Sonesta Irvine John Wayne Airport Hotel: Indoor Pool & Airport Shuttle Service

A Good Hotel but Very Uninspired. A nice hotel located close to Orange County Airport, in a nice clean business area. As a weekend stay, the area was extremely quiet since most office buildings were empty. A good moderate hotel with nice, clean albite boring rooms. The highlights are the nice modern bathroom and comfortable bed. The room seems basic and not inspired, but it does the job of providing a comfortable night rest. Although I read rave reviews about the front desk service, that wasn't my experience. Again, the interaction was down to business and not attempt of making any connection with the customer. Same when I was entering or exiting the hotel, no interaction from the hotel staff. What I didn't appreciate was the nickeling and diming that occurred during check out. An extra 188 dollars added to the bill for parking and a mysterious "destination" fee, that I'm sure is posted in tiny print somewhere in the contract, that in reality, no one will read and realize what they are in for until they check out.

A Disappointing Stay – Key Issues to Be Aware Of A Disappointing Stay – Key Issues to Be Aware Of I don’t usually leave reviews, but my experience at this hotel was frustrating enough that I feel it’s important to share some key issues that future guests should be aware of. While the location is convenient and the facilities appear modern, several operational and service-related problems made this one of the most disappointing hotel stays I’ve had. Here are the main concerns: 1. Room Odor and Amenities Upon entering the room, there was a strong and unpleasant body odor that lingered in the space — a clear sign that cleanliness may not be up to standard. Additionally, the bathroom amenities were inconsistent: instead of providing both shampoo and body wash, there were two bottles of shampoo and no body wash. It may seem small, but it reflects a lack of attention to basic guest comfort. 2. Check-In Confusion Due to Mismanagement At check-in, my room was mistakenly given to another guest with the same name who had arrived earlier. This resulted in confusion and unnecessary delays, and only after the staff realized the mistake was it resolved. Such errors are concerning and reflect poor internal communication. 3. Hidden Fees and Inconvenient Policies Parking costs over $30 per day, which is not clearly disclosed upfront. To access Wi-Fi in your room, you must sign up for the hotel’s membership program — a requirement that feels more like a marketing ploy than a guest benefit. These added steps and hidden charges create a sense of being nickel-and-dimed. 4. Housekeeping Must Be Requested in Advance Housekeeping is not automatic. If you want your room cleaned, you must call the front desk and request it before 3:00 AM on the day you want service. This policy is highly inconvenient and unlike anything I’ve encountered even at lower-tier hotels. ⸻ Final Thoughts While the hotel has potential — with a good location and decent infrastructure — the service issues, inconsistent policies, and hidden fees made for a disappointing experience. If you’re considering staying here, I strongly recommend clarifying all policies in advance and being prepared for some unexpected inconveniences.

unprofessional management I booked this hotel at UCI special rate. There are several other hotels in the area that offer discounted rate and I've stayed in 2. One is similar in price to Sonesta, so I wanted to try it out. The hotel itself is clean and comfortable in a good location. Unfortunately I got a room where I could hear the elevator all night but other than that was pretty quiet. Unfortunately there was a misunderstanding about breakfast. I received 2 vouchers for breakfast and could choose from 4 items on the menu. None of which I would have preferred, but assuming it was free, my daughter and I ordered from it. Later in the day we were notified that the voucher is only for 1 person per day (so weird when the room is booked for 2 people). The manager actually added back charges for one of the breakfasts, (charged for the more expensive meal of the 2) instead of just informing us of the policy and moving on. My daughter would have never chosen that meal unless it were paid for-she would have been much happier to go elsewhere and pay $22 to get something more enjoyable than a fried egg. It was really off-putting and tacky for the manager of a hotel such as this not to just eat the cost of that one day instead of after the fact adding the charge. She just lost 3 more years worth of stays for $22. I will happily pay $40 more per night to stay at the Hyatt Irvine which is much nicer and staff is much more professional.

Good Value with a few issues...... This particular Sonesta is a relatively bare bones business traveller's hotel with a fairly good rate considering the Irvine location. We stayed for four nights. Disappointed that there are no microwaves in any of the rooms and when asked the front desk advised there were no microwaves in the hotel anywhere for guest convenience. Moreover, you get a bottle of water when you check in but have to pay for any bottles thereafter.

5 stars! Whenever I visit a new hotel I can always tell how well my stay will be, by the first impression from the staff. My husband and I used spot hero and stayed here at the Sonesta hotel, and found how convienent and easy check in was. Andrew J the valet was very helpful, he welcomed us to the hotel with a big smile, took our information, and asisted us with our bags to our room. The entire staff was very pleasant and helpful as well. Our room was clean amd had a beatiful view of OC. I would say we enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend Sonesta hotel.