Alderbrook Resort & Spa - Union, WA Review

Nestled on the scenic shores of Hood Canal and just two hours from Seattle, Washington, Alderbrook Resort & Spa seemingly has it all. Just a short drive from Seattle, it boasts spectacular views of Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains. The recently renovated resort has been very nicely furnished and thoughtfully decorated. Golf, tennis, a spa, indoor pool and water sports are mere steps away. And yet... something is lacking. The service just isn't as polished as it should be. Repeatedly small things marred a perfect stay. Things like no valet service (we checked in on a Thursday), no resort map or explanation of the facilities at check-in, and spotty maid service. Here are just a few examples:

**Although they served mojitos on the outside patio, they weren't available in the bar (the waitress said, "we don't have spearmint in here."

**Our waitress in the restaurant told us what the daily specials were, but said, "I won't go into all the details unless you're interested or we'll be here all day." There were three specials...

**Our room was not cleaned during the day. The maid showed up a little after 5:00 PM just as we were showering for dinner. We asked her to come back and she said she probably wouldn't because she got off at 5:30. Because we're not too fussy, I just called the front desk to say we were going to dinner and requested clean towels and more coffee hoping they would take the hint and straighten our room while we were out. They didn't. They immediately brought the clean towels and coffee, though. After dinner, I discovered we had received only 2 bath towels instead of 4. My husband walked downt to the front desk and for two towels and clean mugs for the coffee. They immediately brought towels and 2 mugs. No clean spoons or cream, though.  I had placed our leftover dishes from breakfast along with the mugs and spoons from the coffee service outside our room. The first person left them outside the door. About 1/2 hour later another guy brough towels and mugs, he also left them there despite the fact he paused and looked at them. Sometime during the night they were removed as they were gone in the morning.

**The waitstaff carried on personal conversations during food service at the outside bar & grill.

**Being greeted by the front desk staff only to have them ignore you while they continue working.

 I think it's just the lack of training the staff properly that keep this from being a 5-star resort. Too bad. I'm sure they would be booked solid if they could iron out the kinks. The service was on par with what you might find at a Howard Johnson's/Best Western or a Denny's Restaurant.

On the plus side, the pastry chef is doing an awesome job. We ordered three different desserts and they were all terrific. And the waitstaff was extremely friendly at all venues: outside at the bar & grill, inside at the restaurant and the bar. Also the rooms were very clean and well-stocked.