How better to start a review of Sienna by stating that a few months ago we spent two weeks in Italy...Siena reminded of us of our trip and the wonderful hotel we stayed in Venice...but now the wonderful hotel is in Chapel Hill! The staff of the hotel is exceptional- young, motivated, interested in taking care of customer needs...that is, making you comfortable.

The room we had for four nights was elegant and spacious, a comfortable bed, and the bathroom also spacious and with a beautiful shower/tub. Lot of interesting fabrics throughout...again very european. Breakfast included was fine...again, the service at Siena is warm and welcoming...that makes a difference. And the price compared to other hotels in Chapel Hill was extremely reasonable; I'd be pleased to stay there again.

I reserved a Large Studio Suite for 3 Nights at the end of March for my parents and sister. Overall, their stay was wonderful. The room was beautifully decorated and the staff friendly.

Check-In - Siena hotel uses a sit down check-in, which is something I've never seen before. It was a nice touch, but could become frustrating if several people arrived at once. The keys to get into our room were next to impossible to operate. The hotel chose to use real keys instead of the typical plastic card key. It was a nice touch, but took some getting used to.

Bar - the bar is operated in the hotel lobby with a friendly bartender, Lyle behind the counter. He mixes his drinks very strong, so be careful! We were able to oder appatizers with our drinks, and the mixed olive plate was great.

Breakfast - a buffet breakfast is included with your stay. It is a typical buffet with eggs, bacon, fruit, bagels, etc. Sunday they sever waffles. Nothing too special, but it got the job done.

Rooms - Great rooms. The bedding was comfortable and they gave us a roll away for free. The only problem we had was that there was little lighting in the room and the TV was so far away from the bed (across the room) making it hard to see from the bed.

I would stay at this hotel again in a second. It has more character than a Hilton, which I really liked. Please contact me with any questions.

I recently stayed at the Siena for a UNC basketball game. Having never heard of the hotel, it’s AAA Four Diamond rating, it’s reputation, or it’s famed restaurant I did not know what to expect. Usually I’m very hesitant when I’m assigned to a non-chain hotel.

The hotel was easy to find with the help of a GPS, despite being sold out, there was always enough parking out front. Walking into the lobby I was greeted by a doorman that guided me to the hotel front desk. Once at the front desk they have you sit at a small table with two chairs on one side, and a giant over-the-top chair on the other. I can see where the hotel may feel that this is an experience meant to welcome the visitor, but I found myself more freaked out about it than anything else. I remember walking away thinking, “I’m trying to check into a hotel, not buy a used car.” I found the Siena’s check-in experience awkward, and their demand for a credit card for incidentals (or $50 cash deposit) reminiscent of a pay by the hour motel, despite the room charges being direct billed back to my company.

They handed me the room keys and I come to find they’re the same key that Bellagio and Mirage Las Vegas both dumped to go back to plastic cards because they require an odd sequence of inserting in the lock and turning.

The hotel common areas, and the hallways were plush and very clean. The room though looked like a room that you’d find at an older Marriott. I was not impressed. To their credit though, the room was generally clean, and spacious. I felt the furnishings to be old and stuffy.

It’s generally accepted that most hotel bed comforters are lucky if they get washed every six months, and I noticed some marks and streaks on the comforter in my room. It looked as if it’d been run over with roller wheel luggage. On a positive they had two full length mirrors which make getting dressed easier. It’s a small perk, but can be very important when a hotel lacks them.

The bathroom and shower were spacious. On day two of my stay I noticed a small refrigerator hiding under the bathroom counter. It was not a wet bar, and it was empty. I found all the bathroom towels to be made in India. For being in the middle of cotton country you'd think they'd have Made in the USA towels.

The television was small, old and the picture quality was horrible. At first, it didn’t even work, they had to send maintenance to reset the menu box, but it eventually worked. The hotel offers both wired and wireless internet access and they had a good connection.

Their award winning restaurant Il Palio provides room service. Wonderful menu and selection, but very pricey.

Having notepads and stationary is a small amenity, but important nonetheless. I searched and searched but found no notepads.

Very welcoming staff who knew our dog's name and treated him like a welcome guest. Remembered that we had once stayed here years ago and even left a note in our room thanking us for returning. Immediately adjusted our room to provide an extra we had not mentioned during booking. Very upscale and well maintained decor, the best "included" brunch we have had anywhere (and we are seriously well traveled), excellent and pampering bath, convenient parking. Overall, a terrific experience.