I recently stayed at the Sonesta New Orleans and was very disappointed with the lack of hospitality and communication throughout my visit.
At check-in, the front desk associate was impersonal and dismissive despite the desk not being busy. Every question I asked was met with, “Everything you need to know is on the paper.” This statement was inaccurate, as several important policies were not included.
The following morning (December 21st), I came down for breakfast and was not greeted by either the front desk associate or the security guard. I had to say “Good morning” twice before receiving any response.
I reported a broken microwave in my suite and maintenance responded promptly. However, when I later called the front desk to ask about housekeeping, I was informed that it must be requested — a policy that was neither communicated at check-in nor listed on the information sheet. After requesting it, I was told there would be a 24-hour turnaround time, which again was not disclosed anywhere.
More than 24 hours passed and housekeeping never came. When I followed up, I was told there was no explanation, that the issue would be escalated, and that I would receive a call back. I never did. By checkout, our suite had not been cleaned and we were completely out of paper products.
This experience lacked basic hospitality, accountability, and follow-through. It fell well below expectations for the Sonesta brand, and unfortunately there are many hotels in the area that provide better