With tickets at the Orpheum (just three blocks away), the Hilton on Marquette seemed like a natural choice. And really, you can’t beat the location - just a block from Nicolett, you’re only a short walk (or Uber) from a wide range of dining and shopping options.
But the hotel itself was, in a word, underwhelming.
Let me preface this by saying that the hotel staff is excluded from that summation. From the front desk to housekeeping to the bar staff, the hotel staff was unfailingly friendly and helpful.
No, my complaints, if you can even call them that, concern the building and its amenities.
Let me also preface this by saying I do not book into a Hilton expecting a luxury experience. However, even for a mid-budget hotel, it seemed oddly lacking. It was, simply put, the unbuttered toast of hotels.
Getting in late and hoping for a quiet night in and a drink from the mini-bar? Well, there isn’t one. Room service? Not available. A bathrobe after you’ve just jumped out of the shower? Nope. Extra blankets in the linen closet (since this is a Minneapolis and the winter temperatures can drop like a stone)? Guess again.
On the positive side, the room was clean, if slightly outdated, and again the staff were, without exception, dears.
At the end of the day, though, this was just another underwhelming downtown Minneapolis hotel in a long line of the same. Next time, I think I’ll just book one of my usual hotels in Saint Paul and make the commute.