Checking In: The Radisson Red in Downtown Minneapolis

I recently went on the trip of a lifetime with
Radisson Rewards
to Glacier National Park in Montana and to Minneapolis, all booked using 1 million Radisson Rewards points. While planning this epic trip, I opted for Minneapolis for several reasons: 1) the State Fair would be in town, and Minnesota has the 2nd largest State Fair in the country after Texas!; 2) I’ve been to Minneapolis before, but had never explored properly; 3) I have always wanted to visit the Mall of America; 4) Radisson Rewards has some of their best property redemptions in Minneapolis, including the Radisson Blu Downtown, the Radisson Blu at the Mall of America, and the Radisson RED Downtown; and 5) Minneapolis is one of the few non-stop flight options from Kalispell, Montana. Initially, I had planned to spend more time in Minneapolis exploring all three luxury Radisson properties, but my travel schedule unfortunately did not allow it. So, after some research, I picked the Radisson RED for my time in Minneapolis for a unique and modern hotel stay experience.

For my stay, I was able to use 150,000 Radisson Rewards points to book a three night stay in a standard studio with 2 queen beds. This was easily done using the
Radisson Rewards website, searching for Minneapolis over my desired dates, and selecting the Radisson RED Minneapolis Downtown for 50,000 points per night. If you’re low on points, Radisson also offers a Points + Cash option. Being a member of
Radisson Rewards also gives several other benefits, like member only rates, earning bonus points, and redemptions for rewards beyond free nights, like a TSA Precheck or Priority Pass membership, or exchanging your points for airline miles.

SEE ALSO: A Week In Montana and Minneapolis with Radisson Rewards

The Location

The Radisson RED is located very conveniently in downtown Minneapolis. It’s only a four minute walk to the nearest light rail station, and from there the whole city is easily accessible, including a quick ride to the Mall. During our stay, we mainly used rideshare apps to get around for the convenience of it, and it was no trouble at all to get a ride to places like the Minnesota State Fair, the Mall of America, or the famous First Avenue music club. There was plenty to see within walking distance as well, like the colorful Bob Dylan mural just a few short blocks away. It’s also only one block away from the U.S. Bank Stadium, which makes it very convenient for major events (while we were there, everyone checking in was arriving for the Taylor Swift stadium concerts)!

The Rooms

What I loved the most about the rooms was the fun and colorful interior design. Behind the beds was a giant pop art style accent wall in red, and the bathrooms were laid in a red and white tile design. Everything about the room felt very modern, from the flatscreen TV with pairing capabilities (we were easily able to airplay Netflix from our phones) to the digital alarm clocks on the nightstand. And the blackout shades were a nice touch for sleeping in.

The Property

Onsite at the hotel, there’s dining at the OUIBar + KTCHN right next to the lobby. The hip restaurant has both a bar and terrace seating outside. Other amenities include a lobby lounge with games and a fitness center. I really loved the dedicated to art at the hotel, including the big mural in the restaurant painted by a local artist, and the vibrant color scheme and design (those honeycomb bookshelves in the lobby especially!). Another big bonus for some: pets are welcome, and the hotel can provide pet bed, dishes, and accessories for guests. Overall, the hotel has 164 studios and offers free wi-fi to all guests, which is always something I appreciate.

I had a wonderful stay at the Radisson RED Minneapolis Downtown, and it was a great base of operations for me to explore Minneapolis with. We were easily able to visit the Mall of America, wander downtown looking for famous sites and murals, and spend an evening at the Minnesota State Fair. For those looking for a fun Minneapolis getaway, the Radisson RED is a great option for a place to stay.

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Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Radisson Rewards. As always, all opinions are my own.