, this ridiculous behavioral pattern of mine is shamelessly encouraged by my vocation - consultants stay in hotels for free!
So unlike my colleagues who immediately settled into the Marriott because they always stay at Marriotts (and as a result, belong to the Super Elite Sparkly Diamond Marriott Guest Club), I tried a few hotels before settling on the Hilton Minneapolis, a hulking behemoth of a building on the funky end of downtown. I remained there because of their all around high quality, exemplified by the friendly, helpful staff, the fresh fruit salad served daily with breakfast, and the clean, attractive rooms.
The concierge deserve special mention for their excellent suggestions and personal attentions. My husband and I happened to be at the Hilton on our 10th anniversary, and our favorite concierge, Anna sent a bottle of champagne up to our room.
The gym was often busy in the morning, but never to the point of spoiling my workout. I noticed over time that the bulk of its visitors were female. Single guys, pay attention! One morning I spotted eight women in the gym and three in the pool – with no men in sight! Don't ask me why – it's as unfathomable a mystery as the Minnesotan obsession with rice krispie treats.
If you want to know where not to stay...
...I suggest avoiding the Embassy Suites. It's located on the outskirts of downtown on a sketchy-looking corner. It's easy to miss the entrance, which is practically unmarked, with a lobby nine flights up an elevator from an exceptionally seedy parking garage. The water pressure was abysmal, the showers smelled like mildew, and the entire place was decorated in a sort of Chuck E. Cheese goes to Key West style that left me depressed and anxious to check out.
The Marriott, for the record, has two advantages over the Hilton. It is centrally located, and you'll get to know the local drug dealers and their customers, who hang out by the bus stop next door at night. However you're practically in the Midwest, so the local "no good kids" are actually quite polite and friendly!
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