Form over Function
We stayed two nights here because we were attending an event at the University of Washington. Our first choice, the Silver Cloud Inn-University District, was fully booked. The place is nicely decorated, and the beds are comfortable. However, amenities like a fridge and a coffee maker (standard even in budget hotels) are lacking here. During our stay, this facility demonstrated a number of peculiar (and irritating) inconsistencies. An iron and ironing board were provided, for instance, in a large closet, but it had no light. So it was necessary to grope to find it or to hang or retrieve clothes. Further, that was the ONLY place to store clothing because there were no dressers. Although they offer WiFi, and it was easy to access, there was only one chair at a glass table filling in for a desk. Unfortunately, a mouse doesn't function on such surfaces. The bathroom had lovely deco fixtures and hardware, but the stopper in the basin didn't work. A narrow, sloping shelf with a gap behind it couldn't accommodate toiletries for two (or one, for that matter, because they kept slipping off). Re: the rest of the hotel: the restaurant had a very limited menu with nothing we could eat (we're vegan). Consequently, we had to trek several blocks to find breakfast. And, while there are plenty of good restaurants in the area, it's nice not to have to search for one first thing in morning. (Again, a small refrigerator and microwave would have allowed us to eat in the room.) Style definitely trumps substance at the Deca. Important practical considerations have been ignored, and maintenance could also be improved. I like a pretty place as much as the next person, but not at the expense of functionality and convenience.