This hotel gets low scores, and our experience disagrees with that evaluation. Our room is the…read more1-bedroom suite with two bathrooms. It's large, with a microwave and small refrigerator, a separate living room, and- did I mention the two bathrooms. The Hilton Garden Inn is not new, and the furnishings are a step below IKEA, but it's a Hilton Garden Inn with prices that reflect that branding. This is not an expensive hostelry. I don't think there's an attached restaurant. Breakfast will probably stink, but within a half block are nice restaurants and bars. They even run a shuttle to the Mayo clinics and Mayo buildings. We stayed at the more upscale Hilton. There's no microwave in the rooms at the Hilton Downtown, and the Hilton does not have a 1-bedroom suite. It's also a lot more expensive. I did have one major criticism of the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Rochester: The women at the check-in desk were not welcoming, and they appeared angry. They were the only people I encountered during my times in Rochester who were not warm and helpful. Everyone else in this town is as nice as they can be. A smile can do wonders, even for yourself.

Moldy and dirty bathtub. Badly stained sticky carpet…read more Awkward valet parking Friendly helpful staff Location close to Mayo We won't stay there again.

I am a Marriott titanium elite member. That just means that I've spent over 110 nights in a hotel…read morebetween January 1 and July 31, that should tell you how often I'm in a hotel. Today I was treated to a newly renovated room at the courtyard Marriott in Rochester, Minnesota. The town is in the process of going through a lot of renovations, lots of construction, and all the newly poured sidewalks to make this area more accessible. This hotel has been a staple for me, this is my third stay, but it is the first time I was able to enjoy a newly renovated room! The navy blue and white color palette is easy on the eyes, very modern, and very sleek. This room is spotless, it smells like new furniture, and the flooring is fantastic. There is a gray rough floor tile. It gives the illusion of concrete but a lot nicer. The bathroom is extremely well done. The toilet is a handicap height, toilet, so you won't fall on your butt in the middle of the night! The shower enclosure is is a solid piece. There are no seam or grout lines to get moldy. It looks like it'll be easy for them to keep clean and guest to enjoy for a very long time. The shower has extra shelves, lateral spaces for you to put your own toiletries, and there's plenty of room for washcloths and other bath amenities. They have replaced all of the air conditioners with new efficient Honeywell thermostats. They're easy to work and respond well. There's a brand new TV, there's brand new lamps that are the industrial modern look, and the very best gift that the courtyard could give us... A new couch! Gone are the days of the oval worn out loveseat, this is a beautiful addition. Please enjoy the photographs, this is the room that I'm staying in, I took pictures before I unpacked. The presentation is beautiful and fresh. In the next two months, the restaurant and coffee shop will be ready for business, I can't wait to make this my normal home away from home while I'm in Rochester. The staff here are extremely sweet, last time I stayed here I needed help in the business center, they were so eager to help. Deedee helps me make a very important photocopy, it was nice to not have to leave my hotel to keep working. Parking for this hotel is on the second floor. There is an elevator that accesses all of the guest rooms from the parking garage. You use your card to access the floor, making the parking rather safe. A big thank you to Courtyard by Marriott at Rochester for the exciting new treat today! Other cool things: the hotel parking exit shares a parking lot with McDonald's, there is a frozen yogurt restaurant right across the street, soon the KFC will be open again, I believe there's a subway also. The best part... You can walk to the Mayo Clinic from here, it's an easy stroll.

We wouldn't stay anywhere else when we come for our Mayo Clinic checkups. Staff is A+ and…read moreconsistently courteous and ready to make our stay comfortable. $11 per day parking works out well for us since we aren't of state. Restaurant is excellent. Can walk around this area to a McDonald's, fresh thyme grocery store as well as local businesses and a couple restaurants. If you are able to walk you can also walk to the Gonda/Mayo buildings which takes about 20 minutes. There is also a shuttle available. We walk across the street for appointments in the St Mary's hospital campus. Very convenient.

Great place to stay as a Mayo patient. Mayo is literally across the street. Good Mayo discount as…read morewell. The room was clean, was equipped with a full kitchen and a comfortable bed. This was our 2nd stay. Free breakfast, free parking and excellent customer care.

I recently stayed here for a surgery at St. Mary's and had a great experience…read more Rooms are spacious and clean, and the breakfast and soup/salad/sandwich time is welcomed (even if the food itself isn't amazing). What really sets this place apart is LOCATION. The entrance for St. Mary's is literally right across the street. It's nice to not have to worry about making it to appointments on time.

KROC is a radio station in Rochester, MN. The AM band offers news and talk shows, similar to…read moreNEWSTALK 1010 in Toronto or CJOB in Winnipeg. The FM band is what my review focuses on. KROC 106.9 plays music, with entertainment, weather, and news highlights scattered throughout the day. It's top 40 music. It's a cross between the relaxed tone of CHUM 104.5 and the music vibes of KISS 92.5 in Toronto. When I moved to Rochester years ago, I basically brought a suitcase of essentials and me on a plane. I then furnished my apartment by gradually getting items as I went along. One of the first items that I bought was a clock radio. I still have it to this day and it works. I find that whenever I am in a new city, I turn on the radio to listen to what's happening locally. I liked what I heard on KROC and it became my radio station for two years as a Rochester resident. I tuned into the morning show before I headed into work every weekday. Back then, the morning show consisted of Tracy McCray and James Rabe. Both have since left and have moved to another FM station in Rochester. Small world! KROC is located in downtown Rochester. The building is unassuming. It's beige with small KROC letters on it. It's not like some of the neon signs that we see in Toronto for radio stations screaming out their call letters. Rochester is significantly smaller in population than Toronto, but is still deemed a city. Hey, whatever works is good. It has been around since the 1960's. I liked the music. I got into Lifehouse, the band, thanks to this station, and more. I also learned what community activities were going on, which helped me figure things out as a resident. Luckily, streaming radio stations around the world can be easily done these days. I tend to tune in through a browser, but the station has an app that you can download, too. I'll occasionally check out what's happening on KROC, especially when I need my fix hearing a Minnesotan accent or two. (31)

Update on the hotel. It's still a good hotel but a few things have changed. Starbucks is no longer…read morethere and the room we were put in this time smelled funky,,kind of a damp smell. We asked for a different room and they were accommodating. The pool is cleans and definitely not over crowded(Thank God!!) on a side note if your a IHG member you should be able to get a free breakfast-just double check. Parking is still hot as heck on the lower level.

One star. Avoid this place at all costs…read more What a nightmare. We had two prepaid rooms and the problems started the moment we arrived. There was a long line to check in and a long wait to get rooms assigned. We finally got in and got our two keys for the two rooms, we dropped our luggage in one room, and left. Of course, the parking garage did not work with our key card, so back we went and waited in line again. The parking access was added and when we came back, neither room key worked. Back down to the lobby to wait in line again. The front desk reissued keys, but when we went back to open the second room, someone else's belongings were inside! At that point they said they would comp our entire stay and moved us into a larger room at the Staybridge Suites connected in the same building. That was the one nice gesture, except it didn't hold up. After we got home, not only was our prepaid stay never comped, we were charged additionally on top of it! I had to call my credit card company to dispute it, and when they tried to reach the hotel directly, they couldn't get through after more than thirty minutes on hold. This was at around 2 PM on a normal weekday. This is a terribly managed hotel with undertrained staff. One employee helping us was on her second or third day; another had just finished her first week. Nobody seemed equipped to handle even basic check-in, let alone the billing disaster that followed. Save yourself the headache and book somewhere else.

Fun little space in downtown Rochester right across from Mayo. Usually has something set up in it…read moremost days during the summer (small concerts, craft fairs, food booths, etc.).

Our new favorite place to stay. Very clean and well cared for. Check in was a breeze. Parking was…read moreeasy and includes sheltered and open air parking. When I walked in I noticed the place was not fancy but was remarkably clean and well cared for. The beds were comfortable and provided a solid night of sleep. Shower was perfectly clean. Not grime in the corners or dirty areas like in many other hotels. Subway level to Mayo builds as well as a shuttle service to other campuses as needed. Within walking distance of many eating establishments. As well as close enough for delivery if needed. This will be the only place we stay when we come for appointments at Mayo.

When you arrive at the Brentwood Inn, you drive under/through the building to get to the parking…read morelot behind the building. Then, go through the unsecured door in the rear of the building and walk down the long hallway to the front of the building, where the reception desk is. If you need a shuttle to Mayo buildings, this is where you can pick up a schedule - there is no information in the room. Here are the BEST things about this individually owned hotel(?) (motel?): * Free Parking!! * Connects directly to Mayo Clinic through the bright and airy "Subway" level!! (There is no train, it just sounds better than basement.) * low entry shower * medical style recliner * 2 different shades of lightbulbs over the sink AND in the room (bright white, soothing yellow) * DAILY maid service * frozen water machine on every floor They provide the average amenities: * free breakfast of mediocre quality but with a good Bigelow selection of tea * bar of soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner & lotion in travel sizes * small microwave * small refrigerator - turn it up when you get in the room: * small coffee(?) maker - they provide Tork brand coffee packets, powder creamer & sugar (not K-cup) * desk/dresser with a straight chair * nightstand complete with phonebook and Gideon's Bible The not so great ... at least for room 341 which was a 2 Double Bed: * the windows OPEN - ok, they are up off the ground and getting a breeze is nice but they FULLY open on the THIRD floor and it FEELS dangerous (I am NOT saying that it is, I am not a building inspector) * the air conditioner is in the wall and not appropriately weather-stripped ... every breeze camethrough across the heads of the beds * the beds, fully worn in down the center * the pillows, 2 "firm" that are just flat and 1 is so soft that you can roll it into the size of a softball * the sheets feel like canvas linen that they make the reusable bags out of, not the soft cotton that you want against your skin * the "comforters" on top of the beds are soft but thin - if you are chilly there is ONE velux type blanket on the shelf above the mixed-type hangers when you walk in the room door * no luggage rack or short flat area for for suitcase * the light switch for the bathroom was on the outside of the bathroom AND at least 6" away from the bathroom door jam * the toilet-paper was hung very close to the ground while the fixture was a standard height leaving a person to bend over to the side to grab and need a second hand to get the paper separated from the roll * the elevator by the office runs up and down from L(obby) level to 2,3,4 but if you want to go through the S(ubway) level you have to go along the long hallway (from RM 324) to a second elevator that runs S,2,3,4 (no level 1) The bad: * The door to the room appeared to close but could then still be opened, it had to be pulled extra firmly and double and triple checked * The bathroom door appears closed but will randomly pop open * If someone is in the bathroom with the door closed when the door to the room is opened or closed, the bathroom door will open on its own * the bathroom door opened less than 1" away from the end of the edge of the toilet (photo evidence) * the tissues feel like tissue-paper that you would use to wrap a present ... I could not use them on my nose When you get down to the Subway level there are new vending machines. Then you are in Mayo Clinic. You can get a wheelchair here if you need to borrow one. The markings for all the Mayo buildings are clear and straightforward. If you think you are lost, you probably have not gone far enough yet. When you want to return, follow signs for the Graham Parking Ramp. If you borrowed a chair, leave it outside of the Brentwood Inn. You should need your key to call the elevator to come take you up. However, on occasion the door to the steps (directly across from the elevator) may be propped open requiring no security. If you need a handicap accessible room, I would make sure that yours is when registering. My room had a long walk that included 2 steps to get to the elevator that took us down to the Subway. I have to say that despite many inconveniences and lack of creature comforts, if I needed the location, for the right price I might go back. However, I would probably go back to somewhere slightly further away and take the shuttle as needed.

Just look for the big yellow water tower that looks like an ear of corn and you will find the…read moreFairgrounds. They have events here practically all year round. A winter's farmer's market, hockey games, bull riding, flea markets just to name a few...but the big event every year is the Olmsted Country Free Fair and it is always a wonderful event to take your family to. You can get up close and personal with different breeds of pigs, cows, sheep, goats, horses...and talk to the people that are involved in raising them....I enjoy this very much. There is always a very competitive talent competition that will entertain and delight you....and let's not forget the corn dogs, lemon-aid and cotton candy.....oh yeah.....

We've been to this county fair about 5 times. Everything is pretty typical of every other county…read morefair around the state. They call many of these county fairs "free fairs" but you have to pay to get in. The money probably is for parking but no matter how you look at it it's not free. But it's a fun way to kill some time and the look at the exhibits.