Ashley D.
Yelp
This is more like 3.5 stars. When I booked the Selina Commodore, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by the service, location, and overall aesthetic of the hotel. Those are the 3.5 stars I'm giving. There were, however, some issues that I couldn't overlook, and I probably won't stay again despite all the good here.
The Good
Service - The service here is top notch. We were arriving to our check-in late and the front desk called to ask when. They let us know that there would be a number to call after hours, and they were super nice and accommodating about that. We then received a text letting us know our keys would be in the lockbox when we arrived. I really loved that as a touch. It's so much easier of a check-in. In the morning, when I couldn't figure out how to turn on the shower, I was freaking out and felt bad about calling the after hours person, but they were also really kind about the situation and it was resolved right away. (If you need to shower, pull down on the water spout of the tub faucet.)
Location - This hotel is the most central I've ever stayed in Astoria. It is attached to the 14th street cafe that opens at 7 and has its own entrance. It was so easy in the morning. On the same block are multiple restaurants and bars. It's just a block away from the docks along with breweries and more restaurants. It's just a block and around the corner from Fort George, one of my favorite places in Astoria. If you have dogs like me, it's so easy to walk straight to the pier with them in the morning and enjoy views of the river. It's absolutely beautiful, and I appreciated that so much.
Interior Design - This hotel is so beautiful and perfectly designed for a combined modern, hipster hotel and old, traditional nautical feel. I was so impressed by the room we stayed in (209). I'm used to dingy coastal hotels costing a ton of money. This room was worth every penny of the deal we got, complete with a full sofa and coffee table. It also had seemingly original wooden windows (no screens) that were gorgeous. The bathroom was also very on par with the location, even though the paint was peeling off of the sink, I found it had charm.
The Bad
Noise level - If you stay here, for the love of everything good, do not stay on the second floor. Having people above you moving around and slamming things on those beautiful hardwood floors brought me back to the horrors of living in an apartment in a pre-war building in New York. It is NOISY.
The Commodore should really, really consider adding multiple padded rugs underneath the beautiful wooden bed frames. I had the pleasure of hearing my upstairs neighbors getting it on for hours when I had to be up at 6 am. Those beautiful wooden bed frames SHOULD NOT be directly placed on those beautiful hardwood floors. I could hear every. single. thrust. It was horrifying and so, so damn loud. The sound was worse than nails on a chalkboard. Please, Commodore, I beg you, place multiple bed-frame-sized rugs under a larger padded rug under those bed frames. I would consider coming back if this was done.
Clogged Bathtub - I also had the pleasure of standing in water that reached my calves because the drain of bathtub in our room was clogged like an animal died in there. It was disgusting. Not even shower shoes could save me, but I absolutely had to wash my hair to get ready for the day.
Heat - The Commodore does not have AC -- just those beautiful wooden windows with no screens. It is HOT on a warm-ish day. It was only 70 something when we were there, and the room was steamy. It would be great to stay at during the fall/winter when you can keep the windows closed and crank up the original steam heater. I didn't understand how to use it, but it was a cool touch to have the original heating. It also reminded me of New York.
Overall, I was so sad about the bad here because upon walking into the hotel and then into the room, again, I was soooo damn impressed. But I really can't bring myself to stay here again without a guarantee that there are rugs underneath those beds and working bathtub drains. I would only stay during the fall/winter.