Sonesta ES Suites Burlington VT

I called Sonesta headquarters and their customer complaint number, but they couldn't help because this property is owner owned and corporate has no affiliation. I think they should take their name off the building if that's the case. I'll try the Better Business Bureau, since my complaint is with the owner and management. I also sent a message asking for contact from corporate, but got an email from someone at the property with the same answer I'd already heard in person. There were some good moments at first. The receptionist was lovely and helpful, and the loft suite was bigger than expected. Our plans changed and we had a couple fewer people, so we downgraded one room to a king; she handled that flexibly. Once we settled in, though, we found stains, water damage, a hole in the loft wall, leftover food, and hair on the ceiling. They were renovating while we were there and didn't seem ready for guests. My baby brother cut his foot on a chair with a staple sticking out. Later, during ice rain on the second or third day, nobody cleared or salted the walkways. They put out floor slip signs in some outdoor paths. I saw a woman walking her dog in shoe chain spikes. By the end of day three, they'd finally salted, only after my mother threatened a lawsuit on the second day with no salt. We also had to leave our king suite because it filled with smoke while I was out for the day. I told the receptionist, who checked whether the neighbors were using their fireplace, called maintenance and the manager, and moved us when she couldn't identify the cause or air the room out. The manager and maintenance man arrived while I was packing and checked things, including the oven, as if it might be our fault, even though they'd been told I'd just returned. They tapped the smoke detector and wondered aloud why it hadn't gone off. A detector that doesn't work? At checkout, they tried to blame us. The receptionist said her manager Randy told her they found a candle. We hadn't had a lit candle, and we'd been out since 10 a.m. When we asked for proof, they couldn't provide any. Even a candle shouldn't have made that much smoke unless it caught a curtain on fire. The replacement room had a cigarette burn on a sheet. There were full trash bags all over outside too. Breakfast was okay, though one day there was pink, chunky food that looked like vomit and wasn't labeled. I'd have preferred breakfast ending at 10 a.m. instead of 9, especially when crossing the complex meant trying not to slip and get hurt. I would have added photos if I'd known the trip would become such a disaster.

I booked through air b&b, and the listing needs updating because it was confusing. I was told I wouldn't have access to amenities or linen, but that wasn't true. I could use everything, including breakfast, which was a plus. There also weren't the usual air b&b check-in instructions. The room was good, and the carpet seemed new, but the fixtures need work. We had a loft, and the air didn't distribute well: upstairs was furnace-hot while downstairs was freezing. The property needs work and seemed badly understaffed, so I'm conflicted. Still, everyone I met was respectful, and the desk employee working New Year's Eve and New Year's Day was sweet and found a solution, even though another issue came up. I only saw two employees, but they were warm and willing to help. Nisha is sassy and funny, like that one family member, and made it feel more like home. I'd definitely return once the pool is sorted out and everything works.

Two years ago we had a great stay, but this weekend was disgusting. The first room had some kind of metal piece on the floor, awful rugs, and toilet water on the bathroom floor. The front desk woman was understanding and moved us right away. But the next room had coffee stains on the counters and dead bugs in the pull-out couch, so we checked out immediately.

The room was okay, but finding a sock and winter hat left by the previous guest made us doubt it had been cleaned properly. The bathroom smelled funky and there was black mold around the tub. The kitchen cabinets were painted and heavily scratched, adding to the worn, neglected feel. The pool was closed when we checked in, which was a huge disappointment since it was the only reason we switched from our previously booked Air BNB. We also had a fireplace, but the desk said we had to buy synthetic logs, and they were out on the only nights we could have used it. I was concerned about safety too. Huge icicles hung from the roof eaves, including one near the pool room that could have crushed a child if it fell. I kept my two kids away, but people are naturally drawn to them because they're large and kind of beautiful. Some had already fallen onto the concrete paths. Nobody was clearing the chunks, which were large enough to hurt a child or adult and also created a tripping hazard.