Amenities at Omni Viking Lakes Hotel Highlights Nordic Heritage with Food and Beverage Concepts and Spa Experiences
Amenities include a Nordic-inspired spa, four new food & beverage concepts and players’ hospitality lounges
EAGAN, Minnesota (August 31, 2020) – Omni Viking Lakes Hotel today shared details on its Nordic-inspired amenities and experiences which will to be available for hotel guests and locals upon opening Thursday, Oct. 1. Along with 320 guest rooms, inclusive of 14 suites, and 35,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, the full-service hotel will bring a spa experience centered around the Nordic-ancestral ritual of thermotherapy; four new food & beverage concepts; and NFL sized entertainment elements to the Viking Lakes development in Eagan.
“Omni Viking Lakes Hotel was developed around the idea of honoring the strength and spirit of the Vikings, a group of Norsemen who have influenced the culture of Minnesota greatly,” said Brent Glashan, general manager of Omni Viking Lakes Hotel. “Subtle nods to their history, relentlessness and innovation are seen throughout the hotel in a modern way, including our four unique food & beverage concepts and throughout the spa experience.”
Idlewild Spa
The overall design of the hotel incorporates elements of Nordic tradition, which inspired the concept for Idlewild Spa. The Nordic spa experience is an ancestral ritual, originating in Finland, with emphasis on thermotherapy. For increased relaxation and an improved state of total well-being at Idlewild Spa, guests will be encouraged to cycle between hot treatments, like the steam room or sauna, and cold treatments, like the invigorating ice fountain or deluge shower. Through this alternating process, the guest will see benefits including detoxification, muscle relaxation and boosted circulation.
For ultimate relaxation, the spa will offer multiple relaxation spaces including a cozy indoor lounge with a fireplace; an exterior lounge equipped with a hot tub, lounge seating and fire pits; and a salt relaxation room that acts as a soothing sanctuary with backlit, salt-lined walls where the guest can absorb the healing properties of Himalayan Salt.
Among several spa offerings, guests can expect to experience unique treatments that embody the Nordic spirit shown throughout the hotel, but feature regional products, indigenous tools and time-held healing techniques like the following:
- Nordic Revival Ritual – A journey that fuses time-honored Nordic traditions and customs into a deeply relaxing experience. This treatment begins with a body purification ritual that will detoxify and restore the skin’s hydration levels. Spirulina algae is applied for an intense antioxidant and nourishing effect as it features high levels of protein and minerals. The service concludes with a nourishing face treatment performed with a rose quartz massage.
- Strength & Fortification Massage – Not your typical deep body massage, this treatment was created especially for athletes and for fast recovery. This intensive treatment is designed to relax muscles and stiff joints by enhancing deep tissue massage with Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release and Russian Massage techniques, using products that fit within the hotel’s Nordic branding: Alpine Arnica, Sweet Birch and Magnesium.
Retail
Copper & Thistle, the unique retail outlet at Omni Viking Lakes Hotel, also incorporates Omni’s signature elements of local color. Appropriately named for the popular metal used throughout construction of the hotel and the various types of native thistles that grow all over Minnesota, Copper & Thistle will feature products that are fashionable and functional in the pursuit of being warm and cozy. Hand-selected products from local Minnesota designers and purveyors, including Faribault and Larissa Loden, along with Skandinavisk, Het Kinen, Verso Skincare, Scandic Botanica and BKind, among others, will be featured.
Food & Beverage
Kyndred Hearth – Omni has teamed up with Minneapolis-based, James Beard award-winning chef, Ann Kim, to lead the culinary programming at the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Kyndred Hearth. Located on the first floor, Kyndred Hearth will serve as an all-day dining destination for hotel guests and locals, highlighting chef Kim’s signature wood-fired pizzas, along with a focused selection of house made pastas, meats and fish. Dinner service will take place Tuesday - Saturday evening and breakfast offerings will be available during the weekend mornings and early afternoon. Full press release is available HERE.
Ember & Ice – The most stylish dining area in the hotel, Ember & Ice, will sit on the second floor and offer a lounge experience with premium cocktails and design elements that tie to “fire” and “gathering” – important themes of the Icelandic culture of the North. The space is layered with an eclectic mix of modern, traditional and Nordic elements, like the shield located above the centralized fireplace with authentic designs by a local artist. On Friday and Saturday nights, guests can expect an upbeat, energetic vibe with sounds curated by a local DJ. On Sundays and Mondays during football season, patrons can look forward to food and drink specials on items like burgers, steak frites, local beers and Bloody Mary’s.
Keras Bar – Located in the lobby lounge, Keras Bar gets its name from an old term for a Vikings’ “drinking horn.” The space offers functional, communal workspace and a lounge area with the comforts of a living room. Keras Bar will serve high-end wines by the glass, local beers on tap, cocktails and small, locally inspired plates. Veneer columns within the space are again patterned creating a textural element. Neutral white and gray tones, along with marble and light wood furnishings, create a clean looking space, mixed with the comforts of soft, yet rugged textures that include Hyde.
Ten Drops – Inspired by the old Icelandic gesture of offering a small cup of coffee as a sign of hospitality, the phrase “Tiu Dropar” inspired the name of the modern, stylish coffee bar and market, Ten Drops. Guests will find craft coffee beverages and a variety of grab-and-go items made with quality ingredients at Ten Drops, which is located on the first floor off the hotel lobby. Guests will be able to enjoy our “daily bread” selection of morning and all-day scratch-made bakery items including morning cookies, scones, breakfast breads, croissants, macarons and more.
Hospitality Lounges
Finally, and unique to this property within the Omni brand, Omni Viking Lakes Hotel will feature six two-story hospitality lounges, outfitted with a dining room table turned poker table, floor-to-ceiling fireplace and windows and full kitchen. The hospitality lounges were designed specifically with Minnesota Vikings players in mind for extended stays such as training camp. The lounges are cozy, but refined and stately, featuring natural tones that include icy blues and greys, matching the Nordic design of the overall hotel. Each space makes it the ultimate fan getaway or a unique meeting space for groups and corporate events.
More than 425,000 craft hours have been spent by local companies and individuals constructing Omni Viking Lakes Hotel. The following Minnesota-based companies have supported the project: ESG Architecture & Design led the design; Kraus Anderson served as the general contractor; Cambria produced the countertops and shower walls; Ecolab provided the water filtration and sanitation equipment; and artist Kevin Showell created and designed the custom entry columns which feature hand-carved, Nordic-inspired artwork.
For more information or to book a stay, group meeting or event, visit omnihotels.com/hotels/viking-lakes-minnesota.
About Omni Viking Lakes Hotel
Scheduled to open on the Viking Lakes campus in October 2020, the four-star, full-service hotel will include 320 rooms and suites offering guests first-class accommodations. The 14-story hotel will boast 35,000 square feet of meeting space, along with a specialty restaurant and all-day dining outlet, spa and fitness center. Conveniently located along I-494 with easy access to both Minneapolis and St. Paul downtowns, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Mall of America, the hotel is designed to be a retreat destination for Minnesota’s leading companies and another asset for the region. The hotel is owned by MVE Hotel, LLC, which includes partners MV Eagan Ventures; Ecolab Inc.; Mark, Mitch & Marty Davis; Viking Lakes Hotel Physician Partners; and Omni Hotels & Resorts. Bell Bank is providing construction financing for the project. The hotel is the next critical component of Viking Lakes, a bold, mixed-use development in Eagan, Minnesota, that will encompass more than three million square feet of corporate and medical offices, retail, entertainment and multi-family housing. The project boasts open and public spaces, including trails, water/wetland preserves and other amenities to provide connectivity, all anchored by the Minnesota Vikings 34-acre team headquarters and practice facility, the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center.
About Omni Hotels & Resorts
Omni Hotels & Resorts creates genuine, authentic guest experiences at 60 distinct luxury hotels and resorts in leading business and leisure destinations across North America. With more than 25 iconic golf courses and 16 award-winning spas featured in dynamic locales nationwide, every Omni proudly opens its doors to share the true spirit of its destination. Reflected through local color, personalized service, unique wellness options, signature restaurants and creative culinary offerings, Omni leaves a lasting impression with every guest and a heightened level of recognition and rewards delivered through its Select Guest loyalty program. As a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance, Select Guest is further expanded through the DISCOVERY® loyalty program offering members additional global benefits. Omni is committed to reducing hunger and is on a mission through its Say Goodnight to Hunger initiative to provide millions of meals each year for food banks to feed children, families and seniors in communities in which it operates. Omni Hotels & Resorts is the official hotel of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions. For information or to book accommodations, visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni.