Directions
Here’s a Map, in case you want to plot your own route or otherwise get the lay of the land.
Here are the directions the hotel provides:
From the North:
Take 35 W South To I-494, Go East On I-494 To 34th Ave Exit 1b, Turn Right On 34th Ave 1 Block to American Blvd. Turn Left – Hotel Entrance On Right.
From the South:
Take 35 W North To I-494, Go East On I-494 To 34th Ave. Exit 1b, Turn Right On 34th Avenue. 1 Block To American Blvd. Turn Left – Hotel Entrance On Right.
From the East:
Follow I-494 West To 34th Ave. Exit 1b, Turn Left On 34th Ave., Go 2 Blocks To American Blvd. Turn Left – Hotel Entrance On Right
From the West:
Follow I-494 East To 34th Ave. Exit 1b, Turn Right On 34th Ave., Go 1 Block to American Blvd. – Turn Left – Hotel Entrance On Right.
The Route We Sometimes Use (an alternate route from the north)
35W south; go east on 62/crosstown (exit 11B, it’s a left exit); go south on 77 (a.k.a. Cedar Ave south); exit on Lindau Lane / Killebrew drive; exit on Killebrew Drive and then just take Killebrew past the Mall of America. You’ll go through three stoplights by the Mall of America and then the road winds around a bit and will no longer be called Killebrew but East Old Shakopee Road. Eventually you’ll come to two traffic lights: the first is Appletree road, which can take you in the back way to the hotel (turn right onto Appletree and then take the first left you can. The hotel will be right in front of you); the second light is American Blvd, turn right on it and the Holiday Inn is the first right.
If you’re staying at the hotel, you may want to temporarily park near the front door to unload your stuff ‘cuz the walk from the ramp to the elevators is longer than average.
Parking
If you’re approaching the hotel from American Blvd, you should see a sign directing you to the parking ramp (it’ll be on the left once you’ve gone under part of the hotel).
If you’re approaching the hotel the back way, from Appletree, the ramp will be on your right (and you won’t see a sign for it unless you’re looking at the ramp).
You’ll want to go to the top of the ramp to park, there’s a door to the hotel up there. You can park in the Holiday Inn parking area that isn’t quite at the top, you’ll just have to take stairs up to the level that’s at the top of the ramp. There are handicapped parking spots near the door to the Holiday Inn at the top of the ramp.
Yes, the ramp can be confusing. Sometimes it seems easy and we’ve had no trouble getting where we want to go, other times we may have driven around in a few circles. Whoops. Just head up; there are signs and arrows to help.
Enter the hotel from the ramp and you’ll walk past the pool and down a longish hallway; the elevators will (eventually) be on your right. Take the elevators up to 13 to the convention or down to the first floor to check into the hotel.
If you’re entering the hotel from the ramp after 11pm and don’t have a room key, you may have to hit the intercom button to get someone at the front desk to open the door for you. If you’re leaving for a while and know you won’t be back ’til late, we can loan you a room key.
Getting There by Bus and/or Light Rail
The hotel is 3 blocks from a light rail stop (Bloomington Central Station on the Hiawatha Line). Free shuttles run regularly between the hotel and the airport; and between the hotel and the Mall of America (more details on the amenities page). There are light rail stops at both the airport and Mall of America.
