Sonesta ES Suites Tempe

I arrived at Sonesta ES Suites in Tempe at 3 AM, just as I’d told the employee who answered the phone the night before. I had asked whether I could get a late checkout because I wouldn’t arrive until between 2 and 3 am. She said I’d need to ask the front desk in the morning because she didn’t know what they had going on. When I walked in, the front desk employee said, “I’m already running audit.” There was no welcome or courtesy. I asked what that meant for checking in, and she told me, “I already have you as a no-show because my coworker said you’d be here at 12.” That was completely false. I’d clearly said I’d arrive around 2-3 AM. She made no effort to sort it out, dismissed the fact I had an active reservation, and canceled my room without even trying to understand or correct the mistake. I was traveling to my next duty station immediately after burying my mother. Being met with that kind of coldness and unprofessional behavior at such a time was beyond unacceptable. I’ve never encountered an employee so rude, unhelpful, and lacking basic compassion. I wish I could give this place zero stars. I won’t stay here again, and I strongly recommend people think twice before booking. Treating exhausted guests that way in the middle of the night, especially after they communicated clearly in advance, says a lot about the service.

After checkout, I found an extra $189 charge on my card in addition to the deposit, with no explanation or itemized receipt. At check-in, I clearly told the front desk I had a dog. They said the pet fee would be $75 for the entire stay, and I agreed to that. I called after seeing the extra charge. The front desk said it was because I hadn’t notified them about the dog and a cleaning fee, but they couldn’t explain how the fee was calculated. I emailed the hotel asking for clarification and documentation, and got no response. I’ve stayed at a lot of Sonesta locations in Phoenix, but this one’s operation concerns me. Unexpected charges without an explanation or communication are troubling. Future guests may want to review their bills closely and get written confirmation of all fees at check-in.

The location is easily the standout feature. The property is just off I-10 in the heart of Tempe, a central city in the valley, and AZ Mills Mall is across the street with plenty of shops, food, movie theaters, and attractions. We’ve stayed here several times, and it’s usually adequate. I like having a full-size refrigerator and a kitchen, and the rooms are often comfortable with soft beds. They’re mostly clean in certain buildings, but when they aren’t, they can be really rough. Service could be better. The front desk staff seems to turn over almost every visit. Breakfast staff can be moody, and the buffet isn’t anything special. Amenities like the hot tub and internet don’t always work. The only drawback to the location is that the area is becoming more and more indigent. 01/06 Response: Yes, I’m 100% sure I mean the right property. We usually book through a 3rd party reservation company. We stayed there last weekend and checked out Saturday. The morning front desk manager knew me by name, and my wife gave her a gift card for all her hard work, even though she seemed clearly overworked and undervalued. She’s certainly a bright spot among the staff. There have been a few others over the years, but they’re few and far between.

The rooms were decent and clean, and the location is handy for food and shopping. I gave one star because of the front desk staff. Check-in was okay, but I immediately got an irritable, unfriendly vibe. One night my partner and I brought back takeout without plasticware. We didn’t want to use the room’s silverware because the dishes looked bad, so he asked the front desk for plasticware. They said, “that’s for breakfast only,” as if it wouldn’t just be thrown away after use. He tried to explain why we didn’t want to use the silverware in our room. The woman told him to hold on, went to the back, then brought out silverware anyway, despite what he’d asked for. SMH, she was rude and dismissive.