Hotel Petaluma, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

The hotel is in a historic building and it definitely has character. The lobby was probably the highlight since it preserves a lot of that 1920 feel.

Pleasant, helpful desk staff. Quiet room, comfortable.

This was a wonderful surprise and one of our favorite hotels on our trip. The hotel has a beautiful historic charm while still feeling updated and elegant. The courtyard leading to the lobby is lovely, and the lobby itself is beautifully furnished—we found ourselves taking photos because it was so stylish. Check-in was efficient and friendly.

Our room was tastefully decorated, very clean, and comfortable. The beds were comfortable, the blackout curtains worked well, and despite facing the street from a corner room, it was remarkably quiet at night. The bathroom was small but thoughtfully designed with attractive subway tile and all the amenities we needed. We also appreciated the in-room refrigerator and especially the complimentary filtered water station near the front desk, which made it easy to refill our water bottles each day. The café in the lobby was another highlight, offering excellent coffee and pastries.

The location was fantastic—not only is it right in downtown Petaluma, but it’s an easy walk to all the nearby restaurants, shops, and the waterfront area.

Really neat historic vibe and beautiful lobby area that lots of guests utilized. Great location, walking distance to everything downtown. Comfortable beds.

Very nice front desk staff, cool lobby, great location

Great location, nice rooms comfortable beds.

Location was great! The hotel is super cute. It has great vibes and cute little shops on the lobby floor. The access to the wine tasting from the lobby is a plus. The hotel is "dog friendly" but when my puppy barked maybe two times, I got a call about it because someone else complained. That doesn't feel very "dog friendly" to me. However, over all, I really liked the hotel.

Basically, everything went well.

I liked a lot about this hotel. And I liked all the staff I met. I never met the manager but I am almost certain I wouldn't like them. And for that reason I won't go back.

Here's why: The strict check-in time is a huge turn-off. You show up at 1:30p, and it's $50 additional to get into your room because check-in time is FIRMLY 3pm. And at 2:45pm you still need to pay an additional $25? (And staff was trained to say, hey we are just really busy and we've got a lot of rooms to turn over -- to which I said, well that doesn't change whether or not I fork over another fifty dollars, does it? Either the rooms are available or not.) It just isn't a way to welcome someone into a hotel.

What did I like? The staff are cheerful and kind, even when they have to enforce an absurd check-in policy. Hot coffee at 5am by the friendliest night auditor ever. Beds are comfortable and clean and the rooms are well-decored. Not to like? No onsite parking and you get a highly-detailed soliloquoy about parking options (none of them are ideal) instead of a nicely manicured handout. Likely you'll end up parking on the street and moving your car every two hours. No gym facilities, but you can go to 24 Hour Fitness. Do you have a courtesy relationship with them? No, no we don't. Do you have a business center where I can print out materials? No, but send us an email and we'll print it for you. What's the email? Email is uttered -- and it's long. I try and repeat it back. I mess up. They start looking for a business card and can't find one.

Verdict: Super cute hotel. Houskeeping is awesome, staff are great. Management is terrible. I'm going back to Petaluma next week but I have already cancelled my reservation here because I'm arriving in the middle of the day and I want to be welcomed when I arrive and that won't happen here. I'll stay at a franchise hotel down the street where, if there's a room available, I'm pretty sure they'll let me in.