December 2018
We love the Alma, a Minneapolis treasure that features one of the best restaurants in the city, a cozy seven-room hotel and a casual cafe. When we returned from spending the holidays in Denver with family, we didn’t want to get back to the real world right away — and, conveniently, we both have birthdays right around this time — so we decided to extend our vacation by a night and book a room at the Alma. Upon arriving back in Minneapolis, we went straight from the airport to the hotel, and we’re so glad we chose the Alma for our second stay.
Welcome warmth in the dark and cold winter
Upon checking in, we were taken up to Room #5, our new favorite. The king suite has an outdoor deck, which wasn’t much use in late-December, but we spent a few minutes out there appreciating the view. One of the best things about the room is that it takes up the whole south end of the building, so it has windows on three sides and shares not a single wall with another room.
Each room in the Alma features custom furniture, linens, bath products and accessories, some of which are locally made. Minneapolis-based Spring Finn and Co. designed the hotel, and we haven’t found anything else like it in the Twin Cities. Rooms are fun but tasteful, and the whole place feels cozy, yet airy and light.
The last time we stayed at the Alma, we had a booking at the restaurant, which does dinner only: amazing three-course prix fixe menus with wine pairings. During that stay, it was so nice to finish dinner — fat and happy — and wander only a few steps to our room. On that occasion, the snow was coming down heavily, so we were extra glad not to have to go outside. For this stay, we couldn’t linger too long over a meal; we had tickets to see a favorite band, Guided By Voices, at First Avenue. Luckily, however, we were able to get a table in the cafe for a quick bite before heading to the show. For the record, dinner in the cafe was also terrific.
Appreciating the details
It’s clear that choices made for the rooms were intentional, down to the small details. Our room was like a series of vignettes, and we took time to appreciate each of them. Beyond the aesthetic, we enjoyed the custom-blended lotion, mist, oil, shampoo and soap with a “winter” scent of bergamot, cedar wood, grapefruit and clove. Instructions on the mist, which we duly followed, said “spray everywhere.” The extra-cushy bed was great to crawl into after returning from the concert where the band showed that old guys can still properly rock. And with ringing ears, we opted for a little late-night Apple TV, grateful that with no shared walls, we didn’t have to worry about waking any of our hotel neighbors.
Only one small quibble with our room: The soap in the dispenser was out, so we had to use the bar soap at the sink, but without a soap dish — and not wanting to make a mess — we had to leave the soap in the sink.
Don’t forget breakfast
Each stay at the Alma comes with a complimentary continental breakfast from the bakery. Guests can choose to have juice, coffee and handmade baked goods delivered via tray service to their room, or they can head down to the cafe, which is what we did. The cinnamon rolls, toasted bread with jam and strong coffee were just right. While we would have liked to linger a bit longer, it was time for re-entry to life, but we’ll surely be back, this time sooner rather than later.
Stay details
- Alma Hotel
- Location: Minneapolis, near the University of Minnesota East Bank campus
- Our stay: 1 night, December 30, 2018
- Room: #5, king suite with deck
Where we ate, what we did
- Dinner and breakfast at the Alma Cafe
- Guided By Voices at First Avenue
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