Starwood Preferred Guest - Any recent SPG experience in Minneapolis

I know there are some older threads on this, 2 or more years ago, but has anyone had any recent experience at any of the *wood properties in or around Minneapolis lately that they can share with me. I am going to be in town for a week (6/19-25) and am considering *wood over hilton (for a bunch of reasons).

Have any of the properties gotten any better...the older posts make them sound pretty dismal.

All help appreciated.

I'm at the Sheraton in Bloomington. They've got two "towers", one renovated, the other not. Make sure to stay in the renovated one, the "North Tower". Hote's quite large for a Sheraton. Lots of small-medium size conferences, meetings going on all the time.

Very good lounge for both breakfast and evening. Decent gym (mixture of old and new machinery, as the hotel). In-door pool in the central courtyard (as most other medium size hotels in the area). Shuttle to and from hotel to airport (quite convenient from the look, but I have not yet used it). Staff are quite accomendating and relatively friendly.

I just checked out this morning. I thought the north tower was quite nice with nice Plat. recognition, and the breakfast was excellent, with very good fruit and a large area that wasn't crowded at all. Quite rooms, Sweet Sleepers, etc.

Good ample parking and easy to get in and out of at 494 and 100. Of the Sheraton's I've stayed at it, I'd give it 10/10. Believe I had a $99 rate on AAA.

I'd definitely stay there again. I've stayed at the 4 pts in Minneapolis too, and I thought it was quite nice. I do know the Sheraton by Ridgedale is quite nice also.

Not sure where the negative feedback is coming from.

FWIW, I needed to stay in MSP in November. Had reservations at the 4 points near MSP, but their "limited" airport shuttle ran only till 7 p.m. Way too late for my flight. So, stayed at the Hamption near Mall of America instead.

I've actually been staying at the Bloomington Sheraton weekly since February. The property is somewhat dated, but I have had a very positive experience!! I have heard questionable comments about the south tower, but as a platinum member have been fortunate enough to have been upgraded on all of my stays. They have done some renovations in the North Tower, and the free club level breakfast is pretty cool. But no matter which tower you stay, the best thing about the property is the Sweet Sleeper Beds; they are SWEET!!

Now that I have finished my Sheraton commercial, there is one thing about the property that does bother me. I’m the type of person who needs the room totally dark to go to sleep. But the way they have designed the rooms, the bed is on the wall facing the door, and the light from underneath the door and the peep hole always hits me in the face. This is all remedied with a tissue and a towel, but thought they would have put more thought into the designs of their rooms.

I know there are some older threads on this, 2 or more years ago, but has anyone had any recent experience at any of the *wood properties in or around Minneapolis lately that they can share with me. I am going to be in town for a week (6/19-25) and am considering *wood over hilton (for a bunch of reasons).

Have any of the properties gotten any better...the older posts make them sound pretty dismal.

All help appreciated.


I live in MSP, what part of town do you need to be located. I have put people in both SPG and Hilton here in town. If you need DT Mpls, the Hilton is great - if want to be by the airport, the SPG Bloomington is OK and teh Hilton is very nice, if want to save $$, the Four Points on Industrial is a great bargin at $59 on weekends and $70 on week days.

I've actually been staying at the Bloomington Sheraton weekly since February. The property is somewhat dated, but I have had a very positive experience!! I have heard questionable comments about the south tower, but as a platinum member have been fortunate enough to have been upgraded on all of my stays. They have done some renovations in the North Tower, and the free club level breakfast is pretty cool. But no matter which tower you stay, the best thing about the property is the Sweet Sleeper Beds; they are SWEET!!

Now that I have finished my Sheraton commercial, there is one thing about the property that does bother me. I’m the type of person who needs the room totally dark to go to sleep. But the way they have designed the rooms, the bed is on the wall facing the door, and the light from underneath the door and the peep hole always hits me in the face. This is all remedied with a tissue and a towel, but thought they would have put more thought into the designs of their rooms.

No more so than the folks at Hilton who hang the mirror on the door opposite the toliet so you basically have to watch yourself sitting on the pot *smile*

I live in MSP, what part of town do you need to be located. I have put people in both SPG and Hilton here in town. If you need DT Mpls, the Hilton is great - if want to be by the airport, the SPG Bloomington is OK and teh Hilton is very nice, if want to save $$, the Four Points on Industrial is a great bargin at $59 on weekends and $70 on week days.

Am actually coming in to see at least three clients, one downtown, one in Mankato and one in St Paul. But am pretty much willing to stay anywhere in the twin city area - will be driving to Mankato just for one day so no hotel needed there. I have stayed at the Hampton Inn in Bloomington, the Marriott in Eden Prarie and the Doubletree at Park Place (the last being my favorite of the three) but I am finding prices right now for the week I am coming in (19-25) to be abnormally pricey and my clients have budgets. Since I am now a *wood gold I would like to try to stay with them, if I can afford, or it will be back to the Hampton Inn *sigh*.

What is your view on the one at Industrial. That is one I am seriously considerig, but have seen bad reviews on. Also do you know if it has free internet (have seen conflicting answers on this even off *wood's site).

Any info you can offer I would appreciate.

Thanks

I stayed three nights at the Minneapolis Four Points last month (the one on Industrial), and had a previous stay about a year ago.

It's not bad. As a category 1 hotel it is an excellent use of points. They have free wired internet access, which works pretty well. The rooms are reasonably large, though as of last month the Four Comforts bed was still "coming soon" and so the beds were motel grade. Parking is free.

As a platinum I got an upgrade to a two room suite, which was quite spacious. It was reasonably well furnished, though the bathroom was very small, but it actually made a good place to have some friends round and project Sideways on the wall with a digital projector I happened to have handy. They deliver suprisingly good pizzas for something like $10 and waive the room service fee (but not the delivery charge).

The decor is fairly classy for a 4pts, but worn. The staff seemed friendly, though they forgot to ask about my plat ammenity and didn't have a corkscrew available at the front desk (suggested taking the wine down to the bar to be opened).

The bar is a bit sad, and the restaurant is low end and suffers from noise leaking in from the adjacent ball room complex. They have a lot of functions there, and I was worried about noise in the rooms, but wasn't bothered on either stay. May just have got lucky there.

It wouldn't be a good place to overnight from the airport, as it's on the other side of town. The shuttle is supposed to go to downtown and other local destinations, but the one time I thought of taking it it was full. However, with a car downtown, UMN and the Metrodome are all short and usually uncogested drives away. It's right off the freeway and hard to miss. Nothing is walkable. Airport shuttles do pick up there. On Saturday night, a friend waited half an hour for a taxi the hotel called him, so you might not want to rely on them at busy times.

on a stroll through downtown I did notice a rather nice looking Le Meridien. So maybe next time I go there will be something a little different to try. If your business is in the university area, I can recommend the Radisson Metrodome as being well located amid all the campus restaurants and bars, and a good example of its breed. The Radisson also gives free access to the amazing campus gyms and swimming pools.

I have stayed extensively at both properties.

The one on Normandale Blvd is serviceable. Yes, it is an old property and you would want to be in the renovated wing. Even though I am a regular customer and a platinum, the hotel regularly tries to put me in the old wing because I always book on cheap rates. When I asked Alex at the front desk why they don't automatically put me in the new wing, he told me that they put Platinums AND Golds that pay a higher rate in the renovated wing. So, it appears that they lump Golds with Platinums together and focus on the rate.

I have stayed three times at this property on a $109 rate which includes in-room breakfast and a bottle of wine/cheese plate. The wine is lousy and I found it on www.wine-searcher.com for $4.99 per bottle retail (given the rate I paid for the room, this is not a deal breaker). The first time I got the cheese plate, it was actually pretty tasty. The second time, it was beyond dreadful. The first time, I got delicious plain berries, the second time I got soggy chocolate covered strawberries. Once when I checked in, I got coupons for the free breakfast if I chose to have it in the hotel restaurant instead of room service. Other times, no coupons were provided at check-in. Let's just say the only thing consistent about this property is its inconsistency. I ordered a vegetarian omelette for breakfast today and at about my last bite I noticed that bacon was mixed in with the tomato and mushrooms. :rolleyes: This cost the property a few Service Promise points. :mad: :td: :rolleyes:

Net-net, this is a meeting/convention older Sheraton. Don't expect much and you won't be disappointed. The lounge is nice and offers gratis beer and mostly fried and breaded victuals during the evening. The service is generally friendly. I haven't checked out the gym.

When I checked in yesterday, I was moved from the old wing to the renovated wing. As I was leaving the front desk, I reminded Alex that he would need to have the fruit/wine moved to my new room. He insisted that my rate didn't include these amenities. Not wanting any trouble, I thanked him and called the Service Promise line when I got to my room. :rolleyes:

There is a TGI Friday's across the parking lot of the Normandale Blvd location, in addition to a gas station and some convenience stores. Finally, I also get the sense that this property is regularly packed/sold out during the week.

Regarding the Minnetonka Sheraton, you would want to stay in the Club area on the fourth floor. The actual club itself offers free internet access...not sure about the Normandale Blvd club room. This property has an indoor pool and hot tub...not sure about the gym. Staff here is equally as friendly. If it's important to you, this property offers the Wall Street Journal for free. The food at the Minnetonka Sheraton is brutal...room service and restaurant. Again, snafus include buttered toast when dry was requested, etc. The only decent restaurant that I have frequented around this property is Bacio (spelling?) in the shopping mall across the street. The hotel bar on the main floor is regularly crowded around 8 PM'ish.

Both properties are serviceable. I just wouldn't plan a vacation at either. They are clearly for business people that want a place to stay, in addition to Starwood points.

Edited to add: I cashed checks at both properties. Front desk personnel insisted that I was only allowed up to $50. Managers confirmed that Platinums are allowed more. The Minnetonka Sheraton had to give me $250 in five dollar bills. :rolleyes: These properties aren't alone in having trouble honoring the Platinum check cashing privilege.

If there are any specific queries on either of these properties, please send me a message. I would be happy to reply.

update:

i have stayed at both properties a number of times since my last post. i have been favoring the normandale property as its a bit closer to work and they generally have better rates.

the staff here is very friendly, particularly room service. at this point, i can now call down and ask for my "usual" and they know what i like. the Service Express woman that takes the wake-up call times is very friendly...almost a bit too chipper at 1 am. :) i have also been getting the same room for every stay, which i like.

again, the club level at the normandale property has great hours (open from breakfast time until 9 PM, closed mid-day). the club has free beer and wine and "bar" victuals.

my only gripe is that i have yet to check out and get a correct bill. the rate plan i choose includes breakfast but i have yet to get a bill that doesn't include the breakfast charge. the GM of the property called me during my last stay and said the programmers were trying to fix the snafu. for that stay, i was only charged for breakfast on one of my three nights. but, on the bill i received today, i was charged for breakfast all three mornings.

and, for my six stays at this property, i have yet to have one platinum amenity post automatically. each time i had to call the Platinum line and have them post it manually.

but, other than the billing and amenity problem, this is a pretty good hotel. to follow-up on my previous comments, this property is very packed during the week. i think they were near 100% last night from comments made by staff.

just a quick update as i have been staying at this property extensively....

i do have to say, this hotel has grown on me. the front desk people are nice...kinda scary nice. the lounge personnel are very friendly. i guess everyone there is very friendly come to think of it. it's a bit odd when the room service order taker knows my exact order and uses the extra time to chit chat. and, my bills are now correct. :)

i think this property has a crazy occupancy rate....upwards of 100% during the weeknights almost every time i stay. but, i almost always get the same room which is very nice.

as i may have said before, the property has a nice indoor pool and a more than satisfactory gym.

i am quite satisfied. this is my favorite property vis a vis the sheraton ridgedale in minnetonka or the four points on industrial blvd.

the Service Express woman that takes the wake-up call times is very friendly...almost a bit too chipper at 1 am. :)


I assume you are referring to Linda. I know what you mean about her being a little too chipper at 1:00 AM but she will walk across broken glass in bare feet to make you happy. With room service orders, wake up call requests and one call to deal with stomping from above we've spoken enough that she now greets me by name and engages me in a few seconds of friendly chatter when I call. She is fabulous! ^ ^ ^

This is my favorite *Wood hotel in the MSP area and looks like it will remain that way now that the Minneapolis Le Meridien is dropping the Le Meridien (soon to be *Wood?) brand. :mad:

I assume you are referring to Linda. I know what you mean about her being a little too chipper at 1:00 AM but she will walk across broken glass in bare feet to make you happy. With room service orders, wake up call requests and one call to deal with stomping from above we've spoken enough that she now greets me by name and engages me in a few seconds of friendly chatter when I call. She is fabulous! ^ ^ ^

This is my favorite *Wood hotel in the MSP area and looks like it will remain that way now that the Minneapolis Le Meridien is dropping the Le Meridien (soon to be *Wood?) brand. :mad:

yup, that's her. :D

i had heard the rumor that the Minny Le Meridien was going to be dropping the "Le Meridien." i thought that this property was their flagship. now that they are being sold, i guess they don't need a flagship. surprising, nonetheless. i wonder if it will be an independent or linking up with someone else. with the plasma TVs, it would fit in with Park Hyatt, although i don't know if the market would support a Park Hyatt. having said that, the current hyatt here is okay...but just okay (i.e., hyatt could probably do a bit better).

yup, that's her. :D

i had heard the rumor that the Minny Le Meridien was going to be dropping the "Le Meridien." i thought that this property was their flagship. now that they are being sold, i guess they don't need a flagship. surprising, nonetheless. i wonder if it will be an independent or linking up with someone else. with the plasma TVs, it would fit in with Park Hyatt, although i don't know if the market would support a Park Hyatt. having said that, the current hyatt here is okay...but just okay (i.e., hyatt could probably do a bit better).


Here is the bad news in black and white...with the relative lack of *Wood properties in MSP, especially downtown, I almost cried when I read this. I was really looking forward to this being a *Wood!!!

http://hotelmotel.com/hotelmotel/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=172103

James Graves founded AmericInn before divesting that chain. BTW, doesn't the Graves hotel have a certain ring to it!?!? :confused:

Reading all of the Minny spg property reviews, I get the sense that it's pretty much average/inconclusive on what is crap and what is good.

Reading all of the Minny spg property reviews, I get the sense that it's pretty much average/inconclusive on what is crap and what is good.


The Sheraton in Bloomington is decent. The North Tower rooms have recently been renovated, they're also much larger than the South Tower rooms. The Concierge Lounge is also in the North Tower. This is my usual hotel in Minny and I really don't have any complaints about it. They have the SS Beds (the actual mattresses, not just the linens) which is always a plus. Haven't stayed at the new Sheraton (can't remember where its located) but there is a thread on it. IIRC the consensus is the hotel is very nice, staff could use some more training and the neighborhood is sketchy.

The Bloomington and the West are both clearly business hotels. No one would take a vacation at either property. The Four Points is okay...decent mattresses but odd location. The Bloomington is much closer to the airport. It also has a very serviceable gym.

I am staying at the downtown one next week. Yes, apparently nice property (plasma TVs?), novice staff, and sketchy location.

I am staying at the downtown one next week. Yes, apparently nice property (plasma TVs?), novice staff, and sketchy location.
I am staying at the downtown one tomorrow night- first time- will post a trip report in the next few days.

I am staying at the downtown one tomorrow night- first time- will post a trip report in the next few days.
Please do... I plan to stay there this coming Saturday.

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When I meant "average/inconclusive" regarding Minny reviews, I meant after reading many threads on each of the properties.

I regularly travel to MSP on business and have stayed at the Sheraton Bloomington (repeatedly), the Four Points Minneapolis (once), and the new Sheraton Midtown (once, most recently).

The Sheraton Midtown will get my repeat business, hands down. The Club Lounge is pretty nice, it has a great fitness facility, the rooms are boutique-feel (and each has a wall-mounted plasma TV), free Internet access, and the bathrooms open with a small French door (but emphasis is on "small" door).

The downsides are the neighborhood (in "transition," as some have said), but great restaurants are only a few blocks away, and the fact the staff is still not always up on SPG practices. But that's easily and politely noted.

The Sheraton Bloomington, where I've stayed many times before, is a convention hotel with all the crowds and facility-hogging that implies (for good or ill depends on whether you're actually with the convention). The renovated tower is noisy whenever there's a convention function going on, since it's an open atrium design. The fitness room is acceptable but not great. The restaurant is marginal. The neighborhood is fine, but offices and retail, mostly. Beds are good.

The Four Points has seen better days. Beds are comfy, but that's about it. The rest is quite well worn.

I'll be staying at the Sheraton Midtown going forward.

The Four Seasons has seen better days. Beds are comfy, but that's about it. The rest is quite well worn.

I'll be staying at the Sheraton Midtown going forward.
I suppose you mean Four Points :D

Ok I'll give Midtown a try and will be ready for the ignorant staff.

I haven't stayed at a Starwood property in a while. Could someone educate me as to the term, Service Promise, and what it entails? Is it anything like Hilton's Satisfaction Guarantee of years gone by? Thanks

Please disregard my question. Alas, it appears that the term no longer exists in the *wood customer relations manual from my reading of related threads. Oh well...

I suppose you mean Four Points :D

Ok I'll give Midtown a try and will be ready for the ignorant staff.

Would that it was a Four Seasons, run by Starwood. :cool:

Guess I'm still jetlagged from my recent stays in Europe. I'll go back and fix.

Ok, so here's my take on the area that the Midtown property is in (that is, the Midtown area around Chicago Av... it's not horrible, however, I would not want to walk by myself after sunset...
I think the area 10 blocks south of the Sheraton is much worse.

Oh.. if anyone has stayed at the Sheraton YYZ newly renovated club floor, the Sheraton Overland Park (KS), the rooms at the Midtown property have similar decor (if not the same). I'm in an extended King Club floor room overlooking Chicago Ave... the rooms are quite nice.

Check-in staff (i.e. Nicholas) was quite professional and seemed to know all of the SPG benefits that Plats get.

I am staying at the downtown one tomorrow night- first time- will post a trip report in the next few days.

First of all, the new Sheraton Midtown is nowhere near downtown Minneapolis -- it's about 3 MILES south of downtown. Second, what happened to your trip report? Don't see it in this thread.

I had a 1-night stay at the Midtown Sheraton and 2 1-night stays at the Bloomington earlier this week. I was upgraded (platinum) to suites for all three stays.

I loved the Midtown property! The upgrade to a suite was offered wthout my having to ask, and the suite was just beautiful. It had a sitting room with two nice leather chairs and a 32-inch LG flat panel TV on the wall above a gas-log fireplace. Very cozy, as it was snowing lightly the night I was there. The bedroom is not massive - in fact, according to the floor plan posted on the back of the door, the suites are not really much bigger in area than the larger standard rooms. But the bedroom's size was just right, giving me a nice snug feeling when I closed the door. The suite also included a fridge (not a mini-bar) and a microwave, and do I remember a bar sink? I'm not sure. The bathroom had a nice, wide tub and a bathroom scale. Not sure if I recall free bottled water. A robe was also included, and there was a second flat-screen TV in the bedroom, identical to the one over the fireplace. The fitness center is a really good one. The lounge is beautiful, but offered only a moderate food selection in the evening and morning. No hot items at breakfast, and I believe there were none or only one in the evening. The swimming pool is small and unimpressive, and the surrounding area is not upscale at all and doesn't seem all that convenient to anything useful, although the hotel is easy to get to. The decor throughout the hotel has the feel of wonderful old hotel vaguely from the 1940s or so, though it's a very new construction. Wireless HSIA is offered for free throughout the hotel. Parking was $9.00

At the Bloomington Sheraton I got suite upgrades both times, but both times I was originally offered a club-level king room, and got the suites only after asking, "so, you didn't have any suites available?" On the first stay, I got a jacuzzi suite in the old highrise (south) tower, which was large and somewhat impressive in a Las-Vegas-from-a-previous-decade kind of way. The bathroom was pretty small, and the tub/shower a fairly old one. On the second stay I got an "Executive Suite" in the newer (or more recently refurbished) north tower. This suite was really just an exceptionally large room with a sofa and chair at one end. The bathroom here was fairly small also, again with the small, old tub/shower. In both rooms I got two free bottles of water and a robe. The lounge here is also nice, though not as nice as at the Midtown location. The lounge offered two hot items with fruits and cheeses in the evening and a breakfast that seemed to be conspicuously missing a hot item. HSIA at this property was wired only, and cost $4.95/hour, $9.95/24 hours, or $24.95/72 hours. Parking was free. The location of this hotel is a bit better, at the intersection of I-494 and hwy. 100, and right next door to two very good French restaurants at the Sofitel.

I'm in Minny about once a month and ALWAYS stay at the Sheraton Bloomington. I recently stayed at the new Sheraton Midtown which is right off of downtown. Although it was new, there were two problems. First, the rooms are very well sealed so I could never work at the desk, which is right by the window, because the draft froze my feet. Second, the neighborhood is VERY unsafe. The hotel is very nice, though.

The Bloomington Sheraton is a classic great hotel. I've only stayed in the north tower, though.

Second, the neighborhood is VERY unsafe. The hotel is very nice, though.

There is nothing UNSAFE about the neighborhood surrounding the hotel. SEEDY and RUNDOWN? Yes. UNSAFE? NOT AT ALL. Don't confuse the two. As a longtime former resident of Minneapolis, I can assure there are indeed unsafe areas in Minneapolis (mostly north of downtown), but not in the Chicago-Lake neighborhood. Not that you would have any reason to hang out there in the evening. Downtown is a lot more interesting and inviting. I suggest the Graves 601 Hotel (formerly, Le Meridien Minneapolis) or the Chambers Hotel if you want a 5-star hotel. No SPG points, of course. Unless we can convince Mr. Graves to re-flag his hotel again as Le Meridien.

Well, Starwood is participating in five hotels underway in downtown Minneapolis (and good ol' St. Paul):
- Luxury Collection in Ivy Tower downtown
- W Hotel in Foshay Tower downtown
- Westin in Farmers & Mechanics Bank downtown
- Westin at The Bridges of St. Paul
- aloft at Zenith Lofts, near the new Guthrie

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2006_3rd/Jul06_MPLS.html

Just went by the Midtown Exchange yesterday on a day trip. Okay, so there's a bus stop in front and the neighborhood's not Beverly Hills, but some of us like that. The Midtown Global Market has many interesting ethnic food choices, the hotel fronts a new bike path going to Uptown and Longfellow, and said (heated) bus stop offers frequent service to downtown and the Hiawatha line. However, unlike the Industrial Blvd. and Bloomington properties, the Midtown Sheraton isn't participating in the numerous Starpoint promos available right now.

There is nothing UNSAFE about the neighborhood surrounding the hotel. SEEDY and RUNDOWN? Yes. UNSAFE? NOT AT ALL. Don't confuse the two. As a longtime former resident of Minneapolis, I can assure there are indeed unsafe areas in Minneapolis (mostly north of downtown), but not in the Chicago-Lake neighborhood. Not that you would have any reason to hang out there in the evening. Downtown is a lot more interesting and inviting. I suggest the Graves 601 Hotel (formerly, Le Meridien Minneapolis) or the Chambers Hotel if you want a 5-star hotel. No SPG points, of course. Unless we can convince Mr. Graves to re-flag his hotel again as Le Meridien.

I completely agree. I actually LIVE about 6 blocks South of the Midtown Sheraton (and about 3 miles west, too). The Midtown area is fine--not great, though, and not a normal "tourist" area. Translation: It's a busy, central place with not a Ruby Tuesday's within sight. For some, that is bad; for some, good. The Midtown Exchange building next door has several excellent, inexpensive restaurant choices; there are amazing Middle Eastern, Mexican, and other places, plus interesting shopping. The area around the Sheraton isn't Minneapolis' best, but it's not its worst, either. There are tons of people walking around, it's not desolate or scary in the least. I walk around there quite often, and somehow, I'm still alive to type this! :)

Well, Starwood is participating in five hotels underway in downtown Minneapolis (and good ol' St. Paul):
- Luxury Collection in Ivy Tower downtown
- W Hotel in Foshay Tower downtown
- Westin in Farmers & Mechanics Bank downtown
- Westin at The Bridges of St. Paul
- aloft at Zenith Lofts, near the new Guthrie


The Westin Minneapolis in the old F&M Bank building opens in May 2007 and is accepting reservations. I haven't seen any rates under $199, except for the $113 government rate with ID. I am a Federal government employee and have booked two nights at $113 for July 4. Will report back after my stay. Anyone else have reservations there?