Nov. 17, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by The Ramkota Companies Inc.

From a four-minute walk away, Mark Olson has seen the Mall of America slowly begin to come back to life.

“The attractions are back open, and it seems like the mall is ready to kick off again,” said Olson, director of operations for Regency Hotel Management, who leads the company’s Best Western Plus Bloomington hotel.

“I think they’re glad we’ve gotten to shopping season and hoping for a better year than last year, when people still were not traveling here and the mall had just reopened.”

This year, everything is open.

New stores include PacSun Kids, the menswear store Psycho Bunny, Watches of Switzerland and the custom lipstick business Lip Lab.

The internationally acclaimed Museum of Failure has set up at the mall through Jan. 9, showcasing more than 130 flops, oddities, gadgets and epic fails. Think New Coke, Bic for Her and Colgate Frozen Dinners.

Kids can return to Nickelodeon World, where 7 acres of rides and attractions await, or Crayola Experience, with more than 20 hands-on activities.

And all ages can again visit Sea Life Aquarium, Minnesota’s largest, which includes a 300-foot ocean tunnel, or FlyOver America, an immersive simulation ride.

“I was in the mall a few weeks ago, and it was back (to life),” Olson said. “And for our guests, getting there couldn’t be easier. It’s a four-minute walk, a two-minute drive, and the mall and hotel both have free parking. Plus, we operate a 24-hour shuttle service, so we drive people and pick them up all the time, both from the mall and the nearby airport.”

The Best Western Bloomington opened in 2011, operated by Sioux Falls-based Regency, and Olson has been there ever since. With 211 guest rooms, including 65 around an indoor waterpark, “it’s a very family-oriented hotel,” he said.

“A lot has been done to keep it modernized and refreshed, and it’s a beautiful hotel with the best location you can think of. In the last five years, we’ve made millions in improvements, including new carpet in many areas, furniture in guest rooms and our new bedding design.”

Rooms feature 42-inch televisions, microwaves, refrigerators, high-speed internet and a desk work area.

Guests can begin their day with a free hot breakfast in the dining room.

At dinner, the on-site JT’s Food & Cocktails restaurant offers a family-friendly sports bar atmosphere with great burgers, pizzas and other fun foods.

“And if you have kids ages 13 and under, they’re going to love our water park,” Olson said. “It’s perfect for that age and very popular.”

If you’re looking to visit downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul, that’s easy from this hotel too.

“Many people don’t realize the Mall of America has a fairly new transit center in the basement, so you can hop on the light rail and easily be downtown for a game or concert,” Olson said. “It’s a beautiful, convenient thing to have right next to our hotel that will get you downtown in 30 minutes without worrying about traffic or parking.”

Travel in Minnesota has been different in the past year and a half compared with South Dakota, he acknowledged.

“We realize there are people who have it in their mind it’s not safe here,” he said. “I’ve lived in Minneapolis most of my life. I live in Sioux Falls now, but I am there all the time and was there all through the pandemic. It is safe. It is a family-friendly environment. You can come here this holiday season and enjoy yourself, and we’re glad people are beginning to realize that.”

There are still rooms available, though. So if you’re considering a quick shopping trip this holiday season, click here to learn more, and make your reservation.

“We likely are going to have rooms available, more during the week than on weekends, but even if you’re making a last-minute trip, you should be able to stay with us,” Olson said.

The Best Western Bloomington is a valued part of the company’s portfolio, said Josh Schmaltz, president of The Ramkota Cos., of which Regency is a wholly owned subsidiary.

“Many in Sioux Falls likely don’t realize that our homegrown company has this significant presence in the Twin Cities right next to Mall of America,” he said. “But we’ve been there a decade now and seen great synergy with the mall and enjoyed strong leadership like Mark, so we anticipate this property continuing to rebound along with the mall and the market in the year ahead.”

And despite the challenges of the past year, Olson said he still loves coming to work.

“I’ve worked other places, including in hotel management, and I just can’t tell you how different this company is,” he said. “They just are really good people and a very family-oriented company. There are great people here to learn from, and I’ve been very appreciative of my bosses who have given me the opportunity to do what I love. If a hotel down the road called and offered me a job for more, I wouldn’t take it. I just enjoy coming to work here.”

To connect with Best Western Bloomington, click here.