Hotel Petaluma, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

The staff’s kindness was what stayed with me most. Ben at the front desk gave us helpful recommendations for places to visit, the young housekeeping lady on the 4th floor was always smiling and ready to help, and the bartenders made wonderful cocktails, though I’m sorry I don’t remember their names. Seeing the fireplace lit in the morning made the lobby feel warm and cozy. The hotel has a beautiful vintage feel and is really charming. Our stay was short but lovely. The room was clean, though cold temperatures caused water to leak in through the windows and wet the floor.

The location is perfect, close to everything and convenient for getting around, and my room was clean and well cared for. Parking was a challenge and could use improvement. Before checkout I left a $20 tip for housekeeping, then realized I’d forgotten my bag and returned a few minutes later. The lady cleaning the room had already started and said she hadn’t seen a tip when I mentioned it. I don’t know who checks rooms after guests leave, but the thought that someone else might have taken it bothered me. I’m not sure I’d stay again. If I do, I’ll hand the tip directly to housekeeping.

The place is noisy too, the walls are really thin. To the guy in room 518 tonight who’s scared of relationships and long-term commitment, good luck. You’ll have more than I did in my first hour here. Parking is a mess: street parking is restricted, and you may want to unload your bags first, especially in pouring rain, unless you want a workout. Check-in took forever, with a “be right back” sign at the desk when we arrived. I was tired and just wanted my key, and someone should have covered the desk. The elevator doesn’t reach the 5th floor, which worked out for us because our key failed twice up there. They gave us another key, but we had to haul all our luggage back down to the 3rd floor. I was already annoyed before my head even hit the pillow. I just wanted to eat the delicious Mexican food I’d picked up from the food truck down the way, but it had gone cold. And no free water? That’s basic. I stayed at a motel the day before and got water and tons of snacks. Update: the business response was a big nothing-burger.

We had a great stay, and I’m especially grateful to Danielle. She arranged for our rooms to be close together and made sure my 94-year-old mom was looked after. Mom wasn’t feeling well at checkout, and Danielle went above and beyond to help us. Thank you to Danielle and everyone at Hotel Petaluma. I’d recommend this hotel to anyone.