We stayed at the Sonesta Select Austin North from July 2 to July 5, and I can honestly say it was one of the worst hotel experiences we’ve ever had. We flew in from Michigan to spend precious time with my daughter’s husband before his year-long military deployment, hoping for a comfortable and meaningful trip. Instead, we were completely misled by the photos and descriptions online; it felt like we were catfished.
I had previously stayed at the Royal Sonesta in San Juan and had a wonderful experience, so I trusted the Sonesta brand. Based on the photos on Expedia, I booked two higher-floor rooms, expecting a similar level of quality. Upon arrival, we were informed that the elevators were out of service — and had been for some time. No prior notice was given. Because of this, we were moved to rooms on the first and second floors. Climbing the stairs to the second floor with luggage and a baby was bad enough, but the overwhelming stench in the stairwells made it nearly unbearable.
The rooms were in poor condition. They were dirty, with visible stains on the furniture and bedding. We found pubic hair in both the bathroom and the bed. My daughter's first-floor room smelled heavily of marijuana and had visible black mold throughout the bathroom. Even worse, housekeeping never came during our three-night stay. No fresh towels, no toilet paper, and no basic cleaning — when we asked the staff, they simply said “no.”
But the most disturbing part? My daughter found a roach crawling
