TRAVEL: Spend A Weekend at JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America

*I was hosted at JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America in exchange for media coverage. All opinions are my own.

As a kid, I used to dream about visiting the Mall of America. Growing up around my mom who loved to shop, I pretty much had no choice but to carry some of the same traits as her, one of them being…spending as much time in the mall as I could! About a month ago, my family got the opportunity to visit JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America. I was so excited to be staying at a hotel that was not only near the biggest mall in the country of the United States, but inside it!

JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America is the first JW Marriott branded hotel in Minneapolis and offers word-class luxury to travelers. There are 342 smoke-free guest rooms and suites, along with 20,000 square feet of event space, making it one of the largest event spaces in the Twin Cities. Each of the rooms are styled with elegance and sophistication, making you feel right at home!

This hotel also has a large fitness center, indoor pool, Executive Lounge and an amazing restaurant, which I can’t wait to share with you later in this post!

THE ROOM

The hotel and mall actually happen to be located in a city called Bloomington, which is just a short drive from both the airport and the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul. (I will be sharing some OOTDs from downtown Saint Paul later on, so stay tuned for those!) One of the things I look for before booking a hotel is convenience. It was amazing to know my hotel wasn’t a far drive from the airport. It took less than 10 minutes for my Lyft driver to drop me off. I was stunned!

Keshaun, my stepson and I ended up getting a room with double beds, which exceeded my expectations of comfort. It was such a cozy and nice space to return to, having spent all day in the adjourning Mall of America!

Other perks I loved about JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America were the spacious, walk-in shower and garden tub. The overall minimal design of the bathroom and room itself make relaxing that much more easier.

THE EXECUTIVE LOUNGE

We ended up discovering this gem on our last day we stayed and we were so sad about that! We found they had a plethora of yummy foods to choose from for breakfast, along with a nice lounge area to relax during or afterwards. We took full advantage after this discovery!

THE WORLD-CLASS RESTAURANT: CEDAR + STONE URBAN TABLE

For appetizers, Keshaun and I went with the Torn Kale Salad and the Roasted Tomato Pizza and they were both so good! The kale was really tender and had the slightest hint of dressing, exactly how I like my kale salad! I am however, a big fan of basil and could have had a lot more dumped on my pizza, but it was yummy, nonetheless!

While shooting with my photographer Genét Jean, she told me that I had to try a Juicy Lucy burger. Apparently it’s something Minneapolis is known for. Since I no longer eat meat, I left it up to my stepson to try the Juicy Lucy Sliders. They must have been good because his plate was completely cleaned, haha!

During this trip, I was actually vegetarian. As a result, I stuck to only veggies, fruit, carbs and cheesy foods, going with the Butternut Squash Risotto. Keshaun decided to go with the salmon and I regret that I wasn’t pescatarian at that time like I am now because it looked sooo good!

I’m usually too full at the end for dessert, but that didn’t stop me from indulging in the Apple Crumb Skillet or the Cedar + Stone Donuts. To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of any desserts with “apple,” but I think this one may have changed my mind. As with most desserts though, the crust was my favorite part. So much flavor in each bite!

The following morning, we actually returned to the same restaurant, where they were serving breakfast. I was kind of disappointed it wasn’t brunch because there was no avocado toast on the menu. I made a special request to the waitress; however, and the cook made some for me with no problem. It’s very rare to experience great customer service like that these days. Him and the waitress went above and beyond to make sure I was satisfied and I left very full and happy!

I have to also mention how delicious their fresh squeezed Beet Juice was. Not many people brag on “beets” in general, but trust me on trying this one!

FITNESS CENTER

The thing I love most about this fitness center is that it’s always open, no matter what day, or the time of day. There are free weights and cardio machines and that’s pretty much the bulk of what I do in my personal workout routine. It’s nice to have had a gym to go to away from home!

Another perk of staying in this hotel is being local to an indoor amusement park, smack in the middle of Mall of America. It was an added bonus that made my stepson excited to come here! The below photo is a set of escalators that lead straight up to the mall! 🤗

Overall, my stay at JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America was very pleasant to say the least. The service was exceptional, the food was delicious and it was just so convenient to travel to and from the city and airport. I highly recommend this hotel if you ever make it up to Minnesota. You can go here to view even more details, and to book your reservation!

Photos: Genét Jean Pierre and Keshaun Fudge