We chose this hotel based on the photo and description on the hotel's own website. It was a bit misleading. The hotel is difficult to find, considering that it sits in and atop the Galleria (not a mall, despite the name) among several medical facilities and colleges. We passed it and had to turn around - a complicated proposition considering the volume of foot traffic in the area. The traffic signals are slow and pedestrians (mostly medical school students in a hurry) pretty much ignore them, creating a major driving hassle. We parked in the garage adjacent to the hotel, which costs $18/day. The spaces are small and some valet service also uses the garage - double parking all over the place, creating another headache. Front desk staff was minimal and we ended up waiting for our parking voucher every time we came and went.

That's the "Bad."

The Good? The room had a great layout and was spacious. It included a table, desk, microwave, fridge, sink (basically a small kitchenette), and a whole wall of windows. (The windows faced apartment windows, which was a bit disconcerting - imagine looking out and seeing a man changing his clothes in his bedroom not 50 feet away.) The location was great for walking - much to see and plenty of restaurants to choose from. As a matter of fact, the Galleria food court is literally an elevator ride away. There, we could choose from a variety of quick meals - Mexican, Chinese, american, subs, sushi, soup, coffee, smoothies, even Dairy Queen and McDonalds.

The ugly? Unfortunately there was an ugly. The toilet was unstable and filled inconsistently. The shower never stopped dripping and had a slow (extremely slow) drain. My ten minute shower practically turned into a bath. The bathroom sink had a problem with uneven water pressure. The lighting in the room was inadequate - four lamps with dim bulbs did not provide enough light, and opening the curtains was not much help since the hotel is in the shadows of tall hospital buildings. The door was challenging to close and latch, and I found the single chain lock (no deadbolt) to be insufficient.

On an odd note, the hotel has framed photography on display and for sale in the lobby, yet when we inquired about purchasing a piece (which was a fundraiser for the adjacent hospital, by the way), no one knew how to sell it to us. We left without the piece. Why display prices and post information about the fundraiser, and then be unable to sell the pieces? Disappointing.

If I had someone in one of the nearby hospitals, this would be my hotel of choice. But otherwise, I won't be back.