Late September of this year, I had the opportunity to visit Houston, Texas for the first time and present at the Blog Elevated conference. I spent two nights at the Hotel Sorella City Centre before and after I presented on Google Analytics for Bloggers to the crowd.
In between preparing for the conference and watching the other presenters, I decided to break out my brand new iPhone 5S and take some photos of the hotel to feed a hotel review. This is my first (and possibly only) hotel review using pictures entirely from a mobile phone.
While I arrived in Houston in the middle of a torrential downpour and flash flooding warning, I managed to get a few shots of the hotel exterior after the rain cleared on my second day at the hotel.
Houston City Centre Area
Perhaps the most confusing part of the hotel area for me was understanding where it was in the city of Houston. I was naive enough to think that being in the city center meant that the hotel was in Downtown Houston. That was not the case, and the hotel was actually located in the western part of the city. Thankfully the GPS guidance on my phone had far less confusion than I did.
The other surprising part of the area was that the Hotel Sorella Houston City Centre didn’t have a giant sign indicating that I had arrived, but rather subtle branding to indicate I was going in the right direction. Normally this would be fine, but it led to some confusing walks through a parking ramp with my suitcase in the middle of the pouring rain. I was also confused about where exactly to check into the hotel, as the front desk was located on the second floor of the hotel without clear hotel logo. The arrival experience could benefit from some better signage.
In spite of those drawbacks, once I was all checked in I had very little finding things to do in the City Centre area. There are several shops and restaurants to choose from and all within walking distance of the hotel. It’s safe to say that once you park your car at the hotel, you probably will not need to use it again.
Rooms at Hotel Sorella Houston City Centre
It is my understanding that the Hotel Sorella Houston is only 2 years old, so it was not surprising that the rooms were in very good shape. I also found them to be nicely furnished and was impressed by the quality of materials that the hotel appeared to be built with. It was much higher end than I was expecting.
My room was easy to find and located near a bank of elevators and the ice machine. Not the best location for noise, but had easy access. Regarding the noise, my first night at the hotel found me sleeping next to a very loud “party” room that woke me up several times in the night. The worst part of this was when someone was actually pounding on the door next to mine for 30 minutes at 3 AM trying to be let into that room. I opened my door and gave her the stink eye and quickly shut my door. I doubt my message was received, but after a while she must have woken up someone in the room next door or simply gave up on trying to be let in.
The room was spacious enough for one person, but might feel a little cramped for two people over an extended time.
The room had a king sized bed that was very comfortable and even featured hotel monogrammed sheets. If only they had a few more of those monograms on the outside of the building it would have been much easier to find.
There was a standard desk area where I spent quite a bit of time answering emails and perfecting my presentation. The TV appeared to be small, but since I never actually turned it on I can’t speak to its quality.
There was a nice looking couch and chair that I did not use as well.
The bathroom was very modern looking and had some nice design elements for towels and toiletries.
The shampoos and soap were also high quality.
While my view the first night only consisted of rain, there was a nice view of the City Centre on the second night.
Eating Near the Hotel Sorella Houston
While I neglected to take photos of the restaurants near the hotel, I did eat all of my meals in the City Centre area. The hotel had a complimentary cold breakfast (read carb fest), so I ended up eating at the hotels Monnalisa restaurant instead. For dinner I ate at Yard House, which is a quality chain restaurant in most major west coast cities. There were plenty of other options to explore, but I ran out of time before trying them.
Overall Impression of Hotel Sorella Houston City Centre
I enjoyed my stay at Hotel Sorella and would go back if I were in the Houston area again. With proximity to shops, restaurants and a neat city center area, there’s enough to keep you occupied and well fed for a few days.
Disclosure: While the room charges were covered by the conference, my review represents my own opinions of the hotel and were not influenced by the hotel itself.
