I find one of the biggest challenges when traveling to a new city is finding the right hotel. You want something that’s clean, comfortable and in a location that works for the sites you want to see. During our visit to Minneapolis, we selected the Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown – Marriott for all those reasons. Courtyard Marriott is a brand I trust, so I knew the comfort and cleanliness would be there. To top it all off, we had great service from every employee we interacted with – from the front desk check-in to the bistro cashier.

If you’re planning a visit to Minneapolis, I recommend considering the Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown – Marriott. I’ve expanded on the reasons why, and I’ve included photos to help you know what you can expect to find. I realized as I put this post together that I don’t have a single photo of my son and I at this hotel. But trust me, we enjoyed our stay and are confident you will, too.

Comfortable Rooms at Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown

The Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown – Marriott has a few room configurations you can choose from. Since this trip was just for me and my son, we went with a double queen guest room. It would allow each of us to have a bed of our own (because my son’s a wild sleeper and would probably have kept me up in a single king bed). The room included a small fridge, 49″ flat-screen television (which we enjoyed while sharing a laugh watching Impractical Jokers), free WiFi, coffee maker and a shower/tub combination in the bathroom.

The beds were comfortable. That’s what I’ve come to expect when staying at a Courtyard Marriott hotel. 🙂

Here are the types of rooms offered:

• Guest room, 1 king
• Guest room, 1 king and sofa bed (there’s also a Top Floor option)
• Guest room, 2 queens (there’s also a Top Floor option)
• 1 bedroom suite, 1 king and sofa bed
• 1 bedroom suite, 2 queens and sofa bed

Walking Distance to Metro Lines

There are so many things to do in Minneapolis. If you’re planning to attend Minnesota Vikings NFL football game at U.S. Bank Stadium, you’re a 10 minute (.5 mile) walk from there. We enjoyed a guided tour of U.S. Bank Stadium, since my son’s a Vikings fan. The Mill City Museum (another popular spot to visit in Minneapolis) is a 15 minute walk (.7 miles). There are other activities nearby, and definitely within walking distance.

NOTE: Meet Minneapolis is another great source of things to do in the City of Nature.

If you’re looking to go a little further out, you can always order an UBER/Lyft. We did that a few times. But there’s also the Green Line metro that’s only .2 miles from the hotel entrance. From the Green Line, you can take it west one stop to the U.S. Bank Stadium and sync up with Blue Line, which takes you to the airport, Mall of America/Nickelodeon Universe, Minnehaha Park and several other popular spots in Minneapolis.

I felt the location was perfect for what we had planned for our first-time visit to the city.

Fitness Center and Indoor Pool with Great Views

Despite all the walking my son and I did while in Minneapolis, it was nice to head up to the fitness center and get in a little run to start the day. The fitness center offers some great views of the city, so it’s a great spot to exercise. There are stationary bikes, ellipticals, treadmills and stair climber and even free weights. You can grab a little towel to wipe your sweat while you workout. It’s a great collection of options to help you keep up (or start) any workout routine while traveling.

RELATED POST: Explore the culture of The Somali Museum of Minnesota

The indoor pool is next door, and it, too, offers a great view of the city. The pool area has restrooms you can use so you don’t have to run back to your room when nature calls. 😉 It’s also great if you have kids with you that need to go. If you’re just there to watch your kids swim, there are some seats or benches for you to use. One corner even has a little seating area with a small table.

There is no lifeguard on duty, so just be sure to keep an eye on your kids. The pool is 3.5′ deep on the shallow end, and 4′ deep on the other side. There is no hot tub.

If you need dry cleaning service or self-service laundry, those are available at this hotel as well.

On-site Bistro and Nearby Restaurants

Breakfast and dinner are both offered on-site at the bistro located on the main floor. And, if you just want to grab a quick drink or snack, they have those available, too. The bistro is located next to the main lobby and entrance of the hotel.

If you’re looking for off-site places to eat, there are several in the area, too. Some of our best meals were from restaurants or pubs just down the street, like Maxwell’s American Pub or Crooked Pint Ale House. There are a few places just across the street from the hotel, too. So needless to say, you’ve got plenty of options when it comes to finding a place to eat.

If the weathers nice, you can relax in the patio area just off of the main lobby. It was pretty rainy during our stay, but the patio area is spacious and offers some comfortable seating.

The Details

Address: 1500 Washington Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55454

Parking: The parking garage next to the hotel charges a daily fee of $17-22.

Amenities: Fitness center, plus an indoor swimming pool. Guests have access to free Wi-Fi, and there’s a nice patio in the back. The bistro serves breakfast and dinner daily.

Website: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/mspdc-courtyard-minneapolis-downtown/overview/

Phone: (612) 333-4646

DISCLOSURE: I received a discounted two-night stay for purposes of review. All opinions are my own.

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