Best Hotels With Rooftop Pools in Minneapolis for Skyline Swims
Words by
Sophia Martinez
How I Started Falling for Minneapolis Skyline Swims
I still remember the first time I kicked back in a rooftop pool in Minneapolis, the skyline unspooling in every direction like a postcard that somehow got better in real life. If you are asking me, these are some of the best hotels with rooftop pools in Minneapolis for swims with actual views instead of just recycled lobby air and a deck chair. I have stayed, splashed, and borderline sunburned at every spot on this list, and each one tells a slightly different story about this city that refuses to take itself too seriously despite being very good at everything.
1. The Marquette Hotel by Hilton (Mill District / Downtown)
A Downtown Classic With a Pool You Don't Expect
The Marquette sits on Marquette Avenue, which means you are right in the heart of downtown, but the pool is not just an afterthought tacked onto some conference floor. You take the elevator up, push through, and suddenly there is this Minneapolis rooftop pool hotel experience with the IDS Center and its shiny Crystal Court visible just a few blocks away.
The outdoor pool area is seasonal, meaning it is really a late May through mid September thing, but they open when the weather finally cooperates and people are desperate for the sun. Go early in the week on a Tuesday or Wednesday before 11am because you will have near privacy with the skyline; on weekends the chairs fill faster than you would think in a business hotel. I once saw a group of lawyers, freshly shaved poolside, arguing about depositions in their trunks with coffee in hand, which felt purely Minneapolis.
Order a Tom Collins or a local Grain Belt from the small bar area if they have it staffed (sometimes it is just brought up from the lobby), and ask for a poolside lunch menu with a turkey club. The local trick is to ask if they still have the midweek weekday pool access pass for non-guests (they used to offer that seasonally), or to grab a cheap day-room rate if you just want the swim without an overnight. Most tourists have no idea that this rooftop was once a private event deck for Jostens yearbook banquets back when the building had a different life.
The Vibe? Corporate in the lobby, resort once you reach the roof.
The Bill? Drinks around $13-16, simple sandwiches and salads in the $14-19 range.
The Standout? Quiet midweek mornings on a sunny day with the downtown skyscrapers right there.
The Catch? The hot tub and pool are not huge, and on summer Fridays after work it becomes a networking event whether you like it or not.
2. Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill Northeast (Northeast Minneapolis)
A Northeast Neighborhood Gem That Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously
I found this infinity pool hotel Minneapolis almost by accident, chasing a breweries loop in Northeast and realizing I had gone a little too hard on the IPAs to then drive. The Canopy has an outdoor rooftop pool with skyline views facing back toward the downtown core, sitting high enough over the Central Avenue and Broadway intersection that you can forget all about the traffic noise by the time you finish your first stroke.
This is a more styled, almost boutique feel than the typical downtown towers, and the pool is part of a lounge zone with Adirondack style chairs and string lights that make it feel like an outdoor music festival rest stop rather than some corporate afterthought. Mid afternoon on a weekday is perfect for a lonely lap or three; on Saturdays they tend to have local DJ sets or vinyl spins nearby inside, so stick around and make a plan for First Avenue later. Ask for a spritz or a local lager at whatever they are pouring on the roof or in the lobby bar, and share some skewers or flatbread if you are peckish. Locals know that if you want to treat this as an unofficial pool party, hit it around mid August during your city's own Mini Donut Day or the Northeast Art-A-Whirl weekend, then just drift between this rooftop and nearby galleries all afternoon.
The catch is that if you are a non guest and just visiting the bar, you may have to be charming about whether roof pool access is included; from what I have seen, it is mostly guest focused, so book at least one night if you can, especially when it is 85 degrees and brutal humidity. That rooftop also looks directly at the big Brick House neon, which I like, but if you are trying to pretend you are on some far away tropical escape instead of still in Millesota, your brain might argue with the visual. Most outsiders don’t realize the hotel is close enough to Sheridan and the old brewery warehouses that this whole area was once the city’s industrial packaging backbone before it turned into the current arts and IPA circus.
The Vibe? A stylish neighborhood pool party that somehow is attached to a Hilton brand.
The Bill? Craft cocktails around $14, smaller plates in the $12-18 range.
The Standout? The deck layout and neon lit skyline views with no feeling of being trapped in an office tower.
The Catch? Small hot tub area; if two groups decide to be loud, your zen evaporates fast.
3. Radisson Blu, Minneapolis Downtown (Downtown / Nicollet Mall)
Glass, Steel, and a Pool That Feels Like a Downtown Time Capsule
Some visitors skip right over the Radisson Blu in favor of shinier names, but this pool view hotel Minneapolis is one of the better kept skyline swim secrets in the city. The pool sits high enough up that you can see Lake of the Isles on a clear day and the spire of the Basilica of Saint Mary in another direction, surrounded by glass and steel that reflect the stone face of the old Nicollet Hotel that used to occupy this same footprint in a previous life.
Go in the early evening, maybe 5:30 or 6pm, just as the sun starts thinking about setting and the light starts bouncing between the downtown towers; that is when my photos looked liked they had 17 filters even though none were added. Seasonal rooftop beverages are usually strong and simple (bonus if they still push that Nordic white ale pairing story) and the small plate menu is passable. Order a cheese board and a local beer, and lean into it being less about the food and more about the swim with a foreground of downtown power suits and church steeples.
Locals who know the building's history love to point out that the Radisson site was where generations of traveling musicians chilled before First Avenue and 7th Street Entry became the go to for famous local gigs. This is as close as it gets to an infinity edge experience downtown without paying luxury boutique prices; it is more framed glass and architecture than endless blue when you look out, but at dusk that city skyline looks almost designed by someone with very good taste.
The Vibe? Retro modern glass box pool with skyline history baked into the foundation.
The Bill? Beer and wine around $7-11, small plates often $12-17.
The Standout? Early evening skyline reflections off both water and surrounding towers.
The Catch? The deck is small, which is great on a Tuesday and a crush on a Saturday if a corporate event rents the rooftop.
4. Hotel Ivy + Residences (Downtown / Luxury Tower)
The Quiet Luxe Pool With Uninterrupted Views of the City Backbone
The Hotel Ivy is where people go when they want the rooftop lap without shouting over a DJ. You are up high, the pool feels intimate, and the skyline spreads out in full length from downtown towers to softer river edges. Technically you are in residences territory, which means you might be sharing the pool with someone who literally paid a few million dollars to never leave.
There is no standard public or hotel only rooftop access program that is widely advertised, so the most straightforward strategy if you are not staying is to rent a place that includes pool access, or know someone who lives there and moonlight as their very responsible friend. I once stayed in a short term rental through one of the big platforms that specifically advertised pool and spa access; when I booked a weekday in early June, we had almost perfect quiet laps until about 3pm, just the occasional power suit roller blading along the path below. A classic move is to hydrate at the hotel restaurant downstairs (where the martinis are not shy) then pop up for a late afternoon dip before dinner.
Locals know the Ivy was built as a kind of antithesis to the city’s blue collar past, mid 2000s condo boom style, so the pool is practically dripping in the material Minneapolis used to leave to the coastal cities. If you are waiting for some neighborhood barbecue experience, this is more boardroom masculinity meets old Money Midwest; that being said, the heights and views are absurd, I once saw actual sunset colors so intense I thought my phone was just glitching out.
The Vibe? Serious luxury without the velvet ropes, as long as you have access.
The Bill? If you manage to get inside the restaurant bar, expect $16-18 cocktails and $25+ for small plates.
The Standout? The unobstructed skyline lap line and height that makes everything down below feel like models.
The Catch? Access is the real barrier. No easy day passes; you generally need to be a resident or a guest.
5. Moxy Minneapolis Downtown (Downtown / Nicollet Mall Edge)
Millennial Pink Meets Midwestern Muscle Under the Same Rooftop
Moxy is the brand that decided your pool should come with neon, cocktails, and a hotel lobby that doubles as a living room for people who care about Instagram more than housekeeping carts. It is on the Nicollet side of downtown, which puts it in walking distance to Orchestra Hall, the library, and the biggest concentration of skyline selfie spots in the whole city.
The rooftop bar and seasonal pool setup is as much about seeing and being seen as it is about the actual laps, so go midweek if you want quiet water time and not as much networking energy in swim trunks. Weekend evenings, especially before First Avenue shows start, turn it into a pregame zone with DJ vibes and backlit glass panels framing the downtown core. Order a local canned cocktail mixed with something fizzy and fruity, and some bar snacks like pretzels or loaded fries just to keep the altitude from affecting you.
Most tourists don’t realize how many old newspapers and media companies used to haunt this block before the storefronts turned into fast casual chains and hotels. I like to remind local friends that the city’s journalism history is buried under our cocktails, sometimes literally: they excavated old printing press foundations when some of these newer buildings went up, and now we drink our local IPAs where headlines were once physically printed.
The Vibe? Trendy rooftop pool party designed by people who study what Gen Z wants at 2am.
The Bill? Cocktails $14-17, bar food $10-16.
The Standout? Quick walk from music venues, the library, and some good cheap eats.
The Catch? It’s loud, social, and small; not the best choice for meditation laps.
6. Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis (Downtown / Marquette Avenue)
The Serious Skyline Pool for People Who Care About Thread Count More Than Noise Level
This is the rooftop pool hotel Minneapolis that basically says, We can go luxury with the best of them and we are not apologizing. The Four Seasons sits on Marquette, and the pool deck is designed with serious relaxation firmly in mind: clean lines, a great lounging area, and sight lines that run straight along the city’s heavy hitters, US Bank Stadium in the distance, the river, and the towers that make up the downtown financial core.
Book a weekday evening stay, early July through mid August, and request a late afternoon pass to the rooftop if they do not attach it automatically to your room. That is the magic hour when the heat backs off, golden light drapes along the skyline, and the pool is less crowded because business guests are still pretending to be on conference calls downstairs. Expect to pay premium bar prices ($18-20ish for a cocktail), and they often lean into local partnerships with small batch spirits and craft beers; ask what the signature is and then request whatever they have on tap from a local brewer.
History buffs love pointing out how four or five blocks in any direction from here used to be the wholesale and lumber baron territory in the early years of the city; now it is towers, tech companies, and people in robes having post pool canapes overlooking what used to be sawmills and flour. If you want an infinity style edge and the best sore muscle relief your bank account can buy, this is it. Just budget accordingly and know that the Four Seasons is not here to offer a casual $12 happy hour.
The Vibe? Expensive silence with a side of very well designed concrete and glass.
The Bill? Drinks in the $15-20 range, appetizers $18-28 or so during peak service.
The Standout? The elevated infinity edge with a city view from the water line that feels almost arrogant.
The Catch? It is not cheap, and if you are dropping that kind of money just for a swim, you better be ready to stay the night.
7. Hewing Hotel (North Loop / Warehouse District)
Timber, Brick, and a Rooftop That Feels Like an Old Story Retold
The Hewing is in the North Loop, among the old brick warehouses that have slowly turned into some of the most expensive real estate you will find outside of the downtown towers. Its rooftop is not your typical concrete and glass box, it has a more lodge like feeling with wood panels, furniture made from old timber beams, and a sense that the building remembers when most of Minneapolis still smelled like flour and lumber.
The rooftop bar and lounge is where locals go when they want a quieter scene than the louder hotels a few blocks over. The pool itself is intimate and heated, open seasonally but carefully managed; go early evening on a weekday and ask for a seat with the downtown skyline behind you, then order something with local spirits plus a snack that might incorporate wild rice or bison. Run by a crew that pays a lot of attention to Minnesota’s hunting and gathering roots, they lean into the whole timber lodge aesthetic while still reminding you that you are high up above warehouse turned whiskey bars and designer brunch spots.
Most people outside of the city have no clue that the North Loop was once a train yard filled with tobacco warehouses and manufacturing lines; walking one block east from the Hewing in the late afternoon light all the way to the river is basically a before and after photograph of Minneapolis’ entire economic history. The rooftop gives you the new version: skyline reflections, rooftop cocktails in smart glassware, and a small but serious pool that proves you do not have to be flashy to be genuinely luxurious.
The Vibe? Old lumber camp tales retold with good tailoring and heated water.
The Bill? Cocktails around $15-17, shareable plates $13-20ish.
The Standout? The more personal scale and historic building character mixed with modern comfort.
The Catch? It’s small and inclined to fill with North Loop regulars who already have their usual spots picked out.
8. The Midtown Global Market (Lake Street, Phillips Neighborhood) – Rooftop Access Discussion
A Word on the Global Market and What It Tells You About Pools & Neighborhoods in the City
This one is not actually a rooftop hotel with a pool, but it is important context if you are searching for rooftop pool hotel Minneapolis style and wondering why the list is so heavily downtown and North Loop. The Midtown Global Market on East Lake Street is not swimming, but it is a perfect place to understand how the city zones its luxury amenities and why you will find rooftop pools only in certain neighborhoods, generally where developers focused on high end hospitality and condos.
A common insider move is to stay at one of the downtown options, then take a short drive or rideshare down Lake Street for breakfast or lunch at the Global Market. You can grab halo halo, Somali sambusas, or Mexican tamales, then head back through the East Phillips and Longfellow neighborhoods along the river before returning to your skyline swim. Minneapolis is a city of very specific neighborhood identities, and Lake Street is the stubborn, multiverse style, hard scrabble complement to the gleaming glass and steel pools above Marquette and Hennepin.
What most tourists miss is that many of the buildings where rooftop pools now exist were once purely industrial or office focused, with zero interest in telling you to wear a swimsuit above the 10th floor. The story of Minneapolis’ rooftop swimming scene is really a story about how the city grew from flour and lumber wealth into corporate wealth and lifestyle branding over the last 20-30 years. Seeing that transition up close, from water level on Lake Street to pool level downtown, is one of the best ways to understand why the skyline looks the way it does and where the city might go next.
The Vibe? Street level multicultural feast as a counterpoint to rooftop privilege.
The Bill? Food inside the market is often $5-14 per item, very affordable.
The Standout? Experience of the city's broader neighborhood culture without trying to romanticize poverty.
The Catch? No pool here, just a reminder that not every part of Minneapolis is focused on infinity edges and craft cocktails — and that’s part of what makes the city interesting.
When to Go, How to Plan, and What to Know About Rooftop Swims in Minneapolis
Minneapolis rooftop pools are mainly a Memorial Day to Labor Day situation, though some hotels like the Four Seasons and Hewing tend to keep their heated pools open a bit earlier in May and later into September if the evenings are not yet brutal. Midweek days, Tuesday through Thursday, are almost always calmer and better for lap swimmers or solo visitors who do not want 40 strangers doing shots near their towel. Weekends, especially between mid June and early August, skew more social, especially in places like Moxy and the downtown Hilton Marquette.
Most of these pools are guest first, meaning the easiest way to guarantee an entry is to book a room. Day passes exist in some cases, but tend to be unofficial, seasonal, or routed through the spa versus the front desk. The local move is to call the hotel spa, politely ask about rooftop pool access options for a non guest day visit, and see what they say. Prices and policies do shift year to year, so do not bank on a specific answer being valid forever.
Budget matters here if you are paying full rack rate. You can get steep discounts on big brand hotels by booking midweek nights (Monday through Thursday), using AAA or loyalty members rates, or staying right at the edges of big conference weekends when rooms suddenly reclaim. Infinity style edges with skyline views will always be at premium brands like the Four Seasons or the Marriott/Radisson luxury properties; more relaxed pool scenes with strong local flavor are in the North Loop and Northeast.
What many visitors underestimate is how fast a gorgeous sunny day can turn into a thunderstorm in summer, followed by 60 degree nights. Bring layers (a hoodie at night is not embarrassing, it is survival) and remember that pool closures can happen quickly if lightning pops up. The city is bright and surprisingly vertical from a rooftop, so sunglasses and sunscreen are not optional even when it feels cool breezy at street level. If you plan your rooftop swim in the late afternoon around 5-6pm, you will avoid the worst UV and also catch the best light on the skyline.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the standard tipping etiquette or service charge policy at restaurants in Minneapolis?
Tipping 18-20% of the pre tax bill is standard at sit down restaurants and bars in Minneapolis. Many restaurants automatically add an 18-22% service charge for larger tables (often parties of 6 or more), and some hotels include a resort or service fee on rooftop bar tabs. Always check the bottom of the receipt for an added gratuity line before leaving extra cash.
2. Is Minneapolis expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.
A mid tier traveler in Minneapolis might spend roughly $200-300 per day before flights. That covers a downtown or North Loop hotel in the $140-210 range (midweek), about $45-60 on food across a casual lunch and a nicer dinner, $20-30 on transit or rideshares, and another $20-40 on attractions or incidentals. Budget closer to $350-400 per day if you want a luxury rooftop pool hotel and multiple higher end meals.
3. How many days are needed to see the major tourist attractions in Minneapolis without feeling rushed?
Most visitors can see the major Minneapolis highlights in 3-4 days at a comfortable pace. That allows time for downtown skyline walks, museums like the Walker Art Center and the Mill City Museum, a day exploring Northeast Minneapolis or North Loop, and at least one afternoon by the lakes. Adding a day or two lets you slow down more and enjoy longer neighborhood visits, brewery tours, or a Vikings or Lynx game if sport is your interest.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted across Minneapolis, or is necessary to carry cash for daily expenses?
Credit and debit cards are accepted at the vast majority of restaurants, hotels, bars, and attractions in Minneapolis, and contactless payments are common. Carrying $20-40 in cash is still helpful for smaller vendors at street markets, some coffee counters, or tip jars, but you will likely go days without needing to withdraw money if your card does not charge foreign transaction fees.
5. What is the average cost of a specialty coffee or local tea in Minneapolis?
A specialty coffee drink in Minneapolis usually costs around $5-7, with lattes and seasonal specials often trending toward the higher end. Local tea drinks at independent cafes and coffee shops are often in the $4-6 range. Expect to pay more at hotel rooftop or lobby bars for the same style of drink compared to a standalone neighborhood cafe, especially downtown and in the North Loop.
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