I stayed one night on business and liked this hotel. The rooms and lobby are updated even though the building is pretty old. My room felt a little small compared to other Marriotts but nothing that affected the quality of my stay. Staff were very nice and the workout facilities were great with many treadmills and ellipticals.

The size of this property was a bit overwhelming. It was hard to find your way around. It seemed like everywhere we turned was a new elevator that brought us to who-knows-where. The halls are very long and apparently more than one building is part of this complex. The other impression I got was that this was an older hotel. The lobby area was spacious and inviting giving the impression of once being quite grand. The staff were helpful, courteous and pleasant at every turn. My big surprise was in getting to our room. It was surprisingly SMALL! I don't know where the rest of the room went, but I don't think I have ever had such a small hotel room. It was clean and well-kept, but so small. The bathroom was proportionately small. The $15/pp breakfast buffet was ok.Their shuttle service to the MOA and the airport seemed well run and I have no reason to suggest anyone should NOT stay there. The beds and pillows are first rate. A good night's sleep is guaranteed.

Look, this is an old property and the owners have done what they could. They remodeled the Concierge, the rooms and the lobby. If you don't know your way around, be sure and ask the front counter for a map. The staff is always superb, the bellman in particular.

Their food is average, but the location across from the mall, and near the train make it a decent stay. Pool is pretty good, but it does require a bit of walk.

It's a business hotel with airline staff using it as well. Free shuttle to the airport and the park and fly is worth the stay by itself. Watch out for a high rate though...typically means a "conference" which makes the place noisy.

All in all, I stay here regularly because it is both convenient and the staff makes it great.

Are there better hotels in the Twin Cities? Yes. But we have stayed here several times because it's easy to get to, has good access to downtown thanks to the train, close to the mall, easy parking and a decent pool for the kids. They have done some renovating over the last few years and it shows. The food in the hotel restaurant is excellent. Much more creative than you would expect from a hotel such as this.