stanj
May 3, 06, 2:44 pm
Stayed three nights at the Hilton Minneapolis and two at the Marquette.
Hilton Minneapolis:
Upgraded to Executive Level. Room was ok, nothing great. Furnishings were a bit worn. No safe, and IIRC no mini-bar. Desk and chair were not very ergonomic. Not great for working.
Executive lounge was open from 6-10 and was quite pleasant. Breakfast offerings were a bit better than average, soft drinks and coffee machine available when lounge was open. Evening snacks (w/ honor bar) from 5-7, and desserts after 8, were pretty good.
HSIA (both wired and wi-fi) available in room and in common areas for $9.95/24hrs.
Marquette:
Upgraged to Junior Suite on Executive Level. Room was very nice with modern furnishings and good bed, but lots of noise coming through adjoining door in entrance hall. Noise level from next door wasn't too bad from the bedroom area, although street noise was a factor. Room had a safe, mini-bar, and "steam suite" in the bathroom. Not sure what made this a Junior Suite (maybe the sofa crammed in the corner), but it seemed like it was not as spacious as the deluxe room I stayed in about a year ago. Televisions are placed at a very odd angle, which makes it difficult to comfortably watch TV from the bed. Desk area is spacious and ergonomic, chairs were very comfortable.
Executive lounge was also very nice with better food options (more on par with what you might find in a European exec lounge) than Hilton Minneapolis (and I think two free cocktails in evening). Downside was that lounge was only open from 7-10AM and 5-10PM. They had a sign saying you could not take food and drink out of the lounge, but they had styrofoam cups by the coffee machine, and didn't mind us taking coffee and soft drinks back to the room.
HSIA (wired and wi-fi) avialable in-room for $10.95/24hrs. Free wi-fi available in business center (also free use of computers and limited free printing), in lobby bar, and in Executive Lounge.
Staff was very pleasant in both locations. I personally liked the Marquette better, but it was nice to have the lounge available all day at the Minneapolis.
Hilton Minneapolis:
Upgraded to Executive Level. Room was ok, nothing great. Furnishings were a bit worn. No safe, and IIRC no mini-bar. Desk and chair were not very ergonomic. Not great for working.
Executive lounge was open from 6-10 and was quite pleasant. Breakfast offerings were a bit better than average, soft drinks and coffee machine available when lounge was open. Evening snacks (w/ honor bar) from 5-7, and desserts after 8, were pretty good.
HSIA (both wired and wi-fi) available in room and in common areas for $9.95/24hrs.
Marquette:
Upgraged to Junior Suite on Executive Level. Room was very nice with modern furnishings and good bed, but lots of noise coming through adjoining door in entrance hall. Noise level from next door wasn't too bad from the bedroom area, although street noise was a factor. Room had a safe, mini-bar, and "steam suite" in the bathroom. Not sure what made this a Junior Suite (maybe the sofa crammed in the corner), but it seemed like it was not as spacious as the deluxe room I stayed in about a year ago. Televisions are placed at a very odd angle, which makes it difficult to comfortably watch TV from the bed. Desk area is spacious and ergonomic, chairs were very comfortable.
Executive lounge was also very nice with better food options (more on par with what you might find in a European exec lounge) than Hilton Minneapolis (and I think two free cocktails in evening). Downside was that lounge was only open from 7-10AM and 5-10PM. They had a sign saying you could not take food and drink out of the lounge, but they had styrofoam cups by the coffee machine, and didn't mind us taking coffee and soft drinks back to the room.
HSIA (wired and wi-fi) avialable in-room for $10.95/24hrs. Free wi-fi available in business center (also free use of computers and limited free printing), in lobby bar, and in Executive Lounge.
Staff was very pleasant in both locations. I personally liked the Marquette better, but it was nice to have the lounge available all day at the Minneapolis.