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NFL Hotels / Football Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / Minneapolis Hotels / San Diego Hotels / → All Tags

Are You Ready for Some Football...Packages from Expedia?

It's a dream of ours to hit the road and go to NFL games all around the country--hell, we'd even go and see the Browns play the Bills. In December. So we love that Expedia helps football fans save money on last-minute trips to see their teams.

If we hadn't just returned from Miami, we'd totally be Jett-ing down there this Sunday for New York's game against the Dolphins. Who doesn't want to be there to see if Rex Ryan flips off Dolphins fans all over again?

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Hotel Art / Hotel Design / Le Meridien Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Minneapolis Hotels / → All Tags

For the Sake of Hotel Art: Le Meridien Chambers Minneapolis' Entire Gallery

Where: 901 Hennepin Avenue [map], Minneapolis, MN, United States, 55403

Is the WiFi free? Does the gym have good machines? All these things get noticed when checking into a hotel, but what about the atmosphere of the place—specifically the art on the walls or on the floor? All this week, we'll be highlighting properties around the world that do their artwork right, and the specific pieces you should stare long and hard at when next you drop by.

Today: Le Meridien Chambers Minneapolis' Burnet Art Gallery.

Many months ago, a friend sent us a curious photo via text message. It was a picture of one of artist Damien Hirst's embalmed sharks, and our friend said that this piece resided at a hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It's too bad we don't have the (low-quality) image anymore, but it's obvious from this piece and the 250+ others they own, that Le Meridien Chambers was built to be on our list of Art Hotels.

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Wyndham Hotels / Graves Hospitality / Minneapolis Hotels / Hotel Rebranding / Hotel Name Changes / Michael Graves / → All Tags

The Graves 601 Hotel is Now a Wyndham

Where: 601 1st Ave N [map], Minneapolis, MN, United States, 55403

It looks like Wyndham Hotels is doing their best to gussy up their brand not just by introducing a "fashion" hotel to NYC but also by snapping up cool, independent hotels like the Graves 601 in Minneapolis.

The 255-room hotel has just joined the Wyndham family and it's official name will now be: Graves 601 Hotel, Wyndham Grand. But that seems to be the only thing that's changing here. The hotel is not undergoing any on-site changes, aside from adding "Wyndham Grand" to the signage, said Benjamin Graves, the Graves Hospitality president, in a statement:

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Minneapolis Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Rock n' Roll Hotels / Luxury Collection Hotels / → All Tags

The Hotel Ivy: Starwood's 'Secret' Luxury Collection Hotel

Where: 201 South Eleventh Street [map], Minneapolis, MN, United States, 55403

A guest snapshot of Hotel Ivy

"You're gonnnna make it after all!" So goes the cheery theme song to Mary Tyler Moore, which gets us thinking about visiting Minneapolis just about every time we catch a rerun on television. Finally, we've stumbled across a hotel that "suddenly made [a trip]...seem worthwhile"—at least from the looks of things.

Just two years ago, Starwood opened a very, very debonair luxury hotel—the Hotel Ivy—in "the heart of downtown," as these things go. While some might think Minneapolis is all lakes and industry, the city has a very active theater and arts scene which Ivy's urbane air is aligned with. It also boasts some hefty rock star cred, given that Prince was born and bred there, so we could see being a choice hotel for touring acts.

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Hotels Doing Good / Minneapolis Hotels / Hotel Charities / → All Tags

Stay a Night at Graves 601, Help a Homeless Child Sleep Tight

Where: 601 1st Ave N [map], Minneapolis, MN, United States, 55403

Minnesota’s Niceguy image scarcely needs polishing, but those ever-friendly Midwesterners have gone ahead and stepped up their do-goodery once again. That’s right, Minneapolis's prairie-chic Graves 601 Hotel recently unveiled a new “Giving Room” package that helps guests give back the community without even lifting a finger.

All guests who book the “Giving Room” promo have to do is, well, pay for a standard room rate. In exchange, Graves Hospitality will donate a night of housing at a local shelter for a needy child or family, with the donation placed in the guest’s name.

Graves Hospitality is working with a local family organization called Perspectives, which works to break the cycle for at-risk families and children. Of course, there's a limited number of packages available each night, but we say kudos to Graves.

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W Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Crime / Minneapolis Hotels / New Years Eve 2009 Hotels / → All Tags

Base Jumpers Caught Bragging at the W Hotel Foshay Tower

Where: 821 Marquette Ave. [map], Minneapolis, MN, United States, 55402

Busted. That's what happened to three party-goers at the W Minneapolis on New Year's Eve who were arrested for base-jumping 32 stories off the Foshay Tower, the 80-year-old building which houses the W Hotel.

Investigators said David Juntunen, 36, of Minneapolis and three other men took the elevator up to the 30th floor around 1 p.m. Wednesday and bought tickets to the observation deck. Officials said the men then walked up one floor higher and used a wrench to unbolt a ceiling gate. That is where police said Juntunen jumped more than 400-feet with a parachute. The group video taped the jump and left without incident.

Apparently these base-jumpers didn't know the first rule of committing a crime (if indeed base-jumping is a crime.) The trio partied in the hotel's living room bar with a laptop and were overheard bragging about the jump, even showing some video they took to other peeps at the bar. Hotel security called the police, who arrived to arrest the trio. They resisted arrest and are now cooling their heels in jail, accused of obstructing the legal process.

W Hotels / Hotel Openings / Hotel Parties / Hotel Opening Rates / Minneapolis Hotels / → All Tags

W Minneapolis Throws Star-Studded, Morbid Grand Opening

Where: 821 Marquette Ave [map], Minneapolis, MN, United States, 55402

Last week, W Minneapolis - The Foshay opened its doors, with a big party, of course. Champagne flowed, celebrities (like Molly Sims) abounded, and hot waitresses carried... a coffin?!

The party featured a faux funeral procession with ladies in minis pallbearing a coffin filled with top-shelf vodka. We can't figure out why on God's green earth the hotel's promoters decided on this odd performance piece, but can only assume it has something to do with a misdirected attempt to be ironically cool and shocking.

Further, the hotel's "living room" (lobby) is filled with custom-made pleather chairs. And it calls its bathrooms "water closets" to add a cherry on the pretension sundae. Though we have to admit, it looks like you get a killer view of the Twin Cities from inside the tub in the hotel's suites. CityPages has a great photo album to check out from the bash here.

[Photo: citypages]

Doubletree Hotels / Minneapolis Hotels / Hotel Openings / Hotel Concerts / → All Tags

Doubletree Opens a Boutique Hotel in Minneapolis

Where: 215 Fourth Street South [map], Minneapolis, MN, United States, 55401

At first glance, you would not think the The Hotel Minneapolis is a Doubletree Hotel, except perhaps if it weren't for the cookies. But indeed this boutique hotel is part of the Doubletree family and we have to say it's one of the best-looking DTs ever. Check out these guest rooms. And like all boutique hotels, The Hotel Minneapolis has a restaurant and lobby bar as well as room service.

Now the hotel is wearing its heart on its sleeve, or rather, in its hallway, lobby, street, and city. Calling themselves the heart of the city, the hotel has been trying to win the hearts of Minneapolans all year in anticipation of their August opening.

First they celebrated National Chocolate Chip Day with cookies for the whole city, then they hit up local concerts with room furniture to give the Twin Cities an early taste of their hot, new place. For the opening party last weekend, they reunited big 80s R&B band, The Time.

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RNC Hotels / Minneapolis Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

Minneapolis Hotels Hosting RNC Attendees; Not Much Drama Yet

We can only hope that this week's Republic National Convention taking place in Minneapolis will be as exciting as the DNC last week in Denver.

The GOP is off to a pretty good start with John McCain's VP selection, Sarah Palin, who has some interesting family drama going on. But we here at HotelChatter are more interested at what's going on at the hotels.

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W Hotels / Hotel Openings / Hotel Opening Rates / Minneapolis Hotels / → All Tags

The W Minneapolis Opening On Wednesday at $155 a Night

Where: 821 Marquette Ave [map], Minneapolis, MN, United States, 55402

Last time we checked on the progress of the historical renovation that will become the W Minneapolis - The Foshay, they were predicting an opening date of July 28--a date that's obviously now been and gone.

Now the W Minneapolis is lining up for an August 13 opening--that's this Wednesday. The opening special rate is $155 a night (up until September 30) but you have to book by the end of today! If you miss that there is also a three nights for two deal going.

We're intrigued by a note on the W Minneapolis website, and it's something you should know if you're planning a stay for mid-September. A "large private event" is booked in for September 17 and 18 (mid-week) which might cause some "noise and inconvenience" in the public parts of the hotel.

Political Hotels / Election 2008 Hotels / Minneapolis Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

Minneapolis Will Get a Boost from Republicans This September

While the Democrats have designated the Hyatt Regency in Denver as their headquarters hotel for the Democratic National Convention this summer, the Republicans have picked a bunch of hotels for their convention to be held this September in Minneapolis.

Guess what? The Hyatt Regency Minneapolis gets a shout-out as the headquarters hotel. (Hmmm does Hyatt have a partnership with U.S. political parties?)

The Arizona delegation with "presumptive" presidential candidate John McCain will stay at the upscale Saint Paul Hotel but it's not confirmed that McCain will actually stay there.

A bunch of area hotels will be getting some business--all the major big box hotel brands included.

The Republican National Convention's Committee on Arrangements has booked more than 16,000 hotel rooms in 101 area hotels for use during the convention, which will take place Sept. 1-4. Thirty-five hotels will combine to host the state and territory delegations; the remaining hotels will host other visitors, including party officials and an estimated 15,000 media members.

Ka-ching for Minneapolis!

[Photo: Dwrig]

W Hotels / Hotel Hype / Minneapolis Hotels / → All Tags

Work on the W Hotel Minneapolis Grinding Along

We've stayed in our share of hotels fashioned out of historic buildings. Usually, we're appreciating the free WiFi too much to actually notice. But the new W Hotel Minneapolis might be a bit different.

It's inside the landmark Foshay Building, and workers have already uncovered and refurbished an arcade ceiling in the main entryway. Upstairs, offices are being gutted and turned into rooms. The boardroom used by the building's former owner, Wilbur Foshay, will be a new bar and restaurant, with original mahogany paneling and casement windows intact.

By the time the work is finished--and who knows when that'll be--investors will have dumped $75 million into the project, five times what they paid for the actual building. Right now, the opening date is set for July 28, 2008.

Related Stories:
· Foshay's Rebirth [Star-Tribune]
· W Hotel Coming to Minneapolis [HotelChatter]