So it's probably unfair to review this hotel after staying at the far more comfortable Homewood Suites, but I had an odd two nights at the Paramount about a week prior to coming for a full week at the other hotel mentioned, so I can't help but make comparisons.
Pros:
- the room was cute, small, comfy bed.
- The price was a bit less than other hotels in the area, but not by much. The decor is funky modern, which is nice.
- Waffle weave robe was nice, though it was balled up on the top shelf of the closet.
Cons:
- my room was very dark, even with the lights on. I kept getting surprised at how bright and beautiful it was outside because from my room it looked very, very dark and overcast at all times. Part of that is the huge hotel next door with a giant concrete side facing the Paramount. But even the lighting was dim, making it very hard to see anything at all like a book before bed, or a smudge of something on your face in the mirror.
- front desk staff was indifferent and only gave what I would consider "key" information when asked directly. I had to ask about the credit card hold (my room was paid for by my employer, so when they asked to run my credit card for "incidentals" I was curious what those might be...) and their answers were very brief. "Incidentals". "Anything you might use" "It's just a deposit". Answers like that, no eye contact, no real interest in communication.
- the layout of the room and bathroom I found a bit odd. The sink was outside the bathroom proper, which is completely fine and nice, but the bathroom itself was absolutely tiny and once again VERY dimly lit. Close the shower curtain and it's nearly dark in the shower with the lights fully ON. I hated that. The vent in the bathroom is also just a passive vent (there's no exhaust fan!!) and smack staring you in the face like a giant hole in the wall when you're showering. I'm not sure it did vent the place at all, considering the spots of mildew on the wallpaper, and it was creepy to have to stare into the black hole vent while showering. And also ineffective for anything else you might want in an exhaust fan in a bathroom, if you get my drift.
- the coffee 'station' was located under the tv, though the water and outlet would have to come from the sink that had plenty of underneath storage. Not sure why they made it that way. In-room coffee was cheap stuff, tea was "lipton" and there was a single powdered creamer and no sugar or sweetener or stirrer. Weird - this is Seattle, surely there must be some coffee pride here!
- there was a small fridge but no microwave. Odd. If I had leftovers I'd want to zap them warm at least. But no.
- the restaurant attached to the hotel was tasty but expensive, and the bathroom was oddly located out of the restaurant, through the hotel lobby, up the elevator and on the second floor of the hotel. So anyone getting tipsy (or worse) at the bar will eventually be in the elevator with you going up, drunkenly commenting on the oddness of the bathroom placement. That was an elevator experience I could have done without.
Overall I wasn't overwhelmed with the Paramount experience. For a single night you might be happy, or if you just want a place to sleep and don't plan on doing anything else.
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