New hotels in Minneapolis

Minneapolis spent decades without a true luxury hotel scene, and its recent wave of openings reads as a deliberate correction rather than a boom — a five-star newcomer built from scratch downtown, and a landmark Art Deco office tower reborn as a hotel for the first time in its history. Between them they cover both ends of what a new-build hospitality market looks like: fresh construction and considered adaptive reuse, both anchored a few blocks apart in the same financial district.

What to do

A weekend in Minneapolis

Base yourself downtown and walk the skyway system between Nicollet Mall and the Mississippi riverfront — Minneapolis' climate makes the enclosed skyways a genuine transit network, not a novelty. Spend a morning at the Walker Art Center and its Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, cross the Stone Arch Bridge for river views of Saint Anthony Falls, and reserve one dinner at a Gavin Kaysen restaurant, whether that's inside the Four Seasons or one of his standalone spots. Saturday afternoon works well for the North Loop's converted-warehouse shopping and gallery district, a short walk or rideshare from the financial district hotels.

A full week

A longer stay lets you range further: add a day trip to Saint Paul for its own historic core, spend an afternoon at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and work in a Chain of Lakes loop — Lake Calhoun/Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet — by bike or on foot if the season allows. Summer visitors should build in time for the Mississippi riverfront parks and Minnehaha Falls; winter visitors get skyway-linked shopping and a genuine cold-weather city atmosphere that's part of Minneapolis' character rather than an inconvenience to route around.

Neighborhoods

Downtown / Financial District

This is where both tracked hotels sit: the Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis at the top of Nicollet Mall inside the new RBC Gateway tower, and the Rand Tower Hotel a few blocks away at Sixth and Marquette, inside the converted 1929 Art Deco office tower. It's the city's commercial core, dense with skyway connections, close to the convention center and to Nicollet Mall's pedestrian retail spine.

North Loop

A former warehouse district turned into Minneapolis' most walkable neighborhood for independent restaurants, galleries and design shops, a short walk from downtown. No tracked hotel is currently open here, though the neighborhood has seen long-running, stop-start plans for a boutique conversion of its own historic buildings.

Mill District

Wedged between downtown and the river around the old flour-milling works and Mill Ruins Park, this is Minneapolis' most direct link to its 19th-century industrial history, now filled with condos, the Guthrie Theater and the Mill City Museum. No tracked hotel is located here.

Uptown / Lake Calhoun (Bde Maka Ska)

The city's lake-district neighborhood, built around outdoor recreation, independent boutiques and a younger, more residential energy than downtown. No tracked hotel is located here.

Northeast Minneapolis

"Nordeast" is the city's arts and brewery district, dense with working studios, taprooms and a strong Eastern European heritage still visible in its churches and diners. No tracked hotel is located here.

Downtown East / Elliot Park

Home to the stadium district around U.S. Bank Stadium and some of the city's oldest residential blocks, now heavily redeveloped. No tracked hotel is located here.

Which hotel for your trip

Business and convention travelers

The Rand Tower Hotel's downtown financial-district address and event space make it a practical, characterful base within walking distance of the convention center, while the Four Seasons offers the higher-end option for client-facing stays or executive travel where five-star service matters more than budget.

Design and architecture enthusiasts

The Rand Tower Hotel is the clear draw — a genuine 1929 Art Deco landmark converted with its original terrazzo, sculpture and aviation-era detailing intentionally preserved rather than smoothed over.

Food-focused travelers

Both hotels lean on serious local chef talent: Gavin Kaysen's Mediterranean-inspired Mara and Socca at the Four Seasons, and Blondette's glass-roofed brunch room at the Rand Tower, give either hotel a legitimate dining reason to book beyond the room itself.

Special-occasion and luxury travelers

The Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis is the only true five-star option the city has ever had, with a dedicated wellness floor, indoor and outdoor pools, and river and skyline views from every room — the obvious pick for an anniversary, honeymoon or splurge stay.

First-time visitors wanting a distinctive stay over a generic one

The Rand Tower Hotel's converted-office-tower format — odd room shapes, preserved historic details, aviation theming throughout — makes for a more memorable, story-driven stay than a standard downtown box, at a lower price point than the Four Seasons.

Frequently asked questions

What is the newest luxury hotel in Minneapolis?

The Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis, which opened in June 2022 inside the newly built RBC Gateway tower at the top of Nicollet Mall, is widely described as the city's first true five-star hotel.

Is there a hotel in a historic building in downtown Minneapolis?

Yes — the Rand Tower Hotel occupies a 1929 Art Deco office tower at Sixth and Marquette that had never operated as a hotel before its December 2020 conversion. The original terrazzo floors and Art Deco sculptural details were preserved during the renovation.

Where should I stay for a Minneapolis business trip?

Both tracked hotels sit in the downtown financial district within walking distance of the convention center: the Rand Tower Hotel for a characterful, mid-tier option, and the Four Seasons for a higher-end, client-facing stay.

Does the Four Seasons Minneapolis have a well-known restaurant?

Yes — chef Gavin Kaysen, a two-time James Beard Award winner and a well-known figure in Minneapolis dining, runs Mara and Socca inside the hotel, both Mediterranean-inspired concepts.

How many rooms does the Rand Tower Hotel have?

The Rand Tower Hotel has 270 rooms, converted from a 1929 office building that was never previously used as a hotel.

Are there other new hotels planned for Minneapolis?

Several projects have been announced but had not opened as of this guide, including a long-delayed boutique conversion of historic buildings in the North Loop and a planned conversion of a mid-century office landmark at 20 Washington Avenue South, targeted for 2028 — outside the window covered here.