Every grand old mansion keeps a secret or two. Ours happens to live downstairs. Tucked beneath the floorboards of 300 Clifton — the historic Carpenter Mansion in Loring Park — is Gertrude’s Cistern, a speakeasy and “haunted” video lounge where heated reclining seats, low light, and a little mansion mystery wait for guests who aren’t quite ready for the night to end. On a warm Minneapolis evening, it might be the most atmospheric room in the city.
A speakeasy with a story
To understand the Cistern, it helps to know the house above it. Built in 1887 and reimagined in 1906 by architect Edwin Hewitt, 300 Clifton is a Georgian Revival landmark on the National Register of Historic Places — and, fun fact, the birthplace of what’s now the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The celebrated designer John Bradstreet shaped its Arts & Crafts interiors, leaving behind carved fireplaces and hand-painted murals you can still run your fingers along today.
Down in the old stone underbelly, that history takes a playful, shadowy turn. Gertrude’s Cistern leans into the mansion’s haunted-house lore: dim corners, vintage charm, plush reclining seats, and the kind of hush that makes every creak feel like it means something — skeleton on the wall included. Settle in, queue up a film, and let the house tell you a ghost story or two.
Then warm up under the stars
Summer nights in Minneapolis were made for our four-season garden hot tub. Hidden in the mansion’s private English gardens and open to the night sky, it’s where mystery gives way to pure relaxation. Trade the Cistern’s flickering screen for a canopy of stars, let the steam rise, and listen to the city hum somewhere beyond the hedges.
Rooms that keep the spell going
When you finally drift upstairs, each of our distinct guest rooms carries its own bit of old-mansion magic — the romantic Crystal Mansion, the stately Grand Edwardian and Georgian, and the snug character of the Coachman’s, Blacksmith’s Forge, and Hayloft. Book direct and you’ll also pocket a $20-per-day breakfast voucher to the neighborhood Nicollet Diner — a friendly walk to start the morning after.
Make a whole haunted-Minneapolis weekend of it
If the Cistern whets your appetite for the city’s spookier side, you’re in good company. Climb aboard a vintage Minneapolis Trolley for a ghost or true-crime tour through the old neighborhoods, or browse their things-to-do guides for more local favorites. For a second helping of mansion mystery, the Pillsbury Club — set in the famously haunted Charles S. Pillsbury Mansion — pours themed cocktails in a speakeasy-style bar and even hides a private theater.
Daylight has its pleasures too. Stroll to the free Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and its famous Spoonbridge and Cherry, catch a free outdoor show through the Minneapolis Park Board’s Music & Movies in the Parks series, or scan Meet Minneapolis for the season’s festivals and patio nights. Planning a longer stay in the city? Our friends at Oakland’s on 9th offer furnished, month-to-month studios a few blocks east.
Come down to the Cistern
Mystery, history, and a hot tub under the stars — all under one historic roof. Book your stay at 300 Clifton and discover what’s waiting downstairs. Just don’t be surprised if the mansion has a story it’s been dying to tell you.