The Suites At Waterfront Plaza

Had a blast at my stay at this hotel.
My room was bigger and more unique then I had ever seen anywhere, for a standard room, I like to keep my travels modest. The Suites– dated in some ways, upgraded and updated in others, overall very clean and comfortable furnishings. Lots of what I wanted to do right outside the doors, enjoyed some night life and good restaurants. Parking is simple in a flat lot directly in front of the hotel. Breakfast had a good spread, that was refilled promptly. I hate staying somewhere when the hotel says breakfast until 10 and I come down at 945 to find everything depleted. I was with a large group with 3 rooms and we all went at different times and were all satisfied and told each other how much we liked breakfast.
The staff is very accommodating and never kept me waiting and I had heard this was a full house with some hockey thing going on taking up most of their space.
overall looking forward to a return visit to Duluth and a return stay at The Suites.

We got a suite in the middle of the building with no windows at all. We were pre-​warned of this feature, so it wasn’t really a problem, but seriously — that room was dank looking. Luckily we were only spending one night.
There’s parking across the street in an open lot, so that’s nice. It’s located close to lots of shops and scenery that showcases beautiful Duluth.
When I made the reservation, I mentioned that we’d like a pack’n’play in the room, if one was available. We were assured one was. When we checked in, it seemed that note never made it onto our reservation, but the person working the desk said one might be up there already, and to just call if one wasn’t. It wasn’t but they brought it up in a hurry. Just a small detail, I guess.
They gave us a voucher for a free drink during happy hour at the adjoining Timber Lodge, which was nice.
I’d stay there again, but I’d splurge on a view.

Stayed here for three nights in early November on my first trip to Duluth. Check in was smooth, however I was informed that the pool and workout areas were closed for renovation. When I politely registered my disappointment, I was offered an upgrade to a suite with an in room Jacuzzi. Though the hotel seemed to be mostly empty, the front desk did not have to do that and I did appreciate the concession. My suite had a fridge and stove, two flat screen TV’s, and clean and cozy furnishings. There is nothing fancy or luxurious about this place, but it offers comfortable accommodations at a fair price. The included breakfast was standard but filling and good. Location was perfect for me; the hotel is right next to Old Chicago and Green Mill for pizza and a short walk to a host of other restaurants in Canal Park. There was also a steakhouse in the hotel that looked good. I was able to walk to downtown. If I return to Duluth, this would be my first choice for a hotel.

I want to start out by saying we have stayed at this hotel probably a dozen times in the last five years. In the past this has always been a favorite, for its location, friendly staff and all around great hotel.
Unfortunately, something has changed in the last 3 visits, (I know why come back right?) in one year we have had numerous big issues, the first was a very questionable large white stain on a blanket. Initially they tried to play it off as just the fabric until other staff looked at it and were so freaked out they wouldn’t touch it. I was freaked out because it was on my children. They did not have another room but came up to clean the area and gave us new blankets. The next morning I spoke to them and asked what they were going to do and they were surprised and then said they would credit our room and give us a certificate to come back.
Ok so we gave it another go, this time wasn’t so bad but again cleanliness was a factor, again white spots on a couch, seriously? They came up to clean it and then I said something like this is getting ridiculous and they looked at me like I was crazy so I just let it go.
So bringing us to this time. My husband thought he would surprise me for valentines day and we showed up here. Well I was truly just letting all things go. We went to dinner and came back to room and thought it was cold, turned heat up and nothing happen. We called the front desk and they sent up someone with a security shirt on. He stated he was not maintenance but would see what he could do. After a few minutes he stated he could not fix it. They said they would switch our rooms and call us shortly. I had to call them 15 minutes later and front desk said they were still working on it. Then I called to ask another question and they informed me they didn’t have any other rooms but could bring up blankets and they would probably discount our room. I replied that it needed to be credited and the front desk said they would call back. When he did call back he excitedly offered me a 25% discount for the room??? Seriously. Thanks! I said sorry no that won’t work, and it is freezing! He said he didn’t have the ability to do anything but could have management call tomorrow. So needless to say I believe we have come to the conclusion the The Suites are no longer so «sweet» and will have to find better accommodations in the future. It is sad because we really did love this place but I think there is new management or something has changed, not for the good.

This is a super hotel, but we stayed with our pet and were surprised to have security knock on our door at 12:45 a.m. to ask us if we were aware of the pet policy and that we owed an additional $ 15.00 for having a pet? Scared the heck out of us to have security at our door at that hour! Couldn’t the front desk have CALLED to let us know? Just sayin…

Nice room, close to lots of restaurants, poor parking, room temp hard to regulate, our room was uncomfortably warm. I would stay there again.

This is a great hotel, and in my opinion the best in Canal Park. The inside of the hallways and the rooms have exposed brick and ceilings. The rooms are very spacious, many come with the living room and the kitchen. The prices are very reasonable. The location is fantastic, right across the street from everything Canal Park has to offer.

I have experienced alot better. We booked the room with 4 people, 2 couples, months in advance. Two weeks before they called to offer us an upgrade and we accepted. We ended up with a king size bed with a single pull out couch, I would have hated to see what we would have had if we didn’t upgrade, a cardboard box outside the door? It was ridiculous, the other couple almost left in the middle of the night because of the lack of space and to charge $ 165 a night for that crap was stupid… NEVER AGAIN. The only good thing about the hotel was the continental breakfast.

I stayed at The Suites at Waterfron Plaza and had a wonderful experience! The rates were great, about $ 100 less per night than the hotels that are right on the lake. The Suites is only a couple blocks from the lake, so it was easy to walk to and there are lots of restaurants right outside the front door.
The room had a full kitchen, including dishwasher, so that was helpful. I was staying there with my 2 little boys, so we had an early dinner of mac n cheese to give them energy for swimming in the hotel pool.
If you’re a climber, Vertical Endeavors is right next door! I didn’t stop there this time, but I think I might need to plan another trip and check it out.

The room was huge and the kitchen was nice — initially we loved it! But at 5 am the garbage or recycling truck came and woke everyone up when they loaded cans or bottles. The crashing and crushing seemed to go on forever. At 6 a crane came and beeped nonstop. By 7 there was clanking outside. The walls are paper thin, and we could hear everything going on next door. The second night was more of the same — starting at 5 am again. The noise even woke up the deep sleepers in the group. I had read reviews about how quiet it is and felt like we were staying in a different hotel or something. Maybe quiet if you have no neighbors and are staying in an interior room (with no windows). Would recommend for the breakfast, large rooms, kitchen, and pool. Would avoid due to noise, the long and seemingly never-​ending hallways (terrible when you have a family with a lot of stuff), and the inconvenience of having to go around back if you have a wheelchair or stroller due to stairs.

We have stayed at this hotel twice. Both times we have experienced excellent rates, professional service and clean rooms with tons of character.
This is a very old building which has undergone excellent maintenance to both retain it’s character and maintain comfort. Their staff is very friendly, the rooms are clean, and attention is paid to condition of the beds and rooms. Best of all, it’s is located across the street from Grizzlies and Greenmill, next-​door to Old Chicago, and a very easy walk to the Dewitt-​Seitz building which houses, amongst others, Little Angie’s Cantina and Amazing Grace. In short, LOCATION!
The place has a general great feeling to it. You have the option of low-​cost (a middle room with no windows, albeit still as comfortable as can be; it feels like coming home) or a city view or a «harbor» view. They allow pets as well as smokers, but all rooms smell great. I don’t know how they do it.
We are life-​long fans. It’s a gem.
BTW, both times we have had full kitchenettes, clean bathrooms, and what other folks describe as «awkward columns» we see as character! It’s dynamic. I can’t recommend this place enough.
I think that anybody who doesn’t enjoy this hotel is a bit too «uppity» for their own good. It’s a joy.

We stayed here for a night while visiting family. We needed some place that we could all be together so I found this place. It is a full condo type setting with two bedrooms and then a pull out couch in the living room. There is a full kitchen and two bathrooms. It worked out great for our visit and was clean. It is right in the heart of the canal also so a great location with free parking. If you are staying for any time it’s fabulous because you can cook in the room and save $$.

Love this place! Very clean and affordable. Good hot breakfast free every morning. Walking distance to everything in canal park. We will be coming here many more times!

The Suites is a good value, slightly quirky hotel in a great location. It is in need of some updates, but still a decent place to stay.
Canal Park in Duluth is a fun place to hang out, and you couldn’t pick a more central location than where the Suites is sited. You can walk two blocks to the south to the Aerial Life Bridge, two blocks to the west to watch the UMD Bulldogs skate at the DECC, two blocks to the east to walk the shores of Gitchigumee, or a couple blocks north to get onto Superior Street in downtown Duluth. The hotel lobby connects to the Old Chicago restaurant, which is a great spot for pizza, appetizers, and a wide selection of beers.
The hotel itself is a converted 19^th century warehouse that used to take cargo directly off ships moored alongside it and transfer the goods to railroad cars. There are some fascinating photographs in the pool area showing the the interior in the early 1900s. The origins of the building lead to some of its quirkiness. There are massive concrete columns throughout the building; if you get an interior room, you will have one of these columns in the middle of your living space! Ice machines are not on every floor, so you may have to make an extended trip depending on your room. This will give you a chance to use the exterior stairwells, which are heated nicely in the winter, but quite rustic. The hallways are long and dimly lit, framed by the massive columns. If you stand at one end of a hallway, you expect to see Danny Torrance turn the corner and ride his Big Wheel towards you («What about Room 237?»). I’m sure that some people find the interior spooky.
Rooms are very large, and — since this is «The Suites» — have a full kitchen: full-​sized refrigerator, microwave, sink, dishware, and even dishwasher. We have stayed twice here, and both times have had interior rooms. As others have noted, these rooms have two doors — one on either side — and no windows. This is off-​putting to some. The bathroom is fine, with standard fixtures and decent shower. Our room had a king bed of decent comfort, paired with a pull-​out sofa of little-​to-​no comfort. The furnishings are in good shape, but not new at all. An LCD flat-​screen TV is the newest equipment in the room. Like the hallways, the interior lighting is dim: you’ll probably want to turn on all the lights in the room to brighten up the high-​ceilinged, industrial surroundings. Carpeting throughout the hotel appears badly in need of replacement.
You can enter the hotel from Lake Street, via an interior hallway that connects to Old Chicago, or from the parking lot in back. Parking is free for guests, and we had no problem getting a convenient space even after a heavy snowfall on a busy hockey weekend in February. The lobby area tries to warm the industrial flavor a bit with a stone fireplace and some easy chairs; this could be extended to make it more inviting. The entryways are hazardous during winter, as the stone floors become extremely slippery, and there is little done to remove or prevent the build-​up of snow and water that accumulates.
Breakfast is included with your hotel stay, and it is surprisingly good. The scrambled eggs were fresh (not the commercial, crumbly kind you so often find at hotels), the sausage and bacon was good, and biscuits and gravy decent. It’s so hard to find a place that does *really* good gravy! There were plenty of other options, including waffles, muffins, cereals, fruits, and hard-​boiled eggs. Beverages included standard juice choices, milk, and fresh-​brewed coffee. I’m a giant breakfast fan, and the quality of the breakfast is a key deciding factor for me when choosing hotels. For a «free» breakfast, this one is well-​done.
If you want modern-​everything, or like new and glittery, this is not the place for you: try the Canal Park Lodge. If you’re looking for decent lodging at a reasonable rate in a super-​convenient location, you’ll find it here.

My husband and I stayed here for a wedding we had in Duluth. Unfortunately we waited until the last minute to book a hotel. We ended up with an «interior» room at the Suites. When they say interior, they truly mean it — no windows. The layout was also very odd with huge columns right in the middle of the room. There are also two doors — one for each hallway. This made for a very awkward stay.
I also agree with others on the cleanliness. I know hotels aren’t sparkling clean but this hotel could have done a better job.
The pool area was also a little awkward. There are windows in the breakfast room that overlook the pool area. This was slightly creepy to me.
The only redeeming quality is that it is right in the canal district and the parking was included in the room fee.
I personally would not stay here again (cleanliness is my pet peeve) but if you are looking to save money, this could be the way to go.

I stayed here for the first time for my sister’s bachelorette party, with six other girls. We stayed in the two bedroom suite, which included two huge bedrooms, two bathrooms, a whirlpool tub, large living and dining area, and full size kitchen! The rates were very reasonable, especially compared to other hotels in the area. Their complimentary breakfast was impressive as well; eggs, sausage, french toast, waffles, hash browns — in addition to the normal hotel breakfast (pastries and cold cereal). We were able to get parking passes for their parking lot right across the street even before check-​in time, so we never paid for parking! The hotel reservation was my first task on my party planning list, and I planned the rest of our trip around the hotel location. We were within walking distance of everything!!! There are lots of nice cafes and restaurants a few blocks away, the lake, lots of shops, and of course bars and clubs. We’re already talking about planning another girls trip later this summer — and will of course be staying here again!

Never stayed here before as we usually like to be right on the water but for the price we couldn’t resist trying this out. It’s still close enough to walk down to the water/​canal park anyways and about $ 100+ less per night than the other hotels that are on Canal Park Drive. You can either park in the lot across the street which is mostly reserved for the hotel (at least at night it is), or in the rear of the building. Our room was nice sized and had a different layout than any room I’ve stayed in before. Had an old school TV in the bedroom and an LCD in the living room. The employees were very nice, apparently one of the water heaters went out between Friday night and Saturday morning, so they gave us another 15% off our total bill, and I never experienced our room missing any hot water! Can’t beat that! This place has a nice pool area, a better than normal continental breakfast, and good location! I will stay here again in the future. One tip, make sure to ask for a window room though because I don’t think the rooms in the middle of the hotel could have any windows, and that may be kind of weird?