mikeef

We're coming in April, so it's not likely to be snowing (unless it's the first year I lived in MSP, but that's a story for a different time), but my kids will likely think it's cool.

Mike

mikeef

Pronouncing this hotel the best Westin in the US. Beautiful new property, outstanding staff, good location and overall excellent product. We did connecting rooms with our kids and there was plenty of space for everyone. We were also on the concierge level and the lounge was right down the hall. It was generally well-stocked, although it did get busy during rush hours. Added bonus: Plenty of free parking.

Mike

UA-NYC

Eh I'd take the Westin Phoenix Downtown over Edina...newer, nicer, amazing suites, very chic.

(Won't even include the Kierland as it's not a fair comparison).

mikeef

Well, I guess I'd better go check it out when it gets cold next winter.

Mike

joey965

Leaving Hyatt Diamond after 10 years with all of the changes and considering Westin Edina for my Minneapolis stays. Any thoughts or info would be helpful. Thanks.

RameshJ

I've stayed about 20 nights at the Westin Edina over the last year. Overall, I like it. Rooms are in good shape, gym is nice, service is adequate and location is excellent. One thing you may want to consider is the direction you need to commute during your stay. I mostly meet in offices located in the West suburbs so I don't have to battle traffic in the morning or afternoons. On the other hand, if you were planing to go to downtown, it'll be a different story. If you are a breakfast person, try the Original Pancake house nearby (much better than the hotel breakfast). I go to Minneapolis at least once a month and lived there for several years before moving away so feel free to PM if you have any questions.

MSPeconomist

It's a great hotel that consistently wins awards for service. During the week, clientele is very elite heavy, so don't expect upgrades. Many consultants seem to stay week after week.

Being attached to the Galleria is nice, especially in winter, because it gives you additional restaurants without going outside. The parking garage is also attached and protected, including coveted basement spaces for self park (free) or valet.

OTOH, it would be somewhat awkward IMO to stay here without a car. You're not near the light rail line and the hotel doesn't provide a shuttle service, although the place doesn't seem any farther from MSP than some of the "airport" hotels.

Club lounge is good, with interesting (and good) evening food choices, but it sometimes closes on weekends. Hotel restaurant, including for breakfast and room service, is McCormick and Schmidts (spelling?) and seems a bit informal for the only choice in a Westin, but they do have decent fresh fish. For instance, it's very different in style from Bank restaurant and bar in the downtown Minneapolis Westin.

travelista

Depending on how many nights your stay is at the Westin Edina and how far away your off-site visits/meetings may take you, Uber may be more than sufficient for staying here. And.... you'll still get SPG pts (as long as you've connected the two).

But yes, OPH is yummy for breakfast. Just went there yesterday.

MSPeconomist

There's also a Starbucks in the closest corner of the Galleria to the hotel, although the last time I was there, maybe March, they seemed to be constructing a Starbucks bar in the lobby. Some people like Starbucks coffee and pastry for breakfast, although the in room coffee makers are supplied with Starbucks coffee too.

beachfan

I was surprised at the price for the week of July 10 - is $340 + typical (for a cancellable rate)? Maybe I don't know the area, but it seemed pricey.

kevinflyaway

Any thoughts about chosing between Sheraton Bloomington and the Westin Edina?! Propably will stay using points for 3 nights in the end of February. Prices are steep for this property I saw. Is it that much better then Sheraton?

I have my share of "so so" experiences staying at Sheratons. Mostly old, thin walls, etc.

mikeef

I think it's a much nicer property and I love the location. I'd pay the extra, but others might feel differently.

Mike

MSPeconomist

One of the advantages of the Westin is the underground walkway to the Galleria, which is an upscale small (but getting larger--it's been renovated very recently) shopping mall with some F&B choices. There's also a free (covered but not heated) parking garage (or you can pay to valet park) attached to the hotel by the same underground walkway. In bad weather, it's nice to have a choice of restaurants that don't require going outside. The Westin's restaurant is McCormick and Schmicks (chain specializing in seafood, with some good happy hour specials).

Lela at the Sheraton is one of the best restaurants in the area and also has an interesting wine selection. There's an award winning chef, so check out the special events such as monthly wine dinners and chef's table fixed price dinners. IIRC there's also a fixed price lunch offer and a meat and potatoes Sunday night special. In addition, the hotel's lobby bar serves food (different menu) and has an interesting (but different from the restaurant) wine list.

Both hotels have been sharing an award winning GM (and obviously have the same management company, which is local but does some out of state hotels too). Both tend to have creative lounge food, but the choices can be limited especially at the Sheraton. At the Sheraton, go to the lounge early to grab one of the good mini tarts for after dinner and check the bottles of wine on the honor bar.

The Sheraton's renovation is generally nice, but one complaint has been the lack of desk chairs for the small desks which AFAIK are in all of the bedrooms, including suites. On my last stay (for a wine dinner), it looked like the horrid benches have been replaced by decent desk chairs, at least in some rooms.

BTW, the Westin has a small but attractive heated indoor pool. The Sheraton has some sort of gym on the basement level but no pool.

MSPeconomist

As of a couple days ago, the expanded Galleria mall is up for sale.It was apparently purchased by a Chicago REIT in 2012. I don't know how this will impact the hotel, which seems to still be in the Wishermann portfolio of (currently) fourteen hotels (IIRC all Starriott, with many in the Minneapolis area but some elsewhere in the northeastern and southeastern USA in addition to the midwest).

It's supposedly the most upscale mall in the state as well as the one that generates the highest sales revenue per square foot. It was expanded and renovated to some extent within the last couple years, but some tenants have left too, in some cases to new buildings or nearby space in the Edina/Bloomington area.

The parking ramp the hotel uses (in addition to some surface parking that seems to be owned by the hotel) for valet and free guest parking is connected indoors (underground) to both the hotel and the indoor shopping mall, which has additional surface and underground parking. The mall provides some additional F&B choices beyond what is in the hotel, plus some special events sponsored by the mall.

There's also a condo on the upper floors (8 and above) of the hotel building, IIRC with a separate secure underground parking garage in the guilding's basement and a very minimal lobby. Condo residents seem to have some use of the hotel's concierge staff plus the gym and indoor pool. I suspect that the hotel can arrange housekeeping and room service.

merle123

My wife and I stayed one night last week. We were given access to the Executive Club Lounge but the only offerings were water, soda, and coffee. There was no food at all and no alcohol. The pool, hot tub, and gym were all open. There are capacity restrictions for the pool, etc. but I never saw many using the facilities. The FD seemed to space the guests out on our floor but the hotel did not appear to be very busy. We never waited for more than a minute for an elevator. Masks are required indoors in Edina but most people weren't wearing them. I suspect the lack of mask-wearing was primarily due to the fact that the requirement went into effect the day before we arrived. The attached Galleria has very limited shopping at this time. Some stores aren't open at all and the rest are open only from 11-5. The restaurants located within the Galleria are open later than the shops. The personnel at the hotel were all very helpful and professional. We stayed using a free night certificate from the credit card which is a good value. We've stayed at the hotel n the past and will do so again.