- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
El Dorado Hotel
Rating Details »
405 1st Street W
Sonoma, CA 95476
(800) 289-3031
Sonoma, CA 95476
(800) 289-3031
Fall Promotion WineNot
info@eldoradosonoma.com
Announced 3 days ago- Price Range:
-
$$$
24 reviews for El Dorado Hotel
Minus 1 star for the thin walls, I was surprised at how many bumps and scrapes and clanks we could hear in our room.
However, the room is impeccably decorated - love the shutter details. The personal balcony was nice to have. The bed, sheets, pillows were the comfiest I've ever slept on in a hotel. The AC worked, which is not as common as one would hope. And the location cannot be beat, especially for only $200/night in peak season.
I would definitely recommend this spot to visitors.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
A great boutique hotel in Sonoma with a highly recommended restaurant and coffee shop attached. You really can't go wrong.
When we stayed here the prices were also really reasonable for the area and for a weekend night.
Recommended to anyone who visits!
I was not impressed. The staff was not friendly and actually ignored us alot of the time. You can hear your neighbors quite well because of the thin walls. The rooms were small and pretty stripped down. And the price was high for not that great of an experience.
On the upside the location is very good and the neighboring little cafe was convenient.
The location was extremely convenient.
Other than that, I do not have many positive things to say. The walls are very thin - you can hear your neighbors and downstairs restaurant/bar.
The room was fine - however...
The fitted sheet did not fit on the bed properly - seems like a small thing, but annoying when you constantly find yourself lying on bare mattress in the middle of the night.
There was no tub in the bathroom. A very small shower stall is not easy to shave your legs in. Also, there was very little storage space in the bathroom for your items.
I just did not see how the hotel was worth the price.
And I agree with another reviewer here - the website's pictures are very very flattering.
OMFGWTF!!!
Is what I was saying to myself as I lay in bed in my room at the El Dorado while I can feel basslines and hear lyrics of the most annoying song IN THE WORLD below me!! My room and many other rooms, just happen to be right above the El Dorado's banquet hall during an event. So, instead of being able to relax after a full day in the valley and another full day ahead, my hunnie and I have to hear the most annoying song IN THE WORLD because their engineer/contractor decided not to use any insulation anywhere.
Don't get me wrong, while the El Dorado is indeed a beautiful hotel and I'm sure went through an extensive and expensive beatification process. Noises such as the clean up crew's clatter and vacuums seemed to amplify, and this went up until midnight. I could've probably had a quieter night if I had went to the bar down the block.
Ok, now tell me if this isn't one of the most annoying songs you've heard. Play this song really loud on your speakers, look at the pictures, and stand on the street while a big rig/bus drives by and you've replicated my experience at the El Dorado.
http://www.youtube.com...
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (4)
Fantastic location, great parking on the square and in the back, super rooms. We were on the second floor, looking over the garden. Had a super balcony for late night drinks and cigars and ealry morning coffees and newspapers.
I would recommend the inner second floor rooms - and # 24 and north ( even ) have balconies that will catch the morning sun.
Small rooms - and I mean Paramount NYC small - but comfortable and well appointed. Great service - no elevator so watch out if that is something that's important to you.....
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
This review is for the bar and restaurant only.
Went here for a happy hour after the first day of a 2-day conference. The El Dorado Hotel is in a prime location at Sonoma town square, only a block from the Swiss Hotel where I was staying. They have a really nice backyard area where about 40 of us mingled under the balmy Sonoma sunsetting sky drinking wine and eating appetizers.
The wine was great. it was free (part of the conference costs) and just kept flowing. Reds, whites, cabs, merlots. I am no wine expert, all I know is if it is good or not (to me) and that's all that matters. Seriously, how can people know what chrysanthemum and lavendar and maple taste like. Part of my thinks they're just full of it.
Anyhow, the drinks were good but the appetizers we got were ... well, kinda gross. Seriously no one I saw went for seconds and we were all famished. They were like unpopular snacks at a first housewarming party that you'd give to the dog at the end of the night and then wonder why he got so sick.
I heard dinner here was good but I didn't try.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
This place could almost have 5 stars (for this price point and location) -- but the NOISE was hard to ignore. I had read on TripAdvisor that noise was an issue, and they were definitely right. The walls are really thin, and the property is located at the one of the busiest corners in Sonoma off Sonoma plaza, so traffic noise is also present.
THAT SAID, I really liked this place because of the very contemporary feel. Most of the places up in Sonoma at this price point tend to be more of the homey/B&B ambiance, while the El Dorado is unabashedly modern and chill. The decor feels like Restoration Hardware meets the W Hotel. It almost has a very LA feel to it, especially with the poolside dining, and shutters in the room. The bed and linens were probably some of the best I've had at a hotel -- comparable to all of the 5 star hotels I've stayed at. The location is also stellar, and I would definitely recommend it for young urbanites who don't mind the noise (since you're probably used to it like I am).
P.S. Their soft serve ice cream with olive oil and sea salt at the their cafe (called the "Kitchenette") is amazing. Definitely try it out!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
pleased, nice, very sonoma. a great value for a nice, clean room. nice bathroom! all the amenities one needs, & right on the square in sonoma. loved our balcony that overlooks the square! cute!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
I really enjoyed our stay at the El Dorado Hotel last week. As other reviewers have said, the location rocks. You can walk to the huge park across the street, the Sonoma Mission is just a couple of blocks away, there are at least five tasting rooms around the square (that I found thanks to Yelp!), and lots of other adorable shops with gifty-poo things for, say, the people at home taking care of your cat.
The coffee and pastries in the cafe downstairs were surprisingly delicious (the best scone I've had in years), and it was such a luxury to enjoy them on our balcony overlooking the pool.
I didn't have any problem with street noise (I live on a fairly busy street, so I might just be used to it), but the tile floors make the rooms very echo-y. When our neighbors left in the early morning with their rolling luggage, I'm pretty sure I heard the luggage roll over each and every tile.
Overall, great place and the location totally makes up for the small-ish rooms and a bit of ambient noise.
Room - very clean and modern-chic. It was on the small side. I liked the green wall color and dark wood motif. Our room also opened onto a patio that overlooked Sonoma plaza. The bed (which took up a chunk of space) was very comfortable. Also, there was reliable wireless internet. Of course, there was a convenient little fridge.
Outdoor Pool - heated, but still kind of cold when the sun wasn't shining on it. It wasn't the cleanest, best-filtered hotel pool either. Then again, we came the first week of March, so the staff probably figured no one was going to actually use the pool.
Caveats: The hotel is in a "historic building" which might not be obvious from their website. What this means is, there are no elevators (yes, you have to take haul your luggage up and down the stairs yourself) and you may not get hot water the minute you turn on the faucet (I was told the plumbing system is old and you need to leave the hot water faucet running for up to 10 minutes).
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
Cool swank with local town noise.
Visited here numerous times for industry recommendations, etc. but never had the chance to stay until recently. It's charming...like you're in a little village. Recommend interior rooms over street rooms due to the town noise. It tends to attract a more urban youthful, but responsible crowd.
The rooms are practical, room service comes from the El Dorado Kitchen and the new ED Kitchenette. Coffee in the morning is free in the Kitchenette. Morning paper at your doorstep in an EDK cloth bag.
If you're looking for complete quiet with huge bathrooms, best to shell out more for a larger hotel. Otherwise, it's a fun, simple but chic hotel in a great location, has its own parking lot and great food and bar.
They don't do room blocks anymore do to flaky bookings, and require 2-night stays on the weekends during the warmer months.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
Nothing really wrong here. We got great service, the price was fair for the region, and the room was certainly clean.
So why 3 stars? We were just sort of underwhelmed.
--We sprung for the "bungalow" since it was our honeymooon, tempted by the photos and the idea of our own private patio. We had been warned that the rooms were a little smaller, but the outdoor space in photos and in theory seemed worth it. Seeing it in person, we wish we'd gotten an upstairs room with the balcony instead. Our patio was a joke --a cement slab inside a barnyard gate next to the parking lot. Still nice for some room to breathe and a few moments to flip through the paper, but NO AMBIANCE at all.
- Air conditioner was ridiculously loud.
-Rooms chic but TINY and really banged up.
-Left us some cookies and chocolates, which were lovely looking. Too bad the ants got to them before we did, so we never got to try them.
-Parking is first come, first serve. Kind of frustrating.
-Pool and pool area is so small that if someone else was out there, you felt like you were crashing their party.
Nothing was terrible. I'd even consider staying there again. But I would NOT stay in the more-expensive bungalow.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
If you're looking for a nice hotel in Sonoma, here's the one. The El Dorado isn't a new hotel, but the modern, classic touches are appealing. That extends to the restaurant, bar, and patio. If you're tired of wine, they make some tasty cocktails that are great of a sunny afternoon.
Street noise detracts from the feeling of getting away from it all, so ask for a room facing the courtyard, especially if you like to sleep in.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
Cons:
1. The bathroom has no bathtub - only a shower stall.
This was fine when I was in school and lived in a dorm, but in a hotel I expect better.
2. The staff is unwelcoming.
I get the impression from the staff at the front desk that I'm not supposed to be here. I love paying money to be treated like a poor vagabond that wandered into the hotel in hopes of using the lobby bathroom to take a bum bath (note: sarcasm).
3. The downstairs smelled like sewage last night.
I'm not sure if this is typical, but I couldn't bring myself to eat at the restaurant or even get a drink in the lobby because of the odor.
4. There are very few amenities.
Apart from the small pool, there is little to do at the hotel. There is no exercise room or hot tub.
Pros:
1. The location is nice.
The location is very central. Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of noise outside of the hotel. Also, sonoma is a fairly small town so even staying in a less central location would still allow walking access to everything.
2. There is a pool.
The small pool is nice. There are towels and water out by the pool and places to lay out.
Overall, for what this hotel costs it's just not worth it.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
I stayed here one night for a conference, and it was lovely. The bed was super comfortable. I usually don't sleep well when I'm away from home, and this is probably the best sleep I've had in a hotel room. There are a couple things that contribute to only a 4 star rating though...
1. No wireless signal in the rooms. This is totally key for me and I was really disappointed. After a long day of driving and attending a conference, I was looking forward to getting in my PJs and curling up in bed with my laptop. No go. Had to go to the lobby, which was crowded with people waiting to get into the restaurant. Boo.
2. No iron in the closet. I guess most people who stay here aren't traveling for business, but I was. And my clothes were wrinkled. And there was no iron to help me with this situation.
3. Bad lighting for makeup in the bathrooms. Now, because of my bad eyesight (and no contacts) I do have to get unreasonably close to the mirror to see what the heck I'm doing. Most of the time, though, this is not a problem. However, there was no lighted makeup mirror, and every time I got close to the mirror, my face was covered in shadow. I hope I didn't go out looking like a clown.
4. Noise from the restaurant. Maybe it is because there were a lot of us conference people in town, but the restaurant was jam packed and noisy. And I think my room was right above the bar. So while I was in my room not surfing the wireless, I had to turn the TV up to mask the sound of the bar/restaurant.
All that said -- it was a pleasant stay in a nice hotel room that is different from most hotels that I stay in while doing business travel.
Thanks to a recent refurb, this hotel is one of the nicer ones on the square. Our room looked exactly like the one pictured on the site, sans tray on the bed. I recommend asking for a room that faces the interior courtyard as ours was on the street side and a tad car noisy - but Sonoma is a small town and shuts down by 11pm even on a Saturday night so it really wasn't a problem.
If the weather allows, be sure to have some drinks and snacks on the outdoor patio. It's a perfect ending place for a day in wine country.
3 stars for service. I asked for an iron and ironing board and it took 45 minutes to arrive.
Other than that it's a cute little hotel, nice modern decor, excellent location.
A little pricey.
Our "bungalow" had a four-post bed with posts that dug up into the ceiling.
Located less than an hour north of San Francisco, this is the perfect place for a weekend getaway. All of the recently renovated guest rooms feature original artwork on the colorful walls, comfortable four-poster beds, flat-screen TV, DVD/CD player, mini-refrigerator, hairdryer, and a cordless phone with voice mail and data port for those who can't bear the thought of life without a laptop. French doors open onto a private balcony with views of either the town's central plaza or an interior garden courtyard. There's an outdoor heated lap pool on the property. Rates, which vary according to season and day of the week, range from $145 - 190.00, include freshly roasted coffee or organic tea in the morning and the daily newspaper.
People thought this was:
- Useful (6)
- Cool (3)
This hotel is the hip one in town. The decor is simple, modern, sleek and comfortable. Our room had a small balcony, Spanish tile, comfortable/cozy bed and nice down pillows. We had a room facing The Girl & The Fig, which was REALLY loud, early in the morning (like 6:30) with people driving to work. If you want a quieter room, get a bungalow by the pool - just note that the bedroom space will be smaller and the bathroom will be bigger, and you get a nice big patio. The pool is right next to the restaurant, so be prepared to share your bikini-bod with outside diners. And note, the pool is not half as chic or inviting as the rest of the hotel ... it looks like the pool you swam in, in the 80s and and there's only three lounges for sunnin', so if you're still a real sun tanner, grab one early. No shade for us spray-on girls.
This place loses a star on its horrific customer service. There's no valet, so you park in a two-hour zone in front of the hotel and worry about getting a parking ticket the whole weekend, because the staff doesn't tell or show you where else to park-which is behind the hotel on a side street down an alley (yeah, not so easy to find on your own). When I asked the reception desk whether there's an elevator, he said no and watched me drag my big fat suitcase up the stairs and didn't blink an eye. One guy, I'm guessing he's the manager, bounces around the place like Mr. Personality. He overlooks things like the hotel staff taking meal breaks in the lobby and leaving their dishes behind and the reception desk watching a disabled guest drag his bag down the stairs with a cane, while every hotel guest who saw him offered to help. The bottom-line: the staff is too young and inexperienced to deliver the service expected from a hotel at this price point in the wine country.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Can not beat the location. Rooms are tight. Had a cabana by the pool. You are paying to be on the first floor. Otherwise skip it. AC was super load. Pillows sucked. Best value on the sqaure however and once
I really enjoyed my stay here. The room was lovely, with hardwood floors and a balcony, and the bed was one of the most comfortable I have ever experienced. I normally don't spend the money to stay in a nice hotel in town, but the weekend I went up even the Comfort Inn was charging outrageous prices, so I actually thought that this was a great value. There is a wireless network in the lobby, but the signal is too weak to be able to use it in the rooms. There is free coffee and tea every morning in the lobby, but no breakfast. We didn't get a chance to try the pool, but it was heated and it looked very tempting (I just don't know how I'd feel about swimming in front of all the diners in the restaurant, though). I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to stay here; the location and the comfy bed alone are worth 5 stars.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (2)
Took my honey here for a birthday surprise during the Jazz Festival:)
The hotel rooms are lovely. Very modern with great color schemes. I told them it was his bd and they gave us a lovely room overlooking the pool with a sweet balcony. The front desk personnel were so nice and helpful.
It's a little deceiving since you walk down a that obviously has not been remodeled, and you get a gold rush feel. Then you open up your door, and modern hits you. Very interesting.
A little taken aback that the pool is right in front of dinners. There you are in your suit, and there they are eating. I think a nice screen would work wonders.
The bar closes when the restaurant does, which is a pity. It is a lovely place to have a drink, sit by the fire or on the couches, but with it closing so early, it is a pity. Hopefully they will extend the hours, since people linger there anyway.
The hotel was a very pleasant surprise.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (2)
My husband and I received a 2 night stay as a wedding gift (pretty awesome) and the hotel I would say is pretty decent. However, DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THEIR WEBSITE. Yes, everything does exist in real life but let's just say it's some great photography. Small hotel, no elevators but clean and modern. The hotel has a the El Dorado Kitchen and the Kitchenette which is like a express coffee/cafe open during the day time. The major complaint is that the room that we were in was so noisy. Thank goodness I am a heavy sleeper, but my husband couldn't rest. There were people talking below (the restaurant guests) and cars at the 4 way stop. The air conditioning also wasn't working for a bit...so that was a bit uncomfy. We also didn't get replacement towels after our room was serviced the 2nd night , which I realized after a shower. Surprisingly, the hotel was booked so I could of been just too picky. I would say 2 stars but added 1 because...ta da ...FREE INTERNET...that makes the stay much more bearable.
