Happy Thanksgiving!

Here at Cork's and the Embassy Suites St. Paul - Downtown, we just wanted to take this opportunity (on Thanksgiving no less!) to express our gratitude.

We're so thankful for all of our guests, both those who dine with us at Cork's as well as those who stay with us in the hotel. We just love being able to serve all of you, providing you with a great dining and lodging option in downtown St. Paul. With all of the choices for both, we're honored that you choose to dine and stay with us.

We're also thankful to be surrounded by such a great team. Our guest experiences just wouldn't be the same without such a dedicated group.

Therefore, this Thanksgiving, we wanted to dedicate this post to our gratitude. To our guests and our employees, we give thanks for you!

This year, what are you thankful for? With all to be grateful for in mind, we wish you and yours a sincerely Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween Costume Photo Contest - Winners!

For the last ten days, we've been enjoying all of the submissions to the Embassy Suites' Halloween Costume Facebook Photo Contest! Both Cork's and the Embassy Suites St. Paul challenged our Facebook fans to post in-costume pics of themselves and their kiddos to the Embassy Suites St. Paul Facebook page's Wall, encouraging friends to like their pictures. 

With the contest ending late last night, we got a chance to re-examine everyone's picture submissions once more, and were we ever impressed. Our fans are pretty creative, and they have some adorable kids to boot. For your viewing pleasure, we decided to share all of our photo submissions and announce the winners of course!

WINNER - Adult Costume

Amber's Cleopatra with her Entourage

WINNER - Kid Costume

Brianna's Zipper Face (with real zipper!)

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Katie's Cute Butterfly

Katie's Handsome Pirate

Melissa as a "Butter-witch" or "Witter-fly"

Riley as Lady Gaga

Kaitlyn as Flo from Progressive

Our two winners each won a certificate good for a one-night stay at the Embassy Suites St. Paul - Downtown!

Thank you to everyone who posted a photo and voted. 

Make sure you like both Cork's and the Embassy Suites St. Paul on Facebook so you can stay in the know about all the contests, specials, and fun that we share on our pages!

Happy Halloween - Embassy Suites St. Paul Facebook Photo Contest

With Halloween right around the corner, we decided it was high time to host another photo contest with our friends, the Embassy Suites St. Paul! This time, we're making the contest even bigger, though. Instead of just one winner, we decided to have two! Winners will each receive a one-night stay certificate to the Embassy Suites St. Paul.

Entering the contest is easy too! Simply snap an in-costume photo of your friends at a party this weekend, or your kids trick-or-treating next week, or even your cat dressed up for Halloween, and post it to the Embassy Suites St. Paul Facebook page's Wall.

Just in time for any pre-Halloween parties tonight, the contest starts today and runs through next Sunday, November 4, 2012. Capture your friends or even your kids all decked out for a spooktacular Halloween. Then, upload the picture to the Embassy Suites St. Paul Facebook page's Wall. (Easily accomplished from any smart phone).

Once your photo is uploaded, use the share feature to encourage your friends to Like the Embassy Suites St. Paul on Facebook AND your photo. Our two winners will be chosen as follows: The KID photo and the ADULT (not in content, just in age) photo with the most 'Likes' will each win a one-night stay at the Embassy Suites St. Paul, (which you know includes the delicious cooked-to-order breakfast and nightly manager's reception).

One final rule, though, please keep ALL photo submissions family friendly. We work to maintain a welcoming community on our page, and any inappropriate photos will be deleted immediately and disqualified from the contest.

That's pretty much it. Like the Embassy Suites St. Paul on Facebook and have a happy Halloween. We can't wait to see you all in your BOO-tiful costumes!

The Fine Print: Contest rules and ultimate winner remain subject to the discretion of the management team of the Embassy Suites St. Paul. Participants may share as many photos as they like; however, it may not increase their chances of winning. By posting a photo to the Embassy Suites St. Paul's Facebook Page, participants are agreeing that their image may be used by the Embassy Suites St. Paul on Facebook to promote this specific contest for its duration. In the event of a tie, a winner will be picked at random from all tying entries. One night stay is valid for any room type or night, excepting New Year's Eve. Photos must be uploaded and voted on during the specific contest period (Friday, October 26, 2012 - Sunday, November 4, 2012) to be considered a valid submission. Additionally, management reserves the right to delete any photo submissions of an inappropriate nature at their discretion. Any deleted photo submissions are deemed disqualified.

MEA Looms - Stay Over With the Kids

With the teachers away at conferences this week, the kids have an extra early start to their weekend. If you're worried about what to do, why not bring them to stay? 

With a pool on-site, complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast, and the fun of watching our ducks enjoy their run of the atrium, the Embassy Suites St. Paul Downtown is the perfect spot for a mini staycation! Let us worry about making the kids breakfast and the beds, and you can enjoy some much deserved fun. 

With our close proximity to most of the downtown attractions, hours of fun await. From the Science Museum of Minnesota with Tornado Alley showing in the Omni Theater to the Minnesota Children's Museum with all the hands-on fun, there's something for kids of any age. Add in all of St. Paul's unique restaurants, interesting parks, and boutique shopping and you've got yourself quite an adventure. 

Then, after a long day of adventures and exploring, head back to the hotel for some R & R. Relax by the pool (or in the jacuzzi) while the kids splash around and let Cork's Irish Pub whip up some dinner. If you'd like, you don't even need to leave the comfort of your suite. We can deliver room service while you catch up on your favorite show or even the latest family blockbuster. 

Sounds pretty nice, right?! 

Plus, if you're a fan of the Embassy Suites St. Paul Downtown on Facebook, the deal gets even sweeter, because Facebook fans get an extra 10% off standard rates. To book using the Facebook rate, simply Like us on Facebook, and then CLICK HERE to book through our special Facebook Fan booking window.

Whether you stay with us or not, have a great break! 

Top 10 Things to Do in the Twin Cities - Fall

Fall has arrived, and in a hurry no doubt. From the rapidly changing colors to the sub-freezing overnight temperatures, it's that time when we, as Minnesotans, buckle down and prepare ourselves for what we know is coming, the big S-word. Snow.

However, before those flakes fly, it's the perfect time to get out there and take advantage of some of the best our Twin Cities have to offer in the fall. We've kept you posted on a few of them, but make sure you round out the season with the rest of our list. That way, you won't feel guilty hibernating those dreary, cold winter days away.

Top 10 Things to Do in the Twin Cities - Fall Edition

1. Check out the gorgeous fall colors. From Afton State Park on the beautiful St. Croix River to Minnehaha Falls Park in Minneapolis to the phenomenal landscape offered at Mounds Park, foliage viewing is plentiful. Given our state's commitment to natural resource preservation, we'd be willing to wager that there is some good park space for leaf watching near you!
2. Cheer on some runners. (Or even get into the game yourself already!) From the world-famous Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon to Minnesota's own costume-encouraged Monster Dash races, October is the season for some good running. Watching the winner of a marathon cross the finish line or the outfits that some people can run an entire half marathon in are both equally entertaining. 
3. Head back to the Fair. The Minnesota State Fairgrounds host more than just the Great Minnesota Get Together. From car shows to book festivals, swap meets and auctions, there are often quite a few fun (and occasionally free) events to check out. 
4. Get your shop on. From Grand Avenue to the Mall of America and everything in between, fall is a great time to get a jump start on that holiday shopping. Beat the crowds (and the weather) and enjoy the peace of mind of being ahead of the game. 
5. Celebrate learning new things. Both the Science Museum of Minnesota and Minnesota Children's Museum are located in close proximity to one another in our beautiful capitol city. With Tornado Alley showing in the Omni Theater at the Science Museum to crawling around in an "ant hill" at the Children's Museum, two entire afternoons of fun await your whole family! 
6. Apples, apples, apples! Visiting the apple orchard has to be the quintessentially Minnesotan fall activity. From hayrides to getting to pick your own apples, visiting the apple orchard is a fun way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon. Then, you can use your freshly picked bounty to create a homemade apple pie, apple crisp, or even just some baked apples. Think of how great your house will smell as that pie finishes baking during the Vikings game. 
7. Skol Vikings! Speaking of Vikings, they're really on a roll aren't they?! (Knock on wood, of course). Catching tickets to a game at Mall of America field and tailgating the time to kick-off away is another fun fall activity. 
8. Zoo it up. From St. Paul's very own Como Zoo and Conservatory to the Minnesota Zoo, a visit transports you worlds away from Minnesota. Both zoos have tropics exhibits, where the warm humid air and brightly colored animal residents will have you forgetting all about winter's approach. Plus, visiting during the fall months means not only are there less crowds, but the animals are often more lively since they're not hot and sleepy as in the summer months.
9. Embrace the arts. We're so lucky here in the Twin Cities to have so many great art museums in our community. From the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to the Walker with its outdoor sculpture garden (Cherry on the Spoon ring a bell?), our art community is first-rate! Another great art museum is the Weisman on the U of M Campus. Make a day of it or have a scavenger hunt and try to find much-loved pieces at each site.
10. Enjoy a meal out. Now's the time when most restaurants are transitioning to their new Fall/Winter menus, highlighting the best the season has to offer. Look for more root vegetables and lots of delicious pumpkin, butternut squash, and spiced options. (Note: Also look for Cork's new menu in the next few weeks too!) 

We hope our list gives you a great starting point to a fabulously, fun fall. Make sure to let us know in the comments section if we've left anything out!