The Royal Sonesta Boston

First, I will say that most reviews for this hotel support the marketing that the rooms are oversized. I will also say that when I was able to peak in other rooms while walking by....the other rooms did seem to be quite large and spacious. This review is a warning that not ALL rooms are spacious. Even more so, that the staff does not seem to care. If you check in and get assigned room 366 in the West Tower, don't bother unpacking anything. My partner and I did not have ideal travel, so instead of checking in on Friday as planned, we checked in at about 8am Saturday. On Friday around 10pm I had called to inform the front desk that we were still coming, but that we were experiencing issues. Again, WE ARE COMING AND ARE CALLING TO AVOID BEING MARKED AS A NO SHOW. When we finally arrived, I was told that my reservation was marked as a "no show." Now, we did end up still having a room.... and it is THAT room, and my experience informing the Manager of the characteristics of the "room," that this review is regarding. The room that we were provided was NOT in anyway "oversized." I specifically reference "oversized," because that is how the rooms were advertised, and that was why a reservation was made at THIS hotel. This LUXURY hotel. The King City View room that I was in, did not have enough space to easily walk around the foot of the bed...to walk between the bed and the dresser, one had to walk SIDEWAYS. The area was not wide enough to wheel a suitcase across in the usual fashion. I do not expect to have to walk SIDEWAYS around a bed to get from the bathroom to the exit in ANY hotel room, but especially a LUXURY HOTEL THAT ADVERTIZES OVERSIZED ROOMS. Never in my life have I ever gone to a front desk to complain, this was the first time, because the way that the FURNITURE DID NOT FIT IN THE ROOM OF A LUXURY HOTEL WAS SO ABSURD. This was also the first time I have ever gone to complain, because for the first time in my life, I have not been able to just keep my head down and deal with it. When I say that the furniture did not fit...the door on the dresser/tv stand could not entirely OPEN. Which also meant the mini-fridge tucked inside COULD ALSO NOT OPEN. I showed the manager the picture of the doors NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN to point this out while also explaining that you have to walk SIDEWAYS. I told her that because I have a CANE that walking SIDEWAYS is particularly difficult for me. Because of this COMPLETELY ABSURD situation, I asked if I was ACTUALLY BEING CHARGED THE FULL RATE FOR THIS ROOM THAT DID NOT EVEN FIT THE FURNITURE, WHERE ONE COULD NOT WALK NORMALLY AROUND A BED. Part of why I asked this question was because I COULD NOT EVEN BELIEVE I WAS IN THIS SITUATION. I THOUGHT I WAS BEING PUNKED TO PAY FOR A LUXURY HOTEL AND THE FURNITURE DIDN'T FIT. The response? She looked at me like I was the biggest idiot. Of course I was being charged the full rate. I was "in the room type I booked." She then apologized that I was uncomfortable and said that they have ADA rooms, and that I should have booked one of those. Now, a few things: 1. Was there a king bed? Yes. 2. Outside my window were there buildings? Also yes. 3. I did not book an ADA room because I do not NEED an ADA room. I do not need a roll-in shower, etc. 4. While I understand that not all rooms are EXACTLY the same, I do NOT think that it is UNREASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT I SHOULD BE ABOUT TO WHEEL AROUND MY SUITCASE OR EVEN JUST NORMALLY WALK AROUND THE BED. 5. My spouse who DOES NOT HAVE A CANE OR ANY OTHER DISABILITY ALSO HAD TO WALK AROUND THE BED SIDEWAYS. I am including pictures in this review to show that my suitcase, a normal suitcase, had to go around the bed sideways. Thank goodness I have a suitcase that can wheel in any direction, and is not the older models that gets just pulled along the "normal" way. I am also including a picture to show how the door of the dresser and the mini fridge could not open. The hotel knew this...that's why the mini fridge that was actually turned on was in the corner. I am ALSO including a picture to show that I LITERALLY COULD NOT PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER BETWEEN THE BED AND DRESSER. AS IN THIS SPACE WAS LITERALLY LESS THAN TWO FEET WIDE. It is my understanding that in hotels, there is a requirement for there to be a CLEAR AND UNOBSTRUCTED PATH to get from ANY PART OF THE ROOM TO THE EXIT. I do NOT think someone should have to walk SIDEWAYS TO GET AROUND THE BED TO GET TO THE EXIT IF THEY WERE IN THE BATHROOM. At one point during my stay I received a text that they noticed I had the do not disturb sign the whole time, so that housekeeping had not been able to get into the room. Yes. This is true. The housekeeper in the hallway was lovely. I was able to hand her my trash cans to empty, give her the used towels, and get fresh towels. I DID THIS BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA HOW ANYONE WOULD BE ABLE TO SERVICE A ROOM LIKE THAT IF OUR LUGGAGE WAS IN IT. Our room was dusty, like many other reviewers have stated. Based on the fact that it has now been two months of guests leaving reviews about cleanliness, where management responds that they are "working on it"...I do not have much faith. It honestly looks like they were taking steps to redo the rooms, and did not realize that perhaps the furniture they ordered doesn't work for ALL ROOMS. For example...the bed was NOT flush against the wall (yes, that is another one of the pictures). Had the bed been FLUSH AGAINST THE WALL, PERHAPS there would have been enough space to walk by. The fact that the manager was not concerned that the FURNITURE DID NOT FIT IN THE ROOM AND THAT GUESTS HAD TO WALK AROUND THE BED SIDEWAYS WAS VERY CONCERNING. And the look that I A GUEST WHO BOOKED A LUXURY HOTEL AND EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO WALK AROUND WAS BEING UNREASONABLE?! WHAT IN THE WORLD?! I booked this hotel because I wanted a NICE TRIP. The location? IT WAS GREAT. I was willing to SPEND MORE MONEY because I wanted a NICE TRIP. I did not expect TO PAY FOR A LUXURY HOTEL AND TO NOT BE ABLE TO WALK AROUND A BED. Again, MY SPOUSE COULD NOT WALK AROUND THE BED EITHER. I still cannot believe that in this situation I was told that THIS WAS THE ROOM I BOOKED. THAT I PICKED A ROOM WHERE I COULD NOT WALK AROUND THE BED. That I got a look like I WAS THE UNREASONABLE ONE. To be told that IF I WANTED A ROOM WHERE A PERSON COULD WALK AROUND A BED, I SHOULD HAVE BOOKED AN ADA ROOM. Again....MY SPOUSE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A DISABILITY ALSO HAD TO WALK SIDEWAYS AROUND THE BED. So....the housekeeping staff...very nice. Most of the rooms I saw? They were oversized and lovely. But....BE AWARE YOU WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE IN ONE OF THOSE ROOMS. IF YOU GET ASSIGNED ROOM 366 IN THE WEST TOWER, YOU WILL BE CHARGED FULL PRICE FOR A ROOM YOU CANNOT EVEN WALK IN.

I really like this hotel for it’s location - right on the river front and easy to reach the main area of the city centre. The staff at reception area really friendly and welcoming on arrival, and happy to help with any requests throughout your stay. The lobby area is spacious with plenty of comfortable sofas if you need to spend any time there, as well as there being some complimentary drink offerings. My room was at the rear of the property and had a nice view over the river. While not the most spacious and being an awkward shape it was modern and clean. There was plenty of storage and loads of electric sockets next to both sides of the bed, as well as controls for the various lighting options in the room. There was a coffee machine provided as well as a couple of large bottles of water, and an empty mini fridge. The bathroom was a great space, decorated well with a great walk-in shower and lovely toiletries. Plenty of towels were supplied and there was good lighting with mirrors. Again, everywhere was spotlessly clean. The room gave a great night’s sleep and the only issue was being located next to the elevators, which could be quite audible at times. I did find the food offerings in the hotel a little lacking - there’s a small coffee shop which closes early afternoon, and a single restaurant for breakfast, but with a menu and no buffet offering. There’s also no option for room service. But being in the city centre there are nearby alternatives. Overall it was a good stay offering reasonable value for the prime location. I’d certainly stay again when I’m next in the city.

One problem after another. Check In: 1. Charged us for 2 nights over $1K when our room is already paid for by the Travel Company. Receipts shown. 2. Held $$ for incidentals that Travel Company already has covered. 3. No breakfast included when Travel Company has it included. 4. Connecting room door wouldn’t lock & maintenance never came to fix. We fixed it & someone tried to come through while we were sleeping. Drinking water, terrible coffee & creamer & soap included. 5. Very small bathroom with banging water pipes anytime we or neighbors turned on the water. No washcloths. 6. Day 2, nothing straightened out about room/charges after front desk said they would check into things and call back, Never a call back. 7. Day 3, Travel Tour Guide arrived and straightened things out. 8. Traveled throughout New England & returned to this hotel to a noisy small room. All the traffic noise bounced off the buildings all night. 9. 10:30pm, 5-6 Entitled 20 Something’s partying outside our room, sitting on the floor hooting & hollering as if they are the only people in the hotel. I kindly took care of the problem. Last day here, let’s see what BS happens next.

We stayed 3 nights at the Royal Sonesta Cambridge in August following our first visit 12 years ago. The hotel is in a good location if you want to be on the edge of the main tourist area and on the Cambridge side of the Charles River, thus allowing beautiful views of the Boston Skyline. Our second visit didn’t get off to a great start. We booked a river view room and paid an upgrade for a balcony. The allocated room had a partial river view and a very small balcony, with no room to sit on, standing room only. We requested a move of room following our first night stay. Our request was granted by a very helpful member of staff, at no extra charge. Our second room had a specular view and resulted in a lift to our mood. The hotel rooms (we had 2 during our stay) and the public areas are in need of a makeover, the hotel has a tired look about it. We used the pool facility once. We were denied access on the second day for no apparent reason. Other previous guests seem to have experienced a similar situation. We did not use the restaurant facilities so we were unable to comment on the food, however, an observation seemed to suggest the food was quite expensive.

The view from our room is incredible. The beds were comfy and lots of space. Like w all places we've stayed in, never enough places to hang wet towels ...room was clean...what a treat to stay here