Sonesta Essential NW Houston

My car had to be towed to a dealership for repairs, so I felt stuck here. I was grateful that a good friend in Houston could help when the hotel failed me in every way. The housekeeping staff were friendly, but the breakfast wasn’t up to the brand standard and felt like a waste of money. The room was moldy, with a strong mold smell, including in the bathroom. There was what looked like dried feces on the bathroom door, and the carpet under the bed was stained and needed shampooing. There was no cleaner for the dishes or silverware, or anything else for keeping a kitchenette clean. I bought a candle to cover the smell. The front desk staff were extremely unprofessional and unkempt, which should have been another warning. When I first arrived, the agent couldn’t find my reservation and falsely said they couldn’t make in-house reservations. They also didn’t know what benefits I was supposed to get as a Sonesta platinum member. My catalytic converter was stolen in broad daylight around 12:30 p.m., after I’d paid for an extra night at about 9 a.m. so I could rest before leaving for Dallas. Strange people were constantly walking through the parking lot, and there was no security at any time of day. My vehicle wasn’t the only one vandalized. I spoke with the manager and explained that my insurance would cover the bill, or I could see if Sonesta would give me points, or have someone pay for the evening after work. She agreed, but after 8 p.m. had a front desk worker tell me to pack my things and wait in the lobby to pay, despite having already agreed my insurance could cover the balance. I’m a platinum tier member with Sonesta. The next day, after that stunt, the manager acted falsely friendly at the desk, and I was only cordial at best. They charged me too much for the suite on the last night. Platinum members get complimentary upgrades, and the hotel hadn’t sold out once during my stay, even with the rodeo going on. That says a lot. Afterward, they raised the rate to $100 a night. I wouldn’t pay full price or stay again. There are several nearby hotels that aren’t this ghetto, have security, and provide decent customer service.