My wife and I brought our daughter downtown for a blowout "American Girl" Weekend and chose the Monaco because of it's glowing reviews. We arrived late and maybe that's when they put out their second-stringers, but we felt unwelcome by the desk staff--like we were an intrusion. I'll never understand this--they're in the hospitality business and they're inhospitable! (This is getting picky, but the reception desk which is cleverly designed to look like a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk needs some maintenance. The repeated "HM" initials are peeling off--looks like they used rub-downs where they should have silk screened for durability). When we got to our room we found the maid's ratty work shoes at the foot of the bed (yuck!). I'm still trying to figure out that scenario. There were no ashes--so I've ruled out spontaneous combustion. Also, to the disappointment of my daughter, the much-advertised goldfish was MIA. The bellhop (who apologized for the shoes) explained that they take away the fish when they turn down the bed "...is that OK?" he said. I think the proper response at a hotel like this would have been to bring up a stinking 35C/ fish to make a tired 5-year-old happy. On the up side, the rooms are nice and have an over-the-top decoration that my daughter loved ("I'd like to live here!" she said). The bed is VERY comfortable--my wife wants the same brand now. The bathroom is nicely appointed with quality materials and good strong shower--except for the cheap fall-apart-while-you're-using-it toilet paper. Come on Kimpton! How much can a decent roll cost? The view towards the river is great (try to get one) and my daughter loved the upholstered wide ledge by the window--she closed the curtains and was in her own "club house" watching the world go by from from high above the city. In short: very nice hotel--desk staff at night could be nicer (wouldn't cost anything and would have made up for the maid's shoes!)
