OK - I admit it, I'm a sentimental mug.
Back in May 2003 when the Seattle had only been open a few months, I took my fiance to this hotel for a surprise weekend break and proposed to her. She said 'yes' and since then we've returned every year and even spent part of our honeymoon here. However, this year for the first time we're not going to go. In fact we don't intend to go back again.
First visit, we put the dodgy service, tiny TVs, broken toilet seats etc down to teething problems. The following years we've probably been too blinded by romance and nostalgia to notice the disinterested staff, the threadbare towels, the filthy windows, the noisy nightclub, the roasting hot rooms (in May!!!) etc. However, now enough is enough - especially when I realised I was beginning to dread our annual visit rather than excitedly anticipate it.
This hotel seems to have absolutely no concept of customer service (a couple of exceptions which I'll come to in a moment) and is making no commitment whatsoever to improvements. I'm fed up of fighting with the tiny TV set remote control and wishing I'd packed need binoculars to watch it. The rooms aren't cheap so why do I have to put up with stains on the carpet, walls and windows. I appreciate that this is a seaside hotel but the windows are always filthy.
Another thing which gets on my nerves is the room assignment - you can pay for a King Room with marina view but it's luck of the draw as to whether you get a dark room with a pokey half balcony or a light room with a double balcony. Even when I've been assured that we've been assigned one of the double balcony rooms we've checked in and found ourself in one of the dingy, half balcony rooms.
Cafe Paradiso (attached to hotel) is excellent for an evening meal but the breakfast is badly cooked and my wife scolded herself with a cafetiere which had the wrong sized plunger inserted. No apologies from the staff of course - too busy posing.
Service exceptions - the Black and White bar manager (Simeon?) who made a real effort to look after us last year and mixed some astonishing cocktails. Also one of the Cafe Paradiso staff who actually remembered us from a previous year and made a real effort to look after my wife (who's a vegan).
For sentimental reasons I'll keep checking on Trip Advisor to see if things are improving because one day I'd love to return. It has a fantastic location and with an intelligent management team, some minor modifications and some well trained service personnel if could be amazing.









Rooms
Location (e.g., convenience, views)
Service





