Take away the brand-new-hotel scent wafting through the halls or the one-of-a-kind guest room amenities like Fresh Air Intake registers, free Internet, and complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres nightly, and the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota, would still be one of the coolest spots to stay and play for just one reason: It’s the only hotel connected directly to the Mall of America.
The Radisson Blu Mall of America opened on March 15, 2013, with 500 suites and guest rooms, and 26,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Modern visual touches merge with classic decor throughout this hotel, which features amenities such as an award-winning restaurant and bar, the FireLake Grill House and Cocktail Bar, and a state-of-the-art fitness room and indoor swimming pool. The hotel is a destination in itself and offers more than one guest could have time to enjoy during a single stay.
“Being the only hotel connected to Mall of America saves guests money because groups do not have to pay for transportation for evening dine-arounds,” said Marilyn Miller, director of sales and marketing for the Radisson Blu Mall of America. “Once in Minnesota and at our hotel, there’s no need to go outside if your business is at our hotel or the Mall of America.”
The hotel’s offerings include on-site dining, two ballrooms, 15 meeting rooms and refrigerators in every room. But location is truly key at this hotel, which offers a quick, indoor walk to more than 500 shops and restaurants, as well as numerous entertainment options like comedy shows, rides at Nickelodeon Universe and live sea animals at Sea Life Aquarium, making for some exciting meeting group event options.
The hotel’s location also makes it the perfect spot to host some memorable meetings with the hotel’s “Yes I Can!” events service.
“We can serve a roller-coaster coffee break or cater a reception in Sea Life Aquarium so that guests can sip champagne while watching sharks swim overhead,” Miller said. “Or if you have a meeting group of coaches, we can serve their coffee break in the Nike store.”
A Sizable Space
The Radisson Blu Mall of America is only the second Radisson Blu to open in North America and has brought the brand’s renowned boutique-style service to a larger-than-life region of Minnesota. The hotel features 15 separate meeting and event spaces that can be set up to the specifications needed by each group.
The largest of the hotel’s two ballrooms can accommodate 1,000 guests for a meeting or 700 guests for a sit-down dinner. Groups can also use the FireLake Grill House (175 guests) and FireLake Cocktail Bar (125 guests), which also offer two semiprivate dining rooms for up to 60 guests.
Location, location, location
“Our location near MSP International Airport and at Mall of America makes it convenient for business travelers,” Miller said. “We also offer complimentary transportation to and from MSP International Airport and to destinations within a five-mile radius of our hotel.”
Designer Jim Hamilton from Graven in Ireland took the hotel’s location and glass facade into consideration when he designed the spaces to feature tons of natural light. His whimsical yet functional designs are another highlight of the meeting spaces, with open floor plans that make it easy to connect with co-workers or just co-travelers.
