Travel + Leisure: St. Paul Hotel Among World's Best
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Minnesota is rich with a large number of classy and elegant hotels, but there is one in the capitol city that consistently outshines all others.
In the January edition of Travel and Leisure magazine, readers named the St. Paul Hotel as one of the world's 500 best hotels. In fact, it is the only hotel in Minnesota to make the prestigious list.
From the moment guests arrive in the hotel's carpeted, wood-paneled and crystal elegance, they're struck with a balance of modern convenience and old world charm.
The St. Paul Hotel has been welcoming guests for more than a century, says general manager, David Miller.
"The hotel was built in 1910," Miller said as he opened the door to one of the spacious suites.
Miller says that being named to Travel and Leisure's list of the world's best is a reflection of the hotel's warm hospitality and rich decor.
According to Miller, "we have 254 rooms total and about 30 of them are upgraded rooms of some types. We have three of the named suites."
And those suites are decorated with beautifully crafted wooden furniture - complete with four posted bed, formal dining table and a priceless view of nearby Rice Park.
Because the St. Paul Hotel will host more than 100 weddings each year, there's even a specially decorated dressing suite reserved just for the bride and her bridesmaids.
"A lot of the suites are individualized which makes for a very unique story," Miller said.
And whether curled up next to a fireplace or dining in the acclaimed St. Paul Grill, guests consistently give the hotel top marks. It's an honor earned thanks to the hotel's charming setting and committed staff.
"They are very proud, hospitality is in their hearts. They do a fantastic job and that's why people keep coming back," Miller said.
Among the hotel's artifacts is a guest list from the first year in 1910. Presidents Taft, Roosevelt and Garfield were all present at a meeting that gave rise to the national park system.
The cost of their rooms back then: between $2 and $4.
