The Westin Seattle

The North Tower elevators were the biggest problem during my weeklong conference stay. By Wednesday, only two of the four elevators were working, and it took 15-40 minutes for them to come back around to my floor with enough room for us. They were still slow on Sunday, even after most of our nearly 900 delegates had checked out. The hotel is close to the Seattle Convention Center and Pike Place Market, which I highly recommend visiting. The rooms were very comfortable, and the staff attentive. I had a strange moment when I returned to my room and found the shower gel, which had been mounted on the wall, removed. I'd already been there five days and wasn't due to check out until the following Monday. The food at Relish was very good. I had the Waygu Smash Burger twice. Five stars for that.

The staff were amazing, very kind, and did their best to make things right. That's the only reason I'm giving three stars. The first room was freezing even with the thermostat set to 78 for almost five hours, so I had to move. I couldn't reach anyone through the service express phone button and went down to the lobby twice. The indoor pool wasn't warm enough even to put my feet in, and one night of self parking was still $60. I can't imagine what valet would cost. I spent $72 on a meal at the downstairs bar, and I've had better food at Subway. Then the second room smelled like cigarette smoke, so I moved to a third. I had to shift the bed and box spring to get to an outlet. I'd expected a good stay based on other reviews, but it was a lot to deal with.

Our 37th floor room was spacious and had a great view. The facility is large, takes up nearly a whole block, and is generally well appointed. Check-in was painless, and we never had to wait for an elevator. Bonvoy elite members also get a free grande coffee at the Starbucks in the lobby, which was nice after a night out. We stayed on New Year's Eve. The hotel is well placed near the event venue we were attending, with a number of decent restaurants nearby.

The view from the room was the one thing I liked, and it feels like that's what they're charging for. The location is the only real positive. For the premium price, the service isn't great, and I wouldn't recommend a long stay. There's no fridge in the room unless you request one, and even when requested, they don't provide basic cutlery. There's no self service laundry, and the lifts shake and feel scary. Disappointed.