Sonesta Simply Suites Houston Galleria Medical Center

The Galleria location is great, and my stay here about a year ago was pleasant. This visit went differently, though check-in itself was fine. The room had a musty smell mixed with cigarette and urine odors. The armchair was badly stained, there was a hole in the closet door, and the bedside lamp didn't work. The mattress was fine, but there was only a thin bedspread, no blanket, and just two pillows on the queen bed. No coffeemaker, either. The bathroom's fluorescent light looked ready to burn out, and there were only two towels. When I asked downstairs for more, they said they were out and told me to come back later. I know it's a budget hotel, but that doesn't excuse poor room maintenance.

I was glad to get back to my regular motel, whose manager upgraded my room and refunded the points used for this stay, plus a bonus, after I explained what happened. Sonesta had taken me in when the air conditioning failed at the motel where I'd booked. I arrived tired after flying in for MDAnderdson, without a car and hungry, and walked about half a mile to a restaurant. The foyer's layout and finish had already made the place seem low-end. In my room, both the kitchen and bathroom trash cans already had rubbish in them, the floor had many spots from spills that hadn't been cleaned, and the couch area was dirty. The AC controls wouldn't adjust the temperature, and the room was cold. There was no blanket, either in the room or available at the office, so I slept in my street clothes. I couldn't get towels or washcloths: the office phone was constantly busy, and when I walked back to the front desk, the man said none were available until sometime later the next day. I couldn't shower or clean up in the morning and went to my appointment in disarray. This is a cheapish long-term residence operation, though I don't know what my regular motel paid for it. It felt poorly managed and dirty. Unless you want to repeat my night of Hell, I strongly suggest you avoid it.

We slept well, and the staff were great, but I probably wouldn't return. The place is okay for a night, though there's a lot to be desired. It's somewhat isolated, while still semi-close to downtown. The lobby and hallway smelled like a restroom, and the rooms were nice but outdated. Our room had a dining table, plates, cups, mugs, an electric stove, a fridge, and a pantry, though another chair or two would have helped. There was no toilet paper, but a friendly front desk staff member brought some promptly. The toilet didn't flush properly right away. The power went out for a couple of minutes, though I suppose the storm was to blame.

I booked for two months because I needed a long stay and the price seemed fair, and the reviews looked good. After two days, I was glad to leave on the third day and find somewhere much better. To me, this doesn't really feel like a hotel anymore. It seems halfway through a conversion into cheap apartments, and it's very outdated. There was no housekeeping during my stay, supposedly because of corona protocols. I suspect that explanation was just to save on wages. The bathroom flush seemed to have very weak pressure, around 20 PSI, so bring a plunger if you stay. Its light was extremely dim, and the bed, which the hotel-apartment calls a queen, seemed at most a double. It squeaked and bounced whenever I turned over. Newer employees were somewhat polite but didn't seem to know how the hotel runs, while the knowledgeable women who had worked there for ages were cheaply rude to my face. Either way, getting questions answered seemed unlikely. I also found the place shady, and felt like I was living in the slums, though someone short on funds might feel it's like a mansion. The price was fair for that length of stay, but my experience was rough. Maps still lists it as a hotel, which I don't understand. Maybe it was one back in the eighteen hundreds. Don't be duped by the positive reviews like I was. I'm not saying don't book it, but consider your finances and trip carefully. Best of luck! ✳