As I ventured for a hotel for one night in Minneapolis, The Hewing Hotel in Downtown struck me as a creative, unique hotel without the cookie cutter feel from many Marriott or Hilton hotels. I was in town for work, and I wanted something classy and stylish, yet reasonably priced.
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Booking a room at The Hewing Hotel
The Hewing Hotel is not a part of the big-name hotel chains. However, that is not a reason to overlook this beautiful property. Even though you may not be able to redeem Hyatt, Hilton, or Marriott points, you can still use points like from Barclay Arrival to offset your expenses or the 4th-night free benefit from the Citi Prestige to save up to 25%.
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I booked my room through Expedia and was pleasantly surprised when rates were around $150 for the night.
Hewing Hotel – Check-in
The Hewing Hotel is owned by Aparium, a hotel group based in Chicago. Their motto is “…authentic flavor and celebrate true neighborhood character; not just the thoroughfares but the intriguing side streets. Our growing collection of independent hotels are remarkable in every way. Like the cities they inhabit, each Aparium hotel is unique – engaging, inspiring, individual, and real.”
Even the hotel “pens” are wooden pencils to reflect the hotel’s unique décor!
The Hewing, opened in November 2016, has a very “homey” feel to it, while still maintaining the luxury feel. Upon entrance is a very rustic, outdoorsy entry way with a large bar and pool table for guests to mingle and enjoy fine drinks & plates.
What I must highly commend though is the staff at the front desk. Two young ladies by the name of Anna and Shelby were extremely friendly and helpful in my accommodations. After chatting with them and letting them know I had never stepped foot in the state of Minnesota, they went out of their way to bring me two local craft beers on ice to my room. They were extremely welcoming and encouraged me to come back during the spring months when it isn’t -20 degrees. Also, the manager on site, Bridget, was EXTREMELY welcoming, taking much time to cater to not only myself, but other guests as well. Just for the people alone, this property deserves well over 5 stars!
Also, the hotel is centrally located, with an abundance of restaurants/bars available within walking distance or a short “rideshare” away. Click here for your first free ride from Uber or a credit towards your first ride with Lyft.
The Hewing Hotel Itasca King Room
The Itasca King room I stayed in was appointed very nicely. It came with a Serta Sapphire bed (so comfy!) and a large flat screen TV to chill with after a long day of work.
The bathroom featured a modern white countertop and an extra-large shower with a rainfall showerhead (my personal favorite)!
One aspect I think the hotel could improve on is the window placement/view in the rooms. Definitely not the best as most of them overlook a construction site and a strip club. With the dreary weather that comes in Minneapolis in January, I’m sure that has some effect on the aesthetic of the hotel view experience. This I would have to say is my largest complaint, but that is all!
The next time I stay at The Hewing Hotel, I’ll ask for a room on the other side of the property.
Tullibee Restaurant
I spoke with a Manager regarding the hotel wanting to learn more about the property. Interestingly enough, she described it as “food and beverage-driven with rooms available”. After this discussion, I knew I had to try the food.
The restaurant inside, Tullibee, is a very eclectic space for a great evening with friends, family, or colleagues. Lined with comfortable couches and rustic décor, it makes this eatery especially unique to Minneapolis. While I did not have dinner here, I did enjoy a delicious breakfast of Crispy Potatoes and Multigrain Toast, complimented with coffee from a local roaster provided to all guests in the morning. Simple, yet excellently done!
Currently, the Tullibee is offering 2 complimentary cocktails to guests of The Hewing Hotel to provide a little warmth during the winter.
The Hewing Hotel – Gym and Pool
To add on to the extravagant amenities, they have just opened a brand new gym for guests which I found to be extremely useful! The hot-tub was not yet open but I’ll be sure to frequent that when it does open in Spring 2017. The desk inside of my room was great for getting extra work done with an incredibly comfortable ergonomic chair. The fridge and private snacks were great as they were not adapted with the annoying sensors that charge you if you move anything inside the fridge.
Lobby and Bar
As the evening approached and I was headed out for my company dinner, I felt a great sense of community and positively within the bar/mingling area. I find it very rare that hotel lobby areas are comforting enough to actually hang out. Most of the time, it is simply a temporary waiting area for killing a few minutes of time, but they have created a great open space to mingle with others!
The Bald Thoughts
This is a great hotel to consider when visiting The Twin Cities for a game or to explore the great outdoors. While you may not be able to take advantage of any points/mileage programs, this is a great go-to hotel at a reasonable price.
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I’m from Minneapolis and I didn’t even know about this hotel. Did you just stumble upon it via Expedia? It looks like a nice experience. They did a good job in using a theme on the room.
It is awesome that the front desk staff members were so friendly. It is always nice when someone goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome to a hotel. How were the beers?
Brett’s company favors independent and lesser-known brands when traveling for work. I really like the masculine wood features of the hotel. Almost reminds me of a luxury hunting lodge.
John,
Thank you so much for the comment! This hotel is actually brand new to the city, less than 6 months old. I actually was travelling for work and my Assistant booked it, she has pretty good taste in hotels! I believe she did find it through Expedia.
The beers were actually pretty great! Great way to unwind after a busy day. The service was some of the best I’ve had in my hotel experiences. Since you are from Minneapolis, I would absolutely recommend checking out their restaurant.