Summer in Minneapolis moves fast. The patios are full, the festivals roll in week after week, and the long northern evenings seem to last forever. But the loveliest part of a warm Minnesota night isn’t the crowd — it’s the moment you slip away from it. At 300 Clifton, the historic Eugene J. Carpenter Mansion in Loring Park, that moment usually happens in the garden, chin-deep in warm water, with the stars coming out over downtown.
A Garden Hot Tub Made for Summer Nights
Tucked into the mansion’s private English gardens, our four-season hot tub is the kind of thing guests remember long after they’ve gone home. On a summer evening it’s pure magic: the air still warm, fireflies drifting through the hedges, a glass of something cold within reach, and the glow of the city just beyond the garden walls. You’re minutes from the heart of downtown, yet it feels like a secret world all your own.
It’s the rare downtown escape where you can soak under open sky one moment and be walking to dinner the next. Couples love it for anniversaries and “just because” weekends alike — there’s something about warm water and a starry sky that makes a night feel like a real getaway.
Gertrude’s Cistern: A Speakeasy Hidden in the Mansion
When the evening cools, the fun moves indoors and downstairs. Gertrude’s Cistern is our speakeasy-style lounge and haunted video room, built into the bones of the old house. Heated reclining seats, low light, a little mischief in the air — it’s where guests trade ghost stories and settle in for a film after a soak. Ask us about the mansion’s resident spirits if you’re feeling brave; the house has had a century to collect a few good tales.
A Mansion with a Story
Part of the romance is the house itself. Built in the heart of Minneapolis’s turn-of-the-century mansion district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 300 Clifton is one of Minnesota’s finest examples of Georgian Revival architecture — designed by architect Edwin Hewitt with interiors shaped by the legendary Minneapolis designer John Bradstreet. Hand-painted murals, carved fireplaces, and grand woodwork fill the rooms, and you can read the full history of the mansion here or learn more from the City of Minneapolis landmark record.
Each of our guest rooms has its own personality — from the light-filled Crystal Mansion and Grand Edwardian rooms to the cozy, characterful Coachman’s, Blacksmith’s Forge, and Hayloft. Pick the one that fits your weekend, and the gardens, the hot tub, and Gertrude’s Cistern come with all of them.
Step Outside to a Loring Park Summer
One of the best things about staying here is the front yard: leafy Loring Park sits right outside, and summer keeps it busy in the best way. This very weekend (June 27–28), the park hosts the Twin Cities Pride Festival — Minnesota’s largest free Pride celebration, with hundreds of vendors and music across multiple stages just a short stroll from our front steps.
Throughout the season, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board’s free Music & Movies in the Parks series brings outdoor concerts and films to neighborhood parks all summer long. And a ten-minute walk takes you to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center — free, open daily, and home to the city’s beloved Spoonbridge and Cherry. It’s a dreamy spot for a morning coffee walk before the day heats up.
Make a Weekend of It
If you’d like to see more of the city without driving, hop aboard Minneapolis Trolley Tours for a vintage-trolley spin past the landmarks — their scenic, ghost, and true-crime routes are a fun way to fill an afternoon, and you can browse their things-to-do guides for more local favorites. For an atmospheric night out, the historic, slightly haunted Pillsbury Club serves up speakeasy drinks and private-theater charm. And if you’re in town a little longer — for work, a move, or a relaxed extended stay — Oakland’s on 9th offers furnished, month-to-month studios right downtown.
Planning a special occasion? Keep reading: our guide on how to plan a birthday weekend at a historic Minneapolis mansion and our tips on where to stay for Fourth of July weekend downtown are full of ideas for making the most of a summer stay.
Plan Your Summer Escape Under the Stars
The nights are warm, the garden is glowing, and the hot tub is waiting. Treat yourselves to a summer evening you’ll be talking about all year. Book your stay at 300 Clifton and we’ll have the stars turned on for you.
Keep reading: Things to do near Loring Park this summer — and where to stay steps away.