If your trip to Minneapolis revolves around a concert, a game, or a night out, location is everything, and The Lofton has one of the best. The former Loews Minneapolis was bought by a group including Marcus Hotels and reopened as The Lofton, the first Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel in Minnesota, with a full room renovation. What did not change is the address in the heart of the entertainment district, a short walk from the arenas and the city's most famous music club, and plugged into the skyway that makes downtown navigable in any weather.
Is The Lofton Hotel worth it?
For an event-driven downtown stay, yes, and the renovation makes it easier to recommend than the tired final years of the old Loews. The strengths are concrete: a freshly renovated room product, a location across from Target Center and Target Field and steps from First Avenue, a skyway connection for winter, and the backing of a Hilton collection brand with Bonvoy-style points through Hilton Honors. The trade-offs are the usual downtown ones, chiefly paid parking and the buzz of an entertainment district on event nights, plus the fact that a very recent relaunch is still settling in. If you are here for a show or a game, it is close to ideal. For a quiet retreat, look elsewhere.
Where is The Lofton Hotel?
The address is 601 1st Avenue North, on the western edge of downtown in the entertainment and sports district. You are directly across from Target Center, home of the Timberwolves and Lynx, and Target Field, home of the Twins, and steps from First Avenue, the legendary music club. The Hennepin Avenue theaters and the North Loop's restaurants and bars are a short walk, and the rest of downtown is easy on foot or via the connected skyway. Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport is roughly a twenty-minute drive or a light-rail ride from nearby downtown stations. In short, this is the address to book if your trip is built around downtown events.
What are the rooms like?
Newly renovated, which is the headline of the whole rebrand. The Lofton carries 251 guest rooms and suites that were refreshed as part of the conversion from Loews, with a contemporary, upscale look and the full-service basics you expect from a Hilton collection hotel. As a Tapestry Collection property, the design aims for a local, individual feel rather than a cookie-cutter chain look. Because it is a large hotel in a tall tower, higher floors deliver real downtown and, on the north side, ballpark-direction views, so it is worth requesting a high floor when you book. Confirm the specific room category and any lingering renovation details, since a recent relaunch can still have variation.
Where should you eat and drink?
The location does much of the work here. The hotel offers on-site food and beverage in its lobby and public spaces, and the practical advantage is everything around it: the North Loop, one of the Twin Cities' best dining neighborhoods, is a short walk, and the entertainment district is packed with pre-event restaurants and bars. Because the property recently rebranded, it is worth confirming the current on-site dining lineup and hours when you book, but you will not go hungry, since you are surrounded by some of the city's best places to eat and drink and connected by skyway to many more.
Who is it best for?
This is an event hotel, and it is very good at that job. For a Timberwolves or Twins game, a First Avenue show, a concert at Target Center, or a night at the Hennepin theaters, you cannot beat walking across the street and back to a renovated room. It also works well for downtown business, given the skyway access and more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space with a grand ballroom. Where it is a weaker fit is a quiet romantic escape or a design-boutique experience, since the appeal here is location, scale, and convenience rather than intimacy or a singular sense of place.
Best for concerts and games
Directly across from the arenas and steps from First Avenue, this is arguably the best-placed hotel in Minneapolis for live events. Walk to the show, walk back to a renovated room, and skip the post-event parking scramble entirely. Book early for big event dates, which sell out and price up fast.
Best for skyway-connected business
The skyway connection and the ballroom and meeting space make it a practical choice for a downtown conference or corporate stay, especially in winter when the enclosed walkways matter. Budget for downtown parking and request a high floor for the view.
When should you book, and what will it cost?
As a downtown event hotel, The Lofton's rate is driven by the calendar across the street. Ordinary nights are priced in the reasonable upscale range, and a recently relaunched hotel often offers value while it rebuilds occupancy. Rates climb sharply around Timberwolves and Twins home dates, big concerts, and major downtown conventions, so if your trip is tied to a specific event, book as far ahead as you can. Plan for paid parking, which is a downtown given rather than an included perk, and use a Hilton Honors account to earn points and the occasional upgrade. Ask for a high floor when you reserve for the best of the renovated rooms and the views.
Honest trade-offs
- Paid parking only, as with most downtown hotels. Budget for a garage and confirm the current rate when you book.
- It is in the entertainment and sports district, so event nights are lively and busy. That is the point for many guests and a downside for anyone seeking quiet.
- The rebrand and renovation are recent, so some spaces and services may still be settling in. Confirm current dining and amenities when you reserve.
- This is an upscale event and business hotel, not a boutique or luxury property. The draw is location and fresh rooms, not resort amenities or design-hotel character.
Practical information
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Lofton Hotel the same as Loews Minneapolis?
Yes. The Lofton Hotel is the rebranded former Loews Minneapolis. It was acquired by a group including Marcus Hotels and reopened as the first Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel in Minnesota, with newly renovated rooms.
Where is The Lofton Hotel?
At 601 1st Avenue North in downtown Minneapolis, in the entertainment district across from Target Center, Target Field, and the First Avenue music club, and near the Hennepin Avenue theaters. It is connected to the downtown skyway system.
How many rooms does The Lofton Hotel have?
251 newly renovated guest rooms and suites, plus more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space anchored by a grand ballroom.
Is The Lofton Hotel good for concerts and games?
Yes. It is one of the best-placed hotels in the city for events, directly across from Target Center and Target Field and steps from First Avenue, so you can walk to a Timberwolves or Twins game or a concert and back.
Does The Lofton Hotel connect to the skyway?
Yes. The hotel is connected to the Minneapolis skyway system, the enclosed second-level walkway network, which is a real advantage for getting around downtown in winter without going outside.
Was The Lofton Hotel renovated?
Yes. The rebrand from Loews to The Lofton came with newly renovated guest rooms and updated spaces. As with any recent relaunch, confirm current amenities and dining when you book.