I wanted to like the Arabella, especially because we booked for Thanksgiving, but it was a big disappointment.
Check in was quick a little after 2 p.m.
The room was standard fare. Not remarkable but comfortable.
It was nicer than the back of the F building where we parked, which had a motor lodge look and feel that was not very welcoming.
Before I could check out the view from our balcony, my 13-year-old was walking back into the room with a not-quite empty bottle of Irish whiskey that had been left under the honeycomb chair.
He thought it was funny. We didn’t.
The television had poor picture quality and was not mounted.
Dogs are welcome at the Arabella and are hanging out wherever you go, including the restaurant for breakfast.
We heard them barking until well after 11 p.m. They did not disrupt sleep our sleep as much as the toilet, which leaked every few minutes throughout the night.
The tub had a faux subway tile plastic surround and did not drain well, so we all showered in ankle-deep water.
We asked to use the “complimentary” bikes but learned that our 13 and 14-year-olds were too young to use them.
The desk was handing out smore packets on Thanksgiving night to use at various gas fire pits that are situated around the courtyard.
My son went to grab them and asked for four bags. He was given two and told that each ziplock bag, which contained one chocolate bar, two graham crackers and a couple of marshmallows, was for two people. Not a big deal but when you are charging more than $350 a night….
Breakfast was top notch and a lovely way to start the day, especially when you take it outside and sit beneath a leafy pergola in the courtyard.
The pool and guests were nice. So was the little trail and vistas behind the hotel, where you can sit in Adirondack chairs and take in a sunrise or sunset.
We received an email from the Arabella within a couple hours of check-in alerting us to a “modification” to our reservation. It didn’t say what the modification was but another $40 was tacked onto our bill.
Perhaps for the whiskey?