Historic Hotels & Inns in Minneapolis

The neighborhoods

Where to stay, by area

Downtown and Nicollet

Downtown’s spine is Nicollet, a mile-long street where traffic is limited to buses and taxis, with the Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center at 5th Street and the IDS Center’s Crystal Court skyway hub between 7th and 8th. Five of the stays are on and around Marquette and Second avenues: W Minneapolis – The Foshay and the Rand Tower Hotel in 1929 office towers, The Westin in the 1942 Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank and its 1963 tower, Hotel Indigo in the 1963 Northstar Inn, and Hotel Ivy, near the Convention Center and Orchestra Hall. Meet Minneapolis lists the W, Rand Tower, Westin and Ivy as skyway-connected hotels.

North Loop and the Warehouse District

Meet Minneapolis uses both names for the area north and west of 1st Avenue North, where late-19th- and early-20th-century warehouses now hold shops, restaurants and nightlife, with Target Field and Target Center in the district. The Hewing Hotel fills the 1897 Andrews Building, a contributing building in the Minneapolis Warehouse Historic District, and puts Target Field 0.4 miles and First Avenue and Target Center 0.6 miles away on foot. Street parking is limited, so the Hewing runs valet only.

The riverfront and St. Anthony Falls

Minneapolis grew up at St. Anthony Falls. In the Mill District, the Mill City Museum is built into the ruins of the Washburn A Mill, which exploded in 1878, next to the Guthrie Theater and Gold Medal Park, and the Stone Arch Bridge, reopened on August 9, 2025 after a restoration of nearly $40 million, crosses to cobblestone Main Street. Nicollet Island Inn sits on Nicollet Island in the middle of the Mississippi, within walking distance of downtown, and the Renaissance Depot fills Charles Frost’s 1899 Milwaukee Road station, though only its 23 historic suites are in the original building.

Before you book

Planning your stay

Getting around

MSP Airport is about 12 miles from downtown (taxis average $39 to $49), and the METRO Blue Line runs from both terminals to Target Field station in under 30 minutes, every 15 minutes most of the day, for $2 a ride (good for 2½ hours) or $4 for an all-day pass. Downtown has Blue and Green line stations, rides along Nicollet are free and Downtown Zone trips cost 50 cents; the Green Line also runs to Union Depot in downtown St. Paul. Meet Minneapolis calls the skyway the world’s largest contiguous network of enclosed second-level bridges, more than 10 miles linking about 80 blocks, but each building sets its own hours: most skyway buildings close at 6 p.m. on weekdays and stay closed on weekends.

Parking

Downtown hotel parking is mostly valet: the W charges $60 a night, Hotel Ivy $60 plus tax, and the Depot $57, or $30 to self-park overnight in its heated underground ramp, which is a block from skyway access. Hotel Indigo’s on-site parking is $40 plus tax with in-and-out privileges, the Westin sends guests to the 517 Marquette ramp at $35 a day, the Hewing in the North Loop is valet only at $58.03 plus tax, and Nicollet Island Inn has free parking out front. The City’s ramps charge $10 to $17 for up to 24 hours, rising on event days to $25 near Target Field and Target Center and up to $50 near U.S. Bank Stadium; more than 10,000 metered spaces vary block by block, and snow emergencies override them in winter.

When to go

Summer is river-and-lakes season: the Mill City Farmers Market runs Saturdays from May through October, the Stone Arch Bridge Festival fills West River Parkway on June 19–20, 2027, and the Twins play 81 home games at Target Field from April 2 to September 26, 2027. The Minnesota State Fair runs August 26 through Labor Day, September 6, 2027, in Falcon Heights, with free Park & Ride from about 30 Twin Cities locations. Fall brings color along the river parkways and the Chain of Lakes, Vikings games at U.S. Bank Stadium and the Timberwolves’ season at Target Center, October 25, 2026 to April 11, 2027. In winter the skyways carry downtown: in 2025 Holidazzle was folded into Winterapolis, a November-to-February campaign, and The Great Northern festival marks its 10th year at Saint Anthony Main on January 27–31, 2027.

Accessibility

Metro Transit’s buses and trains are all accessible, with step-free light-rail boarding, including at both airport stations, and Metro Mobility offers door-to-door paratransit. The skyway is reached from the second level of connected buildings, where many elevators have an ‘SK’ button, though street doors may be locked after hours. Marriott lists elevators at the W, the Westin and the Depot, which also has accessible on-site parking, and Nicollet Island Inn has a glass-enclosed elevator that keeps its original operator’s seat; the Rand Tower, Hewing, Ivy and Indigo pages we checked don’t state room accessibility, so ask before you book.

Before you book

If sleeping in the historic building matters, book the right room: only the Depot’s 23 historic suites are in the 1899 station, Hotel Ivy’s suites are in the Ivy Tower while most rooms are in a newer tower, and the Westin’s rooms are in its 1963 tower, not the 1942 banking hall. Check the Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves and State Fair calendars before you book, since city ramps switch to event rates of up to $50 on game days. Note the house rules: the minimum check-in age is 21 at the W and 18 at Hotel Indigo, the Hewing is valet only, and the Hewing and Hotel Ivy charge a $100 pet fee per stay.