Experience a Luxury, Family-Friendly Stay at the Radisson Blu Mall of America

If you're planning a trip to the Mall of America and are considering where to stay, I want to give you a look at the most convenient luxury option! The Radisson Blu is attached to the mall and allows for easy access while still providing a separate, peaceful stay. It's also family-friendly! I've partnered with Radisson Blu to share some of the best parts of our most recent visit.

Minnesota may not be known for much besides our 10,000+ lakes, but we do house the largest mall in the United States, the Mall of America! While we live about two hours north of the iconic mall, we love to make it a staycation destination during the long winter months. Not only is it a shopping mall, it also offers tons of entertainment including a movie theater, Nickelodeon Universe, SeaLife Aquarium, The Crayola Experience, and more. Our kids absolutely love visiting the Mall of America (especially for the rides at Nickelodeon and for the Disney store!), but the day gets long when we have to drive down and back in one trip.

Radisson Blu Mall of America

This winter has been a LONG one, with another foot of snow dumped on us just last weekend. When we had the opportunity to visit the Mall of America for the weekend, we jumped at the chance! The Radisson Blu was easily the most convenient lodging option since it's actually attached to the mall itself. While other hotels in the area offer shuttles to MOA, you can simply walk out of the Radisson Blu and follow the skyway into your favorite stores or attractions. With young kids, this is especially convenient because we can get into the mall early, head back for an afternoon rest or swim, and then head back to the mall for the evening. There's even a Caribou Coffee directly between the hotel and the mall-if you know me, you know that's my favorite!

For this trip, we ended up getting to the mall fairly late even though we started out in the early afternoon! With the snow falling, our typical two hour drive ended up taking over four, and we were so happy when we were able to quickly check into the Radisson Blu and get settled. Valet or self-parking in the Radisson Blu ramp for a small fee is an option, or you can fill out a form and park at any of the mall's free ramps. As you can see, the lobby of the hotel is stunning and everything has a beautiful blue glow.

As soon as we checked in, the kids had to climb into the amazing pod chairs in the lobby!

The staff were friendly and welcoming, and we were excited to get to our room. Well, we were excited to get to our room and the kids were excited to swim! Little did they know, the Radisson Blu staff had planned a little surprise for them. The hotel offers a great Fort Blu Kids Camping package including a variety of options for Radisson Blu and mall amenities.

Radisson Blu Fort Blu Kids Camping Package

When we got to our room, the kids were beyond excited to see this little tent set up with some adorable souvenirs! Here's what they received:

Pop-up tent with tunnel (tunnel not pictured)
Two stuffed Marty Moose toys + a Marty Moose storybook
Squishy log-shaped pillow
Two cups with adorable carabiner handles
Two journals
Curious George Goes Camping book
Go Fish card game
Star projector

After the stressful, long drive, these special gifts were such a treat for our kids. I'm pretty sure our son didn't let go of that log pillow the whole time we were at the hotel, and has continued to cuddle it now that we're home! The entire hotel room was beautiful and very clean. We had a king suite with a pull-out couch for the kids to sleep on, which was the perfect arrangement for our family.

This handwritten note and delicious snack tray were on our table when we entered the room! We were so grateful for this assortment of cheese, nuts, and dried fruits. These personal touches really made our experience even better. We had a generously sized table and chairs in the kitchen area of our suite, along with a coffee maker and fridge.

Our Suite at Radisson Blu Mall of America

It was so nice to have a separate sleeping area from our kids. There was a large TV in our bedroom as well as a TV in the living area. At the end of each day, we were able to relax and watch a few shows before heading to bed. Our kids loved sharing the pull out couch and watching Wreck-It Ralph before drifting off to sleep.

Our room also had a generously sized bathroom which was perfect for our family. When we got back from swimming, our kids would hop in the over-sized tub. My husband and I could take turns using the large shower and hotel toiletries.

The pool was large and even though it was a busy weekend at the Radisson Blu, it never felt crowded. If you are coming to the hotel without kids, there are adult-only pool hours in the early morning and late evening if you want a more relaxing experience. We loved splashing around with the kids which you can see more of in the video below!

While we didn't have a chance to experience it this time, the Solimar Spa at Radisson Blu also looks like an amazing experience! They offer massages, body wraps and facials, as well as salon services for hair, nails and skin. If we had been visiting without our kids, I would have booked a massage in a heartbeat. 24-hour room service is also offered at the Radisson Blu with a menu in the room for easy ordering. We were gifted vouchers for breakfast during our stay, which was served in the gorgeous FireLake Grill House.

Breakfast at FireLake Grill House

There were plenty offerings including eggs, sausage, oatmeal, pastries, fruit, and more. The restaurant is a beautiful setting and an interesting contrast to the modern feel of the hotel. We really love the barn-wood look and I wish we'd had a chance to dine in the restaurant for dinner also. Hopefully next time!

After filling up on breakfast, we would head into the Mall of America via the skyway. This was a huge convenience for us, because we didn't have to go outside into the -20 degree weather! We spent the weekend enjoying Nickelodeon Universe and the hotel pool. We were also able to do some shopping and visit the American Girl store prior to its closing. I can't stress how nice it was to have access to our hotel whenever we needed it, while also being in close proximity to the entire mall. We didn't have to waste time or stress traveling the terrible conditions outside. The hotel and staff were SO accommodating which made the experience even better. I can't wait to visit this gorgeous hotel again!

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