Hotel Advice Please

My husband and I are coming to the MOA area for 5 days at the end of May. It%26#39;s our 17th anniversary. We%26#39;ve always wanted to visit and since we%26#39;re not shoppers we plan to spend most of our time visiting the attractions at the Mall rather than shopping. I%26#39;ve found a buy one night, get one free deal at the Holiday Inn on Appletree, so we%26#39;d be paying close to $70 a night plus tax with the deal. We%26#39;re not fussy -- we%26#39;d like property that%26#39;s clean, safe, with a king bed and either within walking distance to MOA (mile or less) or with free shuttle to/from MOA and the airport. Any advice? BTW, should I consider Hotwire or Priceline to see if we can get something better at a cheaper price? Which area should I look for -- Bloomington East or Bloomington Central considering we want to be as close to MOA as possible? Thanks for your help.

D.

Hotel Advice Please

I will warn that other than the mall, there is nothing to do in east Bloomington. Very few restaurants (all chain, I believe). The one bright spot is the light rail that connects the mall to downtown Minneapolis.

I don%26#39;t say that to deter you from your plan but I think it%26#39;s best people know before they go rather than find out when they get there.

The other part of this is to make sure all of the hotels you%26#39;re looking into are in fact in the Mall of America area. Those are in east Bloomington. But I would go farther and check the map for each to ensure. Many hotels seem to hope people who want to stay in the vicinity don%26#39;t check the map to see if it really is.

So please check the maps on each to make sure they%26#39;re walking distance to the mall. Some do have a shuttle, but if you%26#39;re staying in Bloomington (as opposed to an area like d%26#39;town Minneapolis with more to see and do outside the main attraction) specifically to see the Mall Of America, you should be able to walk back and forth so you can be on your own schedule.

Hotel Advice Please

If bidding is something you%26#39;d like to look into, check these links out first. In fact, the HI Select is listed.

HW

www.betterbidding.com/index.php…

PL

www.betterbidding.com/index.php…

…yuku.com/forums/58/t/Minnesota-Minneapolis-…

5 days is a lot for Bloomington if you are not big shoppers, so I%26#39;d guess you will rent a car and head downtown or to the casinos or to one of the lakes or somewhere.

If you have a rental car, anywhere in Bloomington is ok for visiting the MOA, so a bidding site is fine.

Good luck!

I checked on hotels.com and it looks like I saw some better deals than $70 a night for 2-3 star places close to the MOA with free breakfasts and shuttle service.

Comfort Inn Airport-Mall of America

1321 E 78th St

Bloomington, MN, 55425

866-539-0036

This place was $59 a night but I am not sure of your exact dates and the rates change daily.

The only thing bad about priceline is that you might not get a hotel with a free shuttle. So, if you go that route you might need to rent a car but I am sure the price will be around the same either way.

Hotels that will be near MOA will be in east Bloomington, and I%26#39;d echo the sentiment to check a map to ensure the distance is walking. There are a fair number of hotels advertising ';Mall of America';, and would be a not terrible drive, but not walking distance either. There is also something to be said in being in East Bloomington as you%26#39;re close to the Light Rail Train, which could take you downtown conveniently and inexpensively should you not have enough to do in MOA area and yet don%26#39;t want to drive in downtown Minneapolis.

Anyway, within walking distance would include: Fairfield Inn, Embassy Suites, Country Inn and Suites, Homewood Suites, Marriott, Ramada (be sure it%26#39;s the one around 24th Avenue South, there%26#39;s another one pretty close but too far to walk in Richfield - it boggles my mind why Ramada put two of their hotels so close together), Holiday Inn, Cambria Suites, and Hampton Inn on Metro Blvd. My experience would say any of these hotels will be fine in terms of clean and comfy, with the possible exception of Ramada. That building is an older building and, unfortunately, has been rather hit and miss over the years. Most, if not all, offer shuttle service to MOA, though you may want to call for specifics on how often they travel.

I%26#39;ve stayed at that Holiday Inn a few times in the past and it is a very nice property. In fact...I believe they just did a little bit of upgrading as well. They are very close to the Mall...one of the closest and they have frequent shuttle trips to the Mall [every half hour...I think?]. You can also take the LRT [light rail train] from the Mall into downtown Minneapolis. It%26#39;s a very simple, convenient and cheap way to see the city and not have to stress about parking. I think a BOGO at that hotel sounds like a pretty good deal...for what you%26#39;d be getting. Make sure if you do stay there that you sign up in advance for their complimentary frequent guest program...Priority Club and have your number in your reservation prior to check-in because they will give you discounts to use in their restaurant and possibly a complimentary room upgrade depending on how busy they are when you arrive. You should also note your anniversary in your reservation...just in case they do something special! =]

Thanks everyone. I will mention the anniversary to the hotel. We do plan to take 1.5 days to see a bit of the area -- likely not renting a car, but will use the light rail to see downtown. We%26#39;re also considering a bus tour of MSP that should take 3 hours. Looking forward to it.

D.