Hello everyone -
Here's that review I promised. It's also on TripAdvisor and - as you can see - almost excruciatingly detailed but hey, that's my review formula.
Still basking in the excellent aftertaste of my stay at this hotel. Cannot wait to return.
khabah
***
As an artist and a huge fan of Le Méridien hotels, a stay at this art-centric property was a natural choice during my three-night visit to Minneapolis.
LOCATION: Le Méridien Chambers is located on the corner of Hennepin Avenue and South 9th Street, placing it right in the center of town with easy access to the business district, several theatres and restaurants and within a twenty minute walk to the incredible Walker Art Center. It’s a few blocks away from the Metro light rail with direct connections to the airport, the University of Minnesota and the Twin Cities area.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is about fifteen to twenty minutes away by car but the blue line on the Metro also offers cheap, reliable connections from Warehouse/Hennepin station four blocks away.
ENTRANCE/LOBBY: The hotel is a small structure no higher than five floors and was constructed by joining two historic buildings together. Although the address is listed as 901 Hennepin, the actual entrance is on 9th Street.
Being a small property with just 60 rooms, the lobby itself is a very small but perfectly-formed space through large, art-covered doors with a seating alcove to the immediate left, a fireplace on the right and the reception desk directly in front of the doorway. The whole space feels like a white-box art gallery in keeping with the nature of the hotel but it doesn’t feel sterile; I personally thought it looked clean and was broken up by colorful artwork and furniture.
The check-in process was completed within five minutes by an efficient and friendly member of the hotel’s team who explained the hotel’s facilities to me as well as mentioned the restaurant’s happy hour.
Fun fact: the Burnet family that owns the property is known for its incredible art collection and operate a gallery in the hotel. The hotel is also dotted with many original pieces of art from paintings to sculptures in the public spaces and rooms. Be sure to check out the graffiti-covered staircase by the elevators.
ROOMS: I was booked into a mid-level Deluxe Room but was complimentarily upgraded to a Luxury Suite at check-in. What a treat.
Once I arrived at 309 at the end of the third floor corridor, I was met with a vast corner suite that I was hairs away from permanently moving into. The flooring in the entire suite is black laminate with white walls, gallery lighting, white roll-down blinds and several pieces of original artwork - a very sophisticated, minimalist and uncluttered look. I entered an enormous living room with several banks of windows wrapping around the corner of the building with an L-shaped sofa, table with seating for four, a work desk, wet bar with tons of counter space and a guest washroom.
The bedroom was separated from the living room by a sliding door and also featured several windows, a signature Le Méridien bed with four fluffy pillows and a throw pillow, an Eames lounge chair and ottoman, two nightstands with reading lights built into the wall, a bench and large closets containing bathrobes, slippers, many hangers and a safe.
The bathroom, separated from the bedroom by a sliding door, contained a large vanity with two big, deep pedestal sinks large enough to bathe babies in, a toilet, a shower stall big enough for four [if you’re so inclined] with a rain showerhead the size of the stall’s ceiling and a freestanding bathtub overlooking the Orpheum Theatre and Hennepin Avenue. The floors are heated so bare feet will enjoy pottering about there. Toiletries were by Cinq Mondes and frequently restocked.
Oh: being a Starwood Preferred Guest meant that wi-fi was free. Fast connections and easy access.
FOOD/BEVERAGE: I ate and drank at Marin, the hotel’s only restaurant, twice during my stay during happy hour - something I’ve noticed [and greatly enjoyed] is a bit of a sacred tradition in Minneapolis. While Marin offers an extensive menu, they offer an amazingly affordable happy hour menu with several selections of food, wines, spirits and craft beers.
I ate a liver and onion brioche on one occasion and a bison burger with blue cheese on another; both were spectacularly prepared and of extremely high quality. Many of the beers on tap are from Minnesota breweries and are highly recommended.
LEISURE: Being such a small property, the hotel only has a small but efficient gym in the basement that offers towels, water and a good selection of equipment. I didn’t see anyone down there during my stay, so it makes for some quality alone time.
FACILITIES: The hotel offers an event space on the fifth floor as well as meeting rooms and a business center/printing station in the basement.
SERVICE: This is where the hotel truly shines. Danielle, the receptionist at check-in, bumped me up to the suite after noting my request for a room with a little more space on my reservation; I can’t thank her enough to this day for such an awesome move. Hannah at Marin was the bartender on both of my visits and she was not only professional and knowledgeable about what the restaurant offered but was also extremely friendly and took the time to talk to me and truly make me feel welcome and appreciated as more than a guest.
Upon check-out, there was also a member of the reception team whose name I cannot sadly recall. She was an older lady and as she asked me how stay went, she referenced an instance from two nights ago where I called maintenance after experiencing some strange knocking sounds and no water when turning on the sink taps. I told her that the issue resolved itself the following morning but she offered me a profuse apology and then offered me bonus points on my Starwood Preferred Guest portfolio as a token of goodwill. Such a gracious move that truly puts the staff at this hotel head-and-shoulders above hotels in even higher playing fields.
OVERALL: As this review shows, I cannot praise Le Méridien Chambers highly enough. Every aspect was fantastic and handled professionally by an excellent team that enjoys working at this phenomenal property. I will definitely return on my next visit to Minneapolis; just have suite 309 ready for me.