Bloomington: Bigger & Better

Admittedly, there are many leading indicators of just how popular a city is to visit, but perhaps the greatest of these is the sheer number of available hotel rooms and properties. It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that Bloomington, Minnesota, is currently home to nearly 8,700 hotel rooms in over 40 different hotels. What’s more, there are another 850-plus rooms slated for three confirmed new constructions over the next 12 months alone.

What’s fueling this incredible growth? While some might say it is normal given Bloomington’s unsurpassed proximity to the Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport, there’s far more to it than mere geographic location nearest the airfield. Far more integral is the fact that Bloomington’s central location serves as the single best gateway to all things “Twin Cities,” splitting the distance equally between both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Secondly, there’s the crown jewel of Bloomington, Mall of America—the nation’s largest mall attracting more than 40 million visitors annually— which is getting even bigger. This fall, the Mall will complete a $325 million expansion, the most significant construction project it has undergone since opening in 1992.

Occurring on the north side and slated for a late 2015 completion, it will extend the Mall’s three levels, adding an office tower, multi-level parking garage, more than 50 high-end retailers, a food market featuring fresh and healthy culinary choices, larger event space, a tourist welcome center and a flagship 14-story JW Marriott hotel, currently slated to open this November.

With direct access to the Mall, the 342-room hotel will also contain a full-service restaurant and bar, fitness center, pool, meeting space, executive lounge and underground parking. All of these additions will be connected directly to the Mall.

Perhaps one of the most beautiful and most definitely trendiest hotels to open in recent years is the Radisson Blu, located directly opposite the future JW site on the south side of the Mall connected via enclosed skywalk. The “Blu,” as it is called by locals, has quickly become a favorite for international visitors thanks in large part to its European flair—a hallmark of designer Jim Hamilton’s work.

Radisson Blu Mall of America Tourists visiting the Mall can check into one of 500 stylish rooms with either carpeting or hardwood floors, depending on which of the three room styles they choose. Before or after hitting the shops at the Mall, hotel guests can get in some exercise either in the indoor saltwater pool, working out in the cutting edge gym or by walking the Mall before shoppers arrive, beginning as early as 6 a.m.

While the proximity to the world’s largest shopping mall is definitely a huge draw, it the hotel’s unique ambiance that attracts visitors in spades. A winning combination of upscale and luxurious, yet approachable and comfortable is evident as you peruse photos of the grand lobby, which features a giant, basket-woven “nest” chair that hangs from the nearly 40-foot ceiling.

The hotel is also filled with an eclectic mix of art from local, Scottish and graffiti artists, and when guest walk into their room, they’ll find a small refrigerator, a coffeemaker and free Wi-Fi, perks that make the Radisson unique among the larger full-service hotel chains. With rates starting a low as $129 a night, the Blu is truly a great addition to Bloomington’s hotel—and dining—options. The latter of which has been buoyed by the hotel’s onsite FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar.

No Place Like Home Although this commonly referred to phrase from the “Wizard Of Oz” is most definitely true for road-weary travelers, a new extended stay option underway in the hopping Penn Avenue and American Boulevard intersection of Bloomington is hoping to change that.

The Penn and American redevelopment effort is a multiphase, retail and residential project located at the busy crossroads that anchor the Southtown complex. Phase I opened in 2012 and includes 234 apartments and townhomes, underground parking and retail. Phase II, which is literally a stone’s throw north of Phase I, will include Home2 Suites by Hilton, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, which is now open. JW Marriott at Mall of America Slated for completion this fall, Home2 Suites by Hilton is an all-suite, extended stay hotel, and the hotel concept’s first location in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market. Once complete, the 108-room, 68,000-square-foot, four-story hotel will have underground parking, a pool, integrated fitness center, guest laundry space and a 200-seat restaurant.

Bloomington’s Mixed-Use Urban Village Another key development area in Bloomington is known as Bloomington Central Station (BCS), and according to city officials, it will change how people live, work, connect and play in the 21st Century.

Sophisticated, elegant and progressively metropolitan, this unique suburban community is an example of transit-oriented development, which will unite the best of city living with convenient transit connections in ways never before seen in Minnesota. Truly a “mixed-use urban village,” BCS is a 50-acre redevelopment site on the METRO Blue (Hiawatha) Line. The project broke ground last fall and is expected to open in early 2016.

The 302-room Hyatt Regency Bloomington Central Station hotel is the centerpiece of BCS, which will also include residential, retail and Class A office components. Featuring 17,000 square feet of meeting and prefunction space, including an 8,250 square-foot ballroom, the new hotel will also include a three-meal restaurant; a bar and lounge; an indoor pool; a fitness center; a market and coffee shop; and business center.

Catering primarily to business travelers, the full-service hotel will serve as the center point of the growing work-live-connect-play community currently anchored by the HealthPartners corporate office campus, Reflections Condominiums and a two-acre central park. Positioned between the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Mall of America, it will offer convenient and fast access to both of these destinations, as well as to downtown Minneapolis, via light rail.

Just down the road at 2500 Lindau Lane, the new 118-unit, four-story TownePlace Suites by Marriott is open. The 67,902-square-foot hotel features extended stay suites with fully equipped kitchens and the “Home Office Suite” which is designed to provide guests with an enhanced environment for both working and relaxing.

Included in the project is a nearly 4,000-square-foot plaza that will be developed in collaboration with the city of Bloomington to link the project site with the overall mixed-use urban vision the city has for the area. An artist has been commissioned to create a focal piece for the plaza.

Refreshing Remodels There are two major renovation projects that were completed in 2015 in Bloomington that make these mainstays even greater accommodations than they already were.

The Embassy Suites Bloomington hotel, a Hilton Family hotel, located five miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and near Mall of America, renovated its atrium, restaurant and pool area. With complimentary shuttle transportation between the hotel and the airport and convenient access to the METRO Light Rail, this Bloomington hotel is an ideal location for all guests.

The Sheraton Bloomington Hotel has also completed a multimillion dollar renovation project that renewed all guestrooms, public areas and the long-time Bloomington restaurant, Chez Colette Bar & Bistro, which is now called Lela. The 282-room hotel is located at the intersection of Highway 100 and Interstate 494, the Sheraton is ideally situated in the heart of Bloomington.