The expansive Grand View Lodge is getting even bigger. Two-ish hours from Minneapolis, the resort is appealing to planners with its new hotel and conference center it’s planning as part of its $30 million expansion. The 60-room boutique hotel—simply called North—is situated to become the perfect venue for groups looking to escape the city. The three meeting rooms are ideal for boardrooms or breakout space; its second-floor meeting space, called Create, will have an entire whiteboard wall and casual seating for 20-30 guests. The boardroom (Inspire) will have seating for 10-12 and flexible space is available across the hall in Imagine. The conference room, Discover, will have capacity for 100-120 people and, perhaps most notably, be connected to the outdoor putting green, where attendees can take a golf break. The first-floor Reflection room and patio (complete with a fire pit) can be used for breakout space. The lobby will have a fire pit, casual seating and 18-hour bar that transition from serving caramel rolls and coffee in the morning to cocktails in the evening. North’s 20 double queens and 40 king rooms will filter in natural light through its patio door-like windows and feature upscale cabin décor.
North will open in July, but Cindy Baysinger, director of sales and planning, is already selling blocks to corporate groups.
NorthPark, the recreation center across the way from the hotel, will have a fitness center, yoga/spin studio with virtual instructors, two 3,779-square-foot pools (the indoor one with a water slide), and two indoor hot tubs (one adult and one family). And if hot tubbing is your thing, the giant 8,000-gallon outdoor hot tub (capacity: 36) will be open year-round. There’s a corn hole stadium in the works, and its planned eight stations and outdoor lighting will make for a fun group activity.
The outdoor elements will open this summer, but the indoor part is scheduled to open this March.
