Hotel Sorrento — Hotel in Seattle

My “Bubble mate” and I decided it was time for our second annual girls night away. We found what we thought would be a lovely boutique hotel in Seattle, the historic Sorento. We loved the attention they seemed to be giving to safety and cleaning, we figured the Sorrento wouldn’t risk our safety. After calling to confirm, We booked a double suite with two separate sleeping areas and a living area. We spent weeks preparing, getting excited, and imagining the fun we would have.

4pm arrives and we check in. We are told that our room has been sealed for 72 hours for our safety. We are looking forward to a few minutes in our room to take off our heels, get some snacks, and enjoying the bottle of prosecco we have ordered.

We hop in the elevator and ride up to the 3rd floor head down the hallway to our suite. We break the sealed-for-our protection sticker. I open the door 1/2 way, and I’m greeted by two lovely white dressed beds, and close it immediately. This is not the room we ordered. We head back down to say “sorry, we’ve been given the wrong room.” I explain to them that we have ordered a Queen 2 suite with two separate sleeping areas and a living area. We step away to let them help other guests and when they get back with us they asked how we ordered the Prosecco (some that we had tried to preorder, but not our current issue) that we had , I tell them through Facebook messenger as this is the only place I got a reply. I explain that I asked about the prosecco as we wanted it, and wanted to make sure it hadn’t been missed, but also didn’t want to double order it. Funny enough we weren’t worried about the prosecco, just that we had not received the correct room. We are told that there is no such room. I tell them that I spoke to someone on the phone (again as no answer through various other means) who told me that, yes the room does have two separate sleeping areas. Fantastic, I’ll book! I also showed the front desk staff the pics of said room.

Oh that’s a pull out couch not a real bed they say. They take us upstairs again to another room. With a fold out couch and one bed. By the time the fold out couch would be made into a “bed,” there would be no room to walk and we could play footsie, as the two beds surely would touch. They leave us in the room to discuss, which to my mind negates the 72 hours each room is given before guests can stay in it. We decide this just isn’t going to work. This is not what we wanted or ordered. We thank the man who has shown us the room, at which time he carefully reapplies the “for your safety sticker” , and we head back down, 45 mins after we first began the check in process. I say “I’m sorry that room will just not work.” The only thing said is ok we will cancel. Running through my mind is: thank goodness I haven’t flown in and are you seriously going to let two ladies just walk out. Indeed they did, surprised and unsure what to do next we head back to the patio to think.

We sit down and order a spritz, and think of different scenarios of how we may have handled the situation if it was our hotel. Apologize profusely and ask if two rooms next to each other would work. We do the actual math and two rooms would be $90 additional. Add in the prosecco we have ordered, the drinks and food we are consuming, and they are totally in the green. With discounts the hotel gives the difference would be $30. Which would be gone with the bubbles we have ordered. Not to mention the dinner we have booked, cocktails we would have consume, and food we would have ordered in the morning to help relieve the hangover we are enjoying. Apologize and offer us a cocktail on the patio. Ask if there is anything they can do for us? Uh, anything besides say ok we...

There is an exorbitant and astounding additional charge for this privately owned hotel. As explanation, In Seattle hotel's add an extra nightly fee (not included in the room price). It is called one of 3 things: An amenity fee; resort fee; or destination fee. This hotel charges 50 USD/night, evidently as an "amenity fee", e.g. for bottled water in the room; wifi; a terrace restaurant; work out room, etc.

Most of services can hardly be called amenities, wifi in particular. By Comparison, the Hilton Seattle chain charges 15/night, "destination fee". It is evidently each individual hotel or chain which determines these 'extra' fees.

As an historic old Seattle hotel, for those who appreciate old and traditional, she is a beauty. With that come some inconveniences like an elevator that apparently doesn't always work, or insufficient central A/C (the hotel has added loud, portable units to rooms).

The location is not especially convenient (except to the many hospital located within blocks of it). Luckily busses now run regularly in front of the hotel making it easier to reach the waterfront and down town. As Seattle homelessness and street drug addiction are more pervasive, the hotel shares space with much of this urban sadness. It must be said, in fairness, much of seattle downtown faces similar challenges.

WE booked a king suite, (306) which unfortunately shared an internal adjoining door wth the adjacent larger suite (308). The managers and front desk staff, were apparently unaware that the adjoining door had NO sound proofing (and room light reflecting around door jams). No, this was the first time they had heard of this problem (in a hotel built in 1909 and remodelled in 1981?!) No sound proofing meant we shared neighboring conversations and other hotel "behaviors" as if our lovely stranger neighbors were living in our very own suite.

We complained of this only to have the hotel drop the "amenity fees" for 3 nights and add an extra 50 for food/drink. Given we paid over 1200 USD for 3 nights (and had booked and prepaid 8 months prior), the hotel certainly made a pleasing enough profit. Any honest, reputable 4 star hotel would have immediately done more and with a distinctly more appropriate attitude. This kind of "oversight" (ie they hadn't been aware of the 'problem' until my complaint!) is indeed beyond believable.

Kudos to the new day time front desk receptionist, a young Turkish woman . Even though having just begun working here, she was the only person to appropriately and respectfully respond. The hotel would do well to hire...

The Hotel Sorrento Bar, a hidden gem in plain sight!!

What surprises me most is how this place is not more well known already!? Okay...hotel bars are not typically where one usually expects to find top-tier cocktails, a solid beer selection, and genuinely welcoming staff. But that’s exactly what you get at the Hotel Sorrento bar.

Most nights it’s quiet, which is surprising given how good this place is. The cocktails are excellent (like really good!), and the beer selection is well curated. I highly recommend the Chuckanut.

The bar has the feel of a proper British pub, not one of those fake US made knockoffs with plastic flags and Guinness signs. This place has real atmosphere, real wood bars and real class. Dark wood, warm lighting, and that worn-in charm you can’t fake. Tbh the whole hotel carries that same quiet elegance. Pop next door and check out the Fireside room too.

However! What really makes this place magical is the people. Every now and again you find a thing that "just works" and that is what you have here.

Devan leads the charge! Vivacious, engaging, friendly and always on point. A genuine soul who excels at what they do, the heart and soul of the bar.

Shaw brings an air of sophistication. Suave, dapper, always composed...he makes it look effortless! The whole place feels a bit more refined when he’s behind the bar.

David has a sharp sense of humor and a natural, upbeat energy. He brings the lightness and laughter, the bar feels more alive when he’s around.

Tony is a true character. Charismatic, always got a good story, and the kind of person you just want to listen to. The place just wouldn't feel the same without Tony!

Each of them bring something different. Together, they’ve built a team that...just works! It’s rare to find such a magical combo.

The food technically comes from their restaurant Stella but in reality it's all part of one and the same. The restaurant really deserves a whole review unto itself, it is also excellent beyond expectations.

Overall, the vibe here is amazing. What genuinely surprises me is that this place is not more packed out every night.

PS. Apparently David learned how to mix cocktails in a whisky bar?! Be sure to mention this when you go in. Tony, in particular, loves...