The HR has a (small) club lounge on a high floor, although it doesn't have the good city views. I like it, but it's mostly cold food. The downstairs restaurant and bar off the lobby specializes in locally sourced food and is good, although in the bar wood tables style so it wouldn't be considered fancy or fine dining.

Normal suites for upgrades at the HR are "lockoff" style one bedroom suites on high floors or junior suites (big room with bit sitting area and Murphy beds in addition to the regular bed on low floors. At the Grand, I was given a small one bedroom suite.

I liked the staff at both places and both are connected to the skyway system, although not in a way that makes it convenient to use the skyway for much, although the Grand would be better in this dimension.

The Grand has a health club too Iit's the former Minneapolis Athletic Club building). I don't know about the pool, but I don't really like the pool at the HR; IMO it just looks rather depressing.

Both places seem pretty good at elite recognition. Grand is Kimpton is style, with the wine and (single) appetizer social hour in the lobby for everyone every day, while HR shows some Frank Lloyd Wright influences and is in a newer building. Most HR rooms get lots of light and at least half have good views. Grand rooms seem dark.

I heard a rumor (from someone in the local F&B industry) that the Grand's former restaurant that closed suddenly will soon be replaced, but I don't know a date or details.

BTW, there's also a newly renovated HP downtown that's a former Embassy Suites. It has an indoor pool, health club, bar and restaurant (with more F&B choices than most HPs, including a huge breakfast area), and more of a real lobby than most HPs. I've gotten large one bedroom suites here with kitchens as a free upgrade. In fact, I suspect that this property has lots of suites. It's worth considering too IMO and is likely to be closer to a business destination in the downtown area. It's also several blocks closer to the light rail line to/from the airport.