This is a nice-looking hotel. Clearly, some thought has gone into the interior design of the lobby and the rooms.

But irritating problems kept popping up and continue as i write this review.

1. The company did not confirm my reservation with an e-mail; I had to contact them specifically through the website a 2nd time to get a confirmation. Maybe my spam filter deleted the original, but I don't think so.

2. I arrived at 10:30 p.m after driving 12 hours. They inform me there's a $75 non-refundable charge for my two miniature poodles. That is not what the web site said where I made the reservation. I don't remember what website said the pet-fee charge was, but it was NOT $75. That would have been a deal-breaker right there.

3. The room they gave me was right off the lobby. There's a bar in the lobby and about 8-10 people were there chatting loudly. I did not think it would be a problem because the bar closed at 11 p.m., and I figured I would then go to sleep.

At 11:45 p.m., the patrons were still at the bar talking loudly. I called the front desk, they said they would try to do something.

NOTE: Part of the problem is the design of the bar/breakfast area. There is no carpet or a drape to absorb the sound, so the voices bounce all over the place.

Finally at midnight and absolutely exausted from two days of driving, I asked them to change rooms for me, which they very kindly did. But I had already settled into the room, the dogs were almost asleep I. And now I had to gather all my belongings and move. It took 30 minutes for the dogs to settle back down, and an hour for me.

Why did they put me in the worst room in the hotel in the first place?

4. Now, this morning, I awake and find there's no "brew basket" for my in-room coffee maker. They have nice "Seattle's Best" coffee here, but no way to make it. So I go out to the front desk, and the nice lady negociates a free cup of coffee from the breakfast bar.

Meanwhile another travelling couple is exiting the hotel, and she says to me, "A dollar fifty-nine for coffee, they charged me. I'm not staying here again."

She's right. The last three hotels gave free coffee, and these guys charge? Weird.

5. Oh yeah, almost forgot. There's a nice LG flat screen TV in the room, but the reception is snowy. Come on! Why have a nice TV with a bad picture?

I might sound fussy, but I am not. I stayed in a Red Roof Inn last night for $49. The dogs wrere free. The coffee was free, and the TV reception was perfect. The bed was more comfortable too. And the bathroom there felt cozier than the one here.

This could be a nice hotel, but someone from the executive staff needs to stay here as a guest to find out what we're going through. At least the internet is free, although I'm trashing their hotel while using it.

Checkout's in an hour. Thanks for reading. Now onto the front desk to do battle to get some of my $75 deposit back.

Never again, Sheraton. I'm sticking with Marriott.