Park Point Marina Inn

This simple, environmentally-conscious hotel opened in 2014. However, it retains many of the early 1900s details of the Duluth Boat Club that once occupied the site, so while most interior areas aren’t shabby, they can feel dated. The lobby is small and features clean blue and cream furnishings, but the ambience isn’t the most conducive for lounging. The hotel’s outdoor spaces, like the green grounds and the pier walk, offer more pleasant places to picnic with beautiful views of the lift bridge and boats entering and leaving the harbor. Migratory birds, a duck family that can be spotted in the patio pond, and the overall quietness of the property all lend themselves to a peaceful atmosphere that draws families, couples, and business travelers. The hotel has a heavy emphasis on green living, and implements various measures to recycle, conserve energy and water, and use biodegradable materials in its breakfast areas, rooms, and common spaces. 

The hotel has a scenic and serene location in Park Point, and though it doesn’t quite have a beachfront perch, the long stretch of Park Point Beach is under a 10-minute walk away. The property is far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Canal Park downtown, but it’s still an easy 15 minutes away on foot to the area. The hotel offers free shuttles for anyone who doesn’t want to walk. It’s a nine-minute walk to the Aerial Lift Bridge and the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. Duluth International Airport is a 20-minute drive away.

Rooms are clean and classic, but the satin blue bedspreads, basic wooden furniture, and patterned carpeting do feel generic. However, Lake Superior-themed canvases and prints on the walls are particularly pretty. Available with two queen beds or a single king bed and starting at 300-square-feet, rooms are spacious and comfortable, with blackout curtains for maximum privacy. Most have pleasant furnished balconies and city views or even more pleasant harbor views. Larger rooms and suites can come with fireplaces, sofa beds, and hot tubs. Accessible rooms are available.

All non-smoking, air-conditioned rooms have work desks and bedside tables with computer outlets, table lamps with USB ports, phone-charging shelves, ergonomic chairs, 39-inch flat-screen TVs, and safes. Daily newspapers and Wi-Fi are both free. Mini-fridges, tea-and coffee-making equipment, ice buckets, microwaves, and ironing equipment are provided. Full-length mirrors in the wardrobes are also a useful touch, along with extra fleece blankets and pillows. In keeping with the hotel’s Living Green Environmental program, rooms have motion sensors for conserving energy and recycling containers. Cribs and extra beds can be provided upon request.

Bathrooms are nicely sized and clean. They come with under-sink shelves, toiletries, and hairdryers. Only some bathrooms have shower/tub combos with fixed showerheads; in other rooms, the walk-in showers with fixed showerheads are tiny. 

Features here are cozy and convenient. A breakfast room with a fireplace offers free daily buffets of cereals, pastries, waffles, eggs, meats, and beverage machines. It isn’t luxurious, but it’s more than adequate for a free meal. The Harbor Cove Lounge, with a bar counter, is tiny and looks tired, but offers a 24-hour room service menu. There are no full restaurants on-site, but the hotel has arrangements with several restaurants in the area, where meals can be charged directly to guest rooms.

Entertainment includes an indoor pool that has daily adult-only hours. It’s surrounded by deck chairs, a handful of arcade games, and has an adjacent hot tub and sauna. Floaties and pool toys for kids can be rented at the hotel’s 24-hour gift shop. The shop also sells souvenirs and ice cream. There is a gym on-site, but it has limited machines in a cramped space. 

There is one large meeting room with audiovisual equipment, and a basic 24-hour business center with two computers plus office supplies. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. There’s a coin-operated laundry facility with one machine. Vending and ice machines are placed throughout the floors, plus there's a 24-hour coffee station. Bike rentals are available for fees on a seasonal basis, and the hotel can organize sailing charters. Parking on-site is free.