I was very disappointed in this hotel. The age is really showing despite a 62million dollar renovation. Our room was in the heritage section which translated into old and dirty carpet, dingy hallways and an odor. Our room especially smelled like wood smoke and old clothing. Also, cracked tile around the pools, broken fountains and poor service at the spa pool. Very disappointing.

My wife and I just stayed 5 nights at the Mission Inn and Spa to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Upon arrival, we were very impressed by the facilities (and we should be for the price) . . . but that pretty much ended there. Here are the issues:

Identity Crisis - the Fairmont marketing people would have you believe this is a tranquil spa setting in the middle of wine country . . . but our experience was different. The first 3 days of stay included them hosting a large corporate function, complete with welcome tables across the front lawn, a large tent on the front property whcih served as a meeting room by day and a very loud dance venue by night. I love our children, but the abundance of kids running around made this more the feel of an all-inclusive discount resort in Cuba versus a pricey spa-like retreat. Fairmont needs to determine where this brand is positioned in the marketplace.

Inconsistent Service - except for Judy at the concierge desk, the rest of their service staff delivers inconsistent service. The teenagers serving meals and beverages near the pool were not skilled at all in any degree of service standards (attentiveness, timeliness, friendlieness, knowledge). Even the dress code for staff throughout the resort was inconsistent - golf shirts for some (some tucked in, some not), valet staff running through the property? Poor service also extended to our room - the maid service left dirty wine glasses and finished food plates for 2 days in our room - on our last night there, all service stopped (no morning paper, no turndown service) -. . . not the attention to detail you would expect.

Dated Property - I can only describe the pungent odour of our room as that of the closet of my late grandmother . . . seriously - the rooms simply smell! For $350+++ a night, I would expect impeccable quality of surroundings - this place is in need of an update.

Overpriced Spa - the spa was a good experience . . . but, it comes with an incredible price premium (about 50% more than what you would pay elsewhere). While the spa service (bathing ritual and massage) was fine, not sure it commands a 50% premium to other very good and comparable services elsewhere.

I contrast this with the 2 nights we stayed at the St. Regis in San Francisco prior to our 5 night stay at Mission Inn . . . St. Regis hands down beat our highest level of expectations in all regards of personalized, helpful, attentive, and impeccable service.

Fairmont clearly needs to figure out what identity they want for the price they charge, then deliver a consistent level of service one would expect for the price charged.

This hotel is beautiful and we had a misson suite, which was wonderful. Stll, the room was not ready when we checked in and we had to wait. The snooty sommelier in the restaurant made us feel inadequate when we didn't want to order the wine he suggested. The front desk clerks were aloof and did not fully/could not fully explain our bill.

While this is a nice property, the service does not compare to that of other upscale resorts or other Fairmonts. A little more warmth and attention to detail would go a long way.

My mother and I went to the Sonoma Mission Inn for a two day girls Spa Trip. Since we went mid-week, we got a great rate. Everything at the hotel was excellent from the moment we walked in. The receptionist upgraded us to the next level room, which was just a touch bigger but had a working fireplace which we used every night. The restaurant at the hotel was delicious! Pricey, but great food if you are a foodie. The free bottle of wine in the room was also a nice touch. The Big 5 restaurant/diner was also great for breakfast or lunch.

Overall, the Sonoma mission Inn did not disappoint us. My one complaint was that the concierge should have told us sooner that if you are a fairmont member, you have free access to the spa without booking a treatment at that particular location. They told us that at the end of the trip, and my mom could have used the spa while I was getting a treatment. Oh well, now we know for next time. Have fun!