HotelChatter

Tags: Hotels / Hotel Amenities / → All Tags

Hotel Sofitel and the Hard to Find Ice Machine

Where: 5601 West 78th St [map], Bloomington, MN, United States, 55439

We recently offered you an idea for a more affordable jaunt in Southern France.

But for those who need something more affordable still, you can always go the French route in America and what better way to do that than in a Sofitel in the Mid-West.

The Hotel Sofitel Minneapolis is actually located in a southern suburb not too far from (get excited) the Mall of America.

Small French details ring throughout the four-star property, such as "Poussez" listed on the door rather than "Push".

And the hotel restaurants feature some of the best authentic French cuisine that can be found in the Twin Cities.

If that's not enough for you Francophiles, there's a giant Eiffel Tower tapestry hanging in the lobby, a gift shop that sells mini versions, and true to French culture, ice cubes are not to be found unless really searched for as warned by a past guest:

The ice machine was through a closed door in a hallway

That's right people, in France they drink their colas room-temp, so deal with it. And maybe the warm soda will help you forget you are in Minneapolis.

Related Stories:
· Hotel Sofitel Minneapolis Reviews [Trip Advisor]

Tags: Hotels / → All Tags

One Of These Hotels Is Doing Its Own Thing

Where: 5401 Green Valley Dr. [map], Bloomington, MN, United States, 55437

Minnesota's Mall of America is full of pre fab strip mall bullshit. Thus, as you can imagine, within a couple square miles of the mall you can find every boring brand name hotel on the hit list.

It goes without saying that most of these hotels are extremely run-of-the-mill, however, one Holiday Inn attempts to buck the vanilla trend.

The Crowne Plaza Minneapolis went boutique, and according to the NY Times, this hotel is able to pull it off.

The rooms are with usual boutique fare, but the big surprise is that this hotel provides a depth of services at an affordable price. Free WiFi, free in-room coffee (via coffee maker), cheerful room service, and an affable staff make this Crowne Plaza not only stand out amongst the cookie cutter mall motels, but also amongst boutique hotels nationwide, which sometimes forget to offer some of the nice-to-haves for free.

Related Stories:
·   Bloomington, Minn: Crowne Plaza Minneapolis [NY Times]
·   Crowne Plaza Minneapolis Reviews [TripAdvisor]