The Watershed

Our room was clean and organized, just as it has been on previous visits, and the overnight desk attendant was kind, attentive, and helpful. He answered our questions and assisted my husband with some tech issues. The rest of the experience during the snowstorm was disappointing. The driveway and parking lot were a mess when we arrived. With such severe weather, we expected the hotel to make an effort to keep parking safe, but that didn’t seem to be a priority. The first staff members we dealt with were loud, distracted, and unprofessional. They seemed more interested in socializing and playing games than helping guests. The lobby felt like their personal hangout, and it was uncomfortable to approach the desk. During a storm like that, guests needed support and attention. We’re in the area often for business, but don’t plan to return. The lack of professionalism and attentiveness at the start of our stay left a lasting impression, especially when guests were relying on the hotel for safety and basic help in extreme weather. Management should do better.

Jeiny made check-in a pleasant experience with excellent service, going out of her way to help make my stay comfortable. She also offered me the option of a room away from the train tracks right from the start, which I appreciated. The Norwalk River views are beautiful, especially from the lobby. Thanks again, Jeiny, for the hospitality!

The bed was comfortable, the hotel was clean, and the staff were friendly. I loved that the pillows had some height to them, so I only needed one to sleep. But we had cold showers on two of our three days. In both the morning and evening, the water was lukewarm at best before quickly turning cold, even during a standard five-minute shower. Not fun. We also found the towels frustrating. The room had only two for the two of us, and there are no towel bars in the bathroom. I hung one extra towel on a bedroom hook to dry and planned to use it after washing my hair the next morning, but housekeeping took it, leaving us with one towel each. Apparently towels need to be hidden from housekeeping. The bathroom is very dark, with black walls, one light over the sink, one in the shower, and a backlit mirror with yellow-blue lighting. Ladies, expect a struggle applying makeup. The other mirrors in the room are in shadow, too, so the lighting is poor throughout. Lobby music played so loudly that it carried into our room each morning. Breakfast wasn’t appealing either. It’s mostly processed baked goods and Jimmy Dean sausage muffin sandwiches heated in a microwave, so we skipped the complimentary breakfast every morning.

The room and pillows were comfortable, and the walls were a little thin, though noise never got bad enough to disturb the peace. The hotel looks sharp, with nice decor and a large, welcoming lobby. Staff were incredibly friendly, even staying impressively calm with some high-maintenance guests I saw. Could the hotel offer free breakfast or coffee?