I stayed at the hotel on Oct 26, 2006.

I was given a room on a smoking wing that I did not ask for when I made a reservation. The furniture was worn out and dirty.
I was awakened by workman at 5:30 AM. The location is bad for working downtown or going to a convention. There is no parking except a public parking structure.

My famly recently stayed at the Holiday Inn Metrodome Hotel last weekend ( October 13th/14th). We have stayed there before several times over the years, however, this stay there was a nice surprise we did not know about until we got to our room after check in. The hotel has recently renovated all of their rooms from top to bottom. New carpets, furniture, drapes, wallpaper....everything. The new look certainly was a pleasant surprise. Our room was very clean and bright and smelled like a new car. The guest hallways were redone as well giving the hotel new life again. It must have cost a fortune for what the hotel has completed. We have always received good service here before and this trip was the same as well. It was a great surpise. We thank the Holiday Inn Metrodome for renovating their facility and by making our stay enjoyable.

This hotel is not bad. Rooms could use an update, but not dirty. My complaint was with the shuttle. I had read on here where they would take you to the train to go to the Mall of America. They did just that and it worked well going. They gave me a card and told me to call when I returned. I called several stops prior so they would be there shortly after I got off. I got off and no shuttle. It is not a very good neighborhood at all. In fact I had one person ask me if I wanted to buy drugs and another ask me if I had any. I was getting very nervous. I called back after a half an hour only to find out that they do not always use the same site. They were waiting for me at another train station. I guess drivers changed and it depends on the driver. They REALLY need to get their drivers to use the same station. I did not realize there was more than one.

The Inn was clean, neat and well-staffed by polite and helpful people. It is located in the heart of the West Campus of the University of Minnesota (which is not the main old campus) and has a good selection of College style pubs, bars and restaurants in easy walking distance.

However, I am becoming cranky on the subject of internet access when I travel and shared the following with Holiday Inn:

Dear Holiday Inn,

You provided a single computer in your Minneapolis Metrodome “Business Center” which allowed internet and e-mail access for $.65 per minute.

Your staff said you had free wifi and internet connections in the room—but only if I had brought my lap top.

In these days of troubling business travel, when lap tops are not only clumsy and heavy, but inspected, put through machines, mistaken for one another and stolen in airport security, I, for one, have ceased carrying them unless absolutely necessary.

Which gets me back to my point. All respectable and responsible hotels should be providing guests free internet access—at least in a business center. The less expensive ones are. I expect that the Ritz and Four Seasons will never get there.

I don’t want a gym, swimming pool or other add-on amenities. I just want free internet access. Now that I know that I cannot count on it at Holiday Inn, I will carefully check before booking and, if at all possible, I will not book at one of your hotels that does not provide it.

Sincerely,

A Recent Business Guest