Best Minneapolis Hotels

The city is the largest in the state of Minnesota and sits aside the state capital Saint Paul, together forming the main urban area known as the 'Twin Cities'. Saint Anthony Falls, the largest waterfall on the Mississippi, powered the saw, flour and cotton mills which defined the city's early industrial age. With grain readily available from the Great Plains, the city's growth was swift and dramatic and brought with it the civic and cultural aspects which residents and visitors enjoy today.

The civic aspects of the city are very much progressive in nature, with a large emphasis on education, health, and individual rights. Civil rights and worker's rights have historically had an important political dimension in the city, and it ranks as one of the most literate cities in America. As a result, the modern city is very much a multi-ethnic and multicultural place. This effective and productive melting pot of different cultural influences is perhaps responsible for the city's music and arts scenes which have are internationally recognized. It may also be why the best Minneapolis hotels can take on a variety of different forms.

When it comes to performing arts, live theater takes center stage in the city and it has more theaters per capita of the population than any other American city outside New York. The largest art gallery in the city is the Minneapolis Institute of Arts which has a collection of over 100,000 works held within a stunning early 20th century building and this is just one of many outstanding city gallery spaces. In terms of music, one name stands out above all others and that is Prince, who hailed from the city and made the popular music venues of 7th Street Entry and First Avenue his own. The best Minneapolis hotels will provide information and services on all the main arts and music venues and events in the city.

The city certainly has some great traditional architecture, demonstrated by the Institute of Arts and other civic and public buildings. Some of the more traditional properties house the best Minneapolis hotels in the boutique style, where individuality and character form as much a part of the appeal as any hotel facilities. The city's strong heritage in the arts and ample opportunities for study and work in modern high technology industries help attract many young professionals and the city is regarded as one of the best places in America to relocate. This is reflected in the demand for boutique hotels and other high quality accommodation with a unique character and style.

Much of the downtown area of the city was redeveloped in the 1960s, and while many of the older buildings were lost, the new ones are stunning architectural statements in their own right, with the Art Deco inspired Wells Fargo building providing the perfect example. The best Minneapolis hotels for the business traveler will likely be found in this area too and they will be as well equipped for executive use as those in any other comparable city. They will usually have a flexible selection of meeting and conference spaces and areas of the hotel are often given over to business with access to computers and office equipment and services.

In room features at a best Minneapolis hotel will include work desks, international direct dial calling, and wireless internet access as well as satellite television with news, business and entertainment channels. Additional facilities for leisure will depend on the size and style of the hotel but will often incorporate areas for health and fitness and certainly some first class dining environments and stylish bar and lounge spaces. The luxury hotels will have the usual refinements in terms of 24 hour concierge and room services and user controlled in-room climate control, ideal for those hot summers and cold winters characteristic of the northern Midwest.

There are many terrific hotels in the city but the best Minneapolis hotels need not be the most luxurious or exclusive, but merely the ones best suited for the purpose of the visit. As a city with numerous natural attractions in the form of extensive lakes, rivers and parks, there are hotels well placed for the full range of outdoor activities. Some of these places are resort hotels directly associated with outdoor adventures. Fishing, swimming, cycling, boating and ice skating are all popular as is horse riding and many other ways to enjoy the natural environments of Minnesota as well as the 'Chain of Lakes' which form a part of the well loved and extensive Minneapolis park system.