Do you need a fun getaway? Check out the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel. It was awesome!!! Quaint, cozy, and romantic all in one.
Minnesota winters can start to become very long by the end of January. And there are still a few more months of winter at that point. While Minnesotans know how to survive the cold and snow that does not mean it does not get old after a while.
We all need a break. Even if we can’t get away to a warm beach a change of scenery is always welcome. While planning our evening at the Winter Skolstice and Minnesota Ice Maze, I decided to check the availability and prices of renting a room at the Omni Viking Lakes hotel for the night.
Much to my surprise there were rooms available and some winter weekend packages that made staying a no-brainer. Not only could we enjoy a couple of extra drinks at the Warming Haus without needing to drive but we could also experience the location of my true love. Minnesota Vikings Football!!!
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Where is the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel
The Omni Viking Lakes hotel is part of the larger Minnesota Vikings Training complex near the TCO Stadium. This is the home of the Minnesota Vikings training camp. The Omni Viking Lakes hotel sits on one end of the complex overlooking the TCO Performance Center and TCO Stadium.
The complex is approximately 15 minutes south of downtown St Paul off interstate 494 between Dodd Road and Delaware Ave.
Even though the football season is over, it was still exciting to see the pre-season training camp facility.
What makes the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel Special
Aside from the proximity to the TCO Stadium, the Omni Viking Lakes hotel is decorated with a Norsk (aka Scandinavian) vibe. I’m sure many of you saw the name and my comments about the Minnesota Vikings football team and thought it would be a football-themed hotel.
Sorry, but NO, while I would love to stay at a football-themed hotel, the Norsk Viking vibe is right up my alley too. I’m of over 50% Swedish descent so I felt right at home.
Spoon-carved columns in the lobby reminded me of something you would see in an old stave church. The blond wood floors and furniture made it all look modern and fresh.
What are the rooms like?
The rooms at the Omni Viking Lakes hotel are simple and cozy. But that does not mean boring. Think about everything you see on Pinterest with the word Hygge. That sums up the room.
The décor is simple but not plain. The colors were all neutral and made you want to kick your feet up on the chaise with a glass of wine. I was instantly relaxed as soon as I walked into the room.
All of the lights have dimmer switches. Even the floor lamps!!!
The bedding is soft and inviting. If we could have stayed an extra night, I would have spent half the day snuggled into the blankets.
Each room is equipped with a Keurig coffee maker with several different flavors of tea and caribou coffee, a Midwest favorite!
My favorite part was probably the shower…complete with a gentle rain shower head and NEST shampoo, conditioner and body wash!! It smelled so good and the warm water falling from above made it easy to stay in there a bit longer than was necessary.
What are the dining options at the Omni Viking Lakes hotel?
You all know how much I love food so of course I needed to explore the food options at the Omni Viking Lakes hotel.
Ember & Ice
We started with Ember & Ice, a craft cocktail bar on the second floor. The Norsk Hygge theme continues in the bar.
There are a few tables for dining but also sleek lounge chairs and couches surrounding the massive floor-to-ceiling two-sided fireplace. The artwork crosses over from the Norsk Vikings to the Minnesota Vikings with some black and white drawings of football teams.
The floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the TCO stadium, which at night makes for a romantic glow. Ok so maybe not romantic for everyone but my boo and I loved it. A few others in the room seemed to like it too.
The limited menu offers some delicious appetizers and light meals. We had the Smoked Beef Brisket Nachos. There were more than enough for two people and they were delicious! The smoked brisket was juicy and full of smokey flavor. The cheese sauce was homemade, none of this out of a can nacho cheese. I’m a sucker for fresh guacamole and this did not disappoint!
Ember & Ice Cocktails
As good as the nachos are, the cocktails at the Omni Viking Lakes hotel Ember & Ice were the real show stopper. I started with Valhalla’s Crown. A gin and prosecco cocktail, mixed with pineapple gum syrup and lemon, with fresh diced strawberries and cucumbers. It was light and refreshing. I was love to have this again on a hot summer evening on the deck.
My boyfriend had the Scandi Cider. I had a little taste of it and really enjoyed this drink too. It was a passion fruit cocktail with bourbon, lime, and pineapple gum syrup. He liked it so much that he had two.
I enjoyed Valhalla’s Crown but wanted to try something different, so for my second cocktail, I had the Smoke & Ruins. This was by far, my favorite of the three! The Smoke & Ruins, was a bourbon-based drink with Amaro Montenegro, almond Orgeat, lime, and allspice. But what made it magical, was the burning incent stick floating on an orange slice on top. It added a light smokey flavor and let’s be real, it’s fun to get a cocktail that is on fire.
Ten Drops Coffee Bar
We love to sleep in so missed breakfast, BUT that is ok because we got to experience lunch at Ten Drops Coffee Bar. Ten Drops Coffee Bar at the Omni Viking Lakes hotel has grab and go refrigerated case with sandwiches, salads, and assorted beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. It also serves as the hotel gift shop with some Minnesota-themed t-shirts, candles, and coffee mugs….the usual in a hotel gift shop.
While we missed breakfast that does not mean we skipped the morning coffee. We headed to the counter to order and saw several options for hot sandwiches. I love pesto so I HAD to have the chicken, pesto panini. My boo ordered the turkey club. And we both ordered a hot cup of Caribou Coffee.
Ten Drops is intended to be a to-go order place but they do have a long table with stools facing Keras lobby bar area. We opted to sit and eat.
I have to admit, I was not sure what to expect from a grab and go for food. But the chicken pesto panini was delicious! The thinly sliced grilled chicken breast was juicy and the pesto was flavorful. A fresh tomato was a perfect balance to offset the rich pesto. And the bread was toasted perfectly with the perfect grill marks you expect from a panini. It came with fresh kettle chips seasoned with salt, vinegar, and dill. Yes, dill! I’m normally not a huge fan of kettle chips but these were so tasty I ate them all.
The Patrons at Omni Viking Lakes Hotel
While we waited for our food, we had a fantastic time people-watching. I realized there was a wide diversity of people enjoying time in the hotel. Young kids playing with their toys on the coffee tables. An elderly couple having a glass of wine at the bar.
A young mother was speaking Spanish to her kids. Three women were enjoying a beer wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts, while a couple walked by dressed as if they were headed to a wedding. Everyone looked comfortable and seemed to fit in.
We both decided we didn’t want to go. I’ve never been in a hotel lobby that made me not want to leave, but the Omni Viking Lakes hotel did just that; we didn’t want to nor did we leave…
Keras Bar
Maybe we were avoiding the reality of going home to clean or maybe we just felt so good we wanted to extend the time. Either way, we decided to move on from Ten Drops Coffee House across the hall to Keras bar.
It was after noon so…
We picked two cozy accent chairs along the side wall so we could easily people-watch. We started out with a glass of Pino Noir. I felt so sophisticated, sipping a glass of wine in a hotel lobby bar. I could get used to this lifestyle!
Keras Bar at the Omni Viking Lakes hotel has several different seating areas. Perfect for any type of situation. A few stools lined the dark wood bar. Behind the bar was a large TV showing a basketball game. A few small tables were set up along bench seating and a large long wood table lined the back wall next to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The main area however was filled with couches and accent chairs with large coffee tables in the middle.
The wine was good but a bit sweeter than I like so we decided to have a beer too before we headed home.
As odd as it sounds, sitting in the lobby bar of the Omni Viking Lakes hotel was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable afternoons I’ve had on a vacation in a long time. I never would have thought we would spend the whole day sitting around people-watching. The Omni Viking Lakes hotel was worth every penny. I would go back again in a heartbeat!
Always remember, life should be an adventure!! Live your best life and explore the world around you.
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