I wish I could write a positive review about the Sorrento, given the fact that I always try to stay in special, non-chain hotels when travelling to support local businesses.
The Sorrento is definitely a very beautiful building with a lot of historical charm and class. The Hunt Club and the fireplace lounge are great places to hang out and have a drink or dinner. I also found the bed super-comfortable and cozy. However, there were a couple of things that made the stay not as pleasant as expected when staying in a luxury(?) hotel.
First, the room had a really awkward and strange smell - a mixture of old cigarette smoke, mould and something else I was not able to identify. I attributed this to the age of the hotel and since I left the windows open most of the time, I did not bother to complain or ask to change the room.
Housekeeping had massive challenges in keeping the room tidy. Here a couple of examples: Returning late afternoon on my second day, the room was not cleaned and I had to call the front desk to actually send somebody up. The bathtub was dirty when I got there and was not cleaned until the third day. Toilet paper was not replaced and bed sheets were not changed as promised. While packing my things I found a cleaning rag as a "souvenir" in my suitcase (interesting place to put, makes me wonder what else they put there...)
Unfortunately, I also noticed a general lack of professional friendliness and courtesy among the staff, especially the front desk and the concierges. Generally no greetings when leaving or entering the hotel and when I asked for a complimentary drop-off at the Pike Place Market area, the concierge in charge was very hesitant to grant me the service and suggested that I should walk (Excuse me???). The check-out was the worst experience. No "Thank you for staying with us.", no "Do you need somebody to help you with your bags?", not even a "Good-bye", just a " Here is your receipt." from the person in charge.
Most of these things probably would not bother me as much in a cheap trucker motel, but in a hotel like this, it is a big disappointment. Definitely some potential for improvement.
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