Onora Suites

I was drawn to Onara Suites because the building is historic, while the room itself is modern, updated, and quiet. It was also very clean, with lots of thoughtful little touches that made it comfortable. The wine bar downstairs adds something special. The customer care felt welcoming from the start. We got clear instructions by text about parking and check-in. Highly recommend.

No elevator, but that wasn’t a problem for us. The owner, Leslie, was accommodating when we got confused checking in. Rooms are clean, comfortable, spacious, and quiet, and the location is great. The place gets the basics right, though the lack of an elevator will rule it out for some people. A few small complaints: the bathroom fan is loud, there should be more bathroom shelving, and the keypad numbers are hard for my 72-year-old eyes to see.

January 2024: we’ve now stayed three times and picked a different suite each visit. We expect to keep coming back as long as we can manage those stairs. The owner answers my texts right away and is kind, even when I’ve raised issues. We’ve enjoyed our stays very much. The first two times, the sliding toilet seat was a nuisance, especially when I first needed to use it. On this visit it was secure. Hallelujah! It’s little details like that which help make a stay enjoyable. The suite also had thoughtful extras: eye masks, robes, popcorn, two cans of soda, water, a first aid kit, coffee, an umbrella, and a furnished kitchen. On our first visit, we found the rooms private and quiet, and cleaner than nearly any hotel I’ve stayed in, despite some dated bathroom flooring. No dirt, grime, soap residue, or hard-water buildup. There are about a dozen places to eat nearby. My husband had eye surgery at the Eye Clinic of WI, just two blocks away. The suite had a lounge chair at one end where he could put his feet up and sleep comfortably. It was very hot and humid when we went, and the AC worked well. The vents did drip condensation onto the mattress, leaving a wet spot. I contacted the owner, who asked us to adjust the thermostat. Other minor issues on an earlier stay were a loose toilet seat, a bedroom ceiling fan that only ran on high or was off, and no elevator, making luggage up two flights unpleasant.

It was a fairly simple place, not too bad, and the instructions were nice. The main issues were mechanical. The hot water didn’t seem to last very long, and I’m not sure the bathroom vent was ducted properly because using it made the hallway smell a bit like farts. So, it was fine. Edit: It’s telling that the owner thinks a mediocre review must be from some rogue Google Reviewer running around making up three-star reviews for places they’ve never visited. Odd, since I don’t remember missing a roll call sheet when I checked out. Just call a maintenance person. They can fix it for you.