TREND REPORT

TREND REPORT HOTEL AMENITIES

FIVE-STAR STAYS

Hotels are adapting to trends and accommodating the needs of modern guests.

BY MEGAN GOSCH, MORGAN HALASKA & KASSIDY TARALA

Emery

Emery

Formerly Hotel Minneapolis, Emery is fresh from a renovation that fully gutted and transformed its interior; the hotel’s new lease on life honors its past as Midland Bank while meeting the needs and trends of hospitality today. Emery’s name references the tool that is used to polish marble (one of the only elements to be preserved in the renovation); the hotel embraces its history while also reinventing itself, a common theme in the design philosophy that drove the rebrand.

The design, led by Studio Mai, boasts thoughtful finishes, high-end amenities and creature comforts. Local artworks by Shana Kaplov and Edie Overtuf are featured throughout the hotel. Each room features a customized minibar filled with Minneapolis-based goodies, and the fitness facility is equipped with Peloton bikes (with more Peloton products slated for the future).

Emery’s lobby is lush and expansive, filled with live greenery, a variety of seating options, and the first downtown location of Spyhouse Coffee, which serves coffee and pastries from Black Walnut Bakery during the day and transforms into a lobby lounge complete with beer and wine in the evening.

On the other end of the lobby and taking place of the former Restaurant Max is Giulia. Joshua Hedquist heads the kitchen as executive chef, specializing in Italian cuisine and, more specifically, flour and water to perfect his pasta and pizza dough.

Emery has 4,500 square feet of flexible meeting space between six meeting rooms, two private dining rooms, and the lobby which can be used as a social/flexible space. With smaller spaces, Emery is ideal for a 10-25-person board meeting. Catering is provided by Giulia. hotelemery.com, 612.340.2000

Lora

Nestled in the limestone bluffs in quaint Stillwater, Lora is a cozy respite from the Twin Cities. The building’s history as a brewery helped inform the current design, which still features the original bricks and exposed wooden beams from Joseph Wolf Brewery. The semiprivate space (which accommodates 40 guests) is connected to a series of caves that

is used to store beer and wine; windows allow guests to peer into the other cavernous side.

The self-described “people first, hoteliers second” Provenance Hotels group operates Lora. Rachel Cool, sales manager, says the staff’s mission is to make the experience work for each group. "There is no ‘no.’ It’s always, ‘how can we make it work for you and how can we connect with you as a person from the meeting planners down to the guests.” One group created a mixology class and worked with The Long Goodbye’s bar manager to make some specialty cocktails. The hotel also hosts a Wine Dinner series in which wines from a chosen region are paired with courses from Feller (the on-site restaurant headed by chef Sam Collins that features a hunt and gather-inspired menu).

There are also plenty of outdoor options for groups to enjoy year-round, whether it’s renting bikes from the hotel and riding the new 4.7-mile trail that loops into Wisconsin and back. In the wintertime, dogsledding excursions, snowshoe treks and lift passes for Afton Alps are available as packages. The hotel has plans for concierge program that reflects the vibe of the hotel and destination, offering guests an “only-in Minnesota” experience.

Lora partners with local makers, curators and artisans and the 40 rooms are stocked with locally made foods, beverages and products. A Faribault Woolen Mill blanket adorns each bed, and the honor bar is packed with craft beers and handmade candies and snacks. lorahotel.com, 651.571.3500

Hilton Rochester Mayo Clinic Area

Since opening in April 2019, Hilton Rochester Mayo Clinic Area has been bringing a luxury hotel experience to Rochester that was previously lacking. While its proximity to the Mayo Clinic and downtown Rochester make the hotel a convenient venue for meetings and events, what really sets Hilton Rochester Mayo Clinic Area apart is in the smallest details.

“We’re the only hotel in Rochester that offers a dedicated doorman to provide guests with everything they need—from directions, to umbrellas, to restaurant suggestions,” says Michelle Milde, director of PR and marketing for Avra Hospitality.

Hilton Rochester Mayo Clinic Area was designed with an artistic lens rather than a traditional one, Milde says. The hotel’s modern aesthetic is designed to invoke themes of nature and serenity, specifically for those seeking treatment at Mayo Clinic.

“To bring this theme to life, public spaces throughout the hotel incorporate many different tiles, stones and woods that give the space a natural aesthetic. Metal elements were also incorporated throughout to reflect the similarity to the exterior of the hotel,” Milde says. “A giant master staircase featuring hand crafted wooden rails and granite stairs are positioned as the center focal point of the hotel lobby.”

The hotel offers complimentary Wi-Fi to all guests as well as in all its event spaces. Additionally, the hotel has two on-

Lora

Hilton Rochester Mayo Clinic Area

TREND REPORT HOTEL AMENITIES

site restaurants, Pittsburgh Blue Steakhouse, featuring Midwestern beef and an extensive wine list, and Benedict’s, featuring breakfast and lunch dishes.

Guests can also indulge in the hotel’s 24-hour fitness center, heated indoor infinity pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room, 17th floor Executive Lounge, 19th floor VIP Lounge, and rooftop terrace.

Hilton Rochester Mayo Clinic Area’s proximity to the Zumbro River makes it easy for guests to access scenic running and biking paths along the river. hilton.com Radisson Blu Mall of America

With seasonal offerings like a Pumpkin Spice Latte program and a Shop in Your Slippers package, Radisson Blu Mall of America knows how to make every event seasonally unique.

This past fall, the hotel offered its first ever PSL program, which included an overnight stay at the hotel, a pumpkin coconut macadamia bar, in-room pumpkin spa amenities, and a “PSL-Lovers Wake Up Call,” including a housemade PSL and pumpkin chocolate muffin.

The Shop in Your Slippers package allows guests to shop at the Mall of America—connected to the hotel by skyway—in blue luxe slippers. For younger guests, Radisson Blu Mall of America is offering a Fort Blu Kids Camping package, which includes a kid-sized tent to keep, a plush log-shaped pillow, camping tools, a projector to illuminate the ceiling with a starry night sky and more.

“Radisson Blu Mall of America is a large hotel, but our staff is more like a family, and we extend that treatment to our guests. When we’re curating programs such as the PSL or Fort Blu package, we make a point of adding our own personal touches. We want to continue offering fresh experiences that are exclusive to Radisson Blu Mall of America,” says Gary O’Driscoll, director of sales and marketing.

The hotel also boasts the FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar, fitness center, indoor saline pool, Solimar Spa, 26,300 square feet of meeting space and 500 guest rooms. radissonhotels.com, 952.881.5258

Radisson Blu Mall of America Moxy Minneapolis Downtown Moxy Minneapolis Downtown

The Moxy Minneapolis Downtown opened in July 2019, making it the second Moxy location in Minnesota, the first being in Uptown. The Moxy brand first launched in Milan in 2014, and after expanding throughout Europe and the United States, it continues to stay true to its original stylish design, approachable service and affordable price.

The design is urban cabin chic, and guests are encouraged to meet and socialize in the hotel's public areas and to connect with the city and neighborhood surrounding the hotel. Located near U.S. Bank Stadium, The Guthrie Theatre and the up-and-coming Downtown East neighborhood, boredom is not something guests will be experiencing. Even if you don’t plan on leaving the hotel, you’ll still find plenty to do. In fact, the hotel’s front desk doubles as the lobby bar, so while you check in, you can also order a signature cocktail.

The lobby is large and open with several comfortable seating areas for work or socializing, and the hotel has a large parking garage attached for guests, which many downtown hotels don’t have.

“The Moxy Minneapolis Downtown is on the forefront of a new style of travel which encourages socializing and connecting with other guests and the surrounding city. It is a fun, fresh experience for guests,” says Director of Sales Michelle Eng.

Moxy Minneapolis Downtown offers a nontraditional meeting space on the second-floor mezzanine area. Perfect for a lunch forum of up to 100 people or an intimate cocktail event for 40-50 people, the space can be transformed into whatever your event requires. marriott.com, 612.400.1810

Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill District

Housed in the original turn-of-the-century Advance Thresher/Emerson-Newton Implement Company building, Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill District blends its rich past and plenty of modern elements to create a natural neighborhood gathering destination.

As one of 16 Canopy by Hilton properties worldwide, the Minneapolis hotel has developed the brand’s Canopy Central community gathering space concept “on steroids,” says Lead Sales Enthusiast Michael Meyer (the hotel’s director of sales). “Canopy’s focused on creating what hotels can and should be— approachable and elegant spaces where guests actually feel at home. We’ve been very intentional about creating warm, inviting spaces where people can lounge, grab coffee and get some work done or unwind with a glass of wine and as a historic part of the neighborhood, this is a space where neighbors can stop in for one of our may public events or hang out for an afternoon. It’s really about connecting to and creating a community.”

Paying homage to the building’s industrial roots in the heart of the mill district, original wood beams and exposed brick are on full display while wrought iron fixtures, woven accents and custom-designed wallpaper reference local makers and the city’s historic manufacturing hallmarks (even the lobby’s “Sift” installation, featuring gold-hued falling fragments symbolizing cascading flour, serves as a reference to the iconic Gold Medal Flour company). From Umbra, serving local staples with a French twist, to an abundance of communal tables, fireplaces, and soft seating, open concept plush lounges flow throughout the hotel’s entire ground floor to create a cozy retreat.

Designed to be just as forward-thinking as it is appreciative of its past, the property emphasizes sustainability and energy efficiency with details like reusable water bottles and refill stations throughout the property and smart fixtures to regulate thermostats and lighting when spaces are not in use. And with a total of seven event spaces offering nearly 6,000 square feet of meeting space, the hotel’s team has also embraced new and innovative ways to welcome locals and build community ties. In partnership with local influencers and event gurus, guests and locals can explore and form memories at the hotel while stopping by for anything from secondhand clothing sales (spread across hotel guest rooms) and fashion shows to panels, networking events, live performances and Vikings game viewings. canopy3.hilton.com, 612.332.0696

Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill District