The Casso, Raleigh, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Modern, eclectic, and centrally located, this hotel offers a vibrant atmosphere with a unique design that many guests find appealing. Its prime downtown location is a standout feature, making it highly convenient for exploring the city's attractions, dining, and entertainment on foot. The hotel is particularly well-suited for business travelers due to its proximity to offices and its comfortable, efficient environment, while couples and solo travelers appreciate the lively surroundings and easy access to local hotspots. Guests frequently highlight the friendly and helpful staff as a key positive aspect of their stay. For an optimal experience, consider requesting a room away from the train tracks if you are a light sleeper, and take advantage of the on-site dining and bar for convenience.

Facilities & Amenities
The hotel provides a range of facilities designed for guest comfort and convenience. A lobby bar and restaurant are available on-site, offering a social hub and easy access to food and drinks. Guests appreciate the free Wi-Fi throughout the property, ensuring connectivity. For those needing to stay active, a fitness center is present, though some reviews note it is small and could benefit from more weight training equipment. While there is no swimming pool, the hotel does offer ice machines and vending machines. Rooms are equipped with a Keurig coffee maker, though some guests found the coffee selection and quantity limited. The hotel also features a laundry facility and steamer in rooms, which is a thoughtful touch.

Cleanliness & Room Comfort
Most guests find the rooms to be clean and well-appointed, often praising the comfortable beds and pillows which contribute to a restful sleep. Many rooms feature wood floors and a modern aesthetic, with some offering great views of downtown. However, a recurring concern is the room size, with many king rooms described as small or compact, lacking traditional closet space and instead offering hooks on the wall. Bathroom cleanliness is generally good, with some guests appreciating the large showers and good water pressure, though a few noted issues like low pressure or mildew smell. A significant drawback for many is the noise level, with complaints about thin walls allowing hallway conversations, door slams, and street noise from motorcycles. The most prominent noise issue is the train tracks located nearby, with horns audible at all hours, significantly impacting sleep for light sleepers.

Dining & Food Quality
The hotel's restaurant and bar receive mixed but generally positive feedback. Many guests praise the food quality, describing it as delicious and amazing, with specific mentions of excellent craft cocktails and a good latte at the bar. The restaurant offers both classic and seasonal drink menus. However, some guests found the bar drinks to be pricey. Breakfast service, while available, often receives criticism for being slow, having limited options, and sometimes disappointing quality, with one guest reporting bad steak. Some guests with Bonvoy status noted that free breakfast was offered, but the choices were restricted. The coffee served at breakfast was also described as sub-par by some.

Location & Accessibility
The hotel boasts an excellent central location in downtown, making it highly convenient for guests to explore Raleigh. It is within walking distance to numerous restaurants, bars, shops, museums, the State Capitol, and the convention center. Its proximity to the train station is also a plus for those arriving by rail. While the location is generally praised for its walkability and vibrant atmosphere, it is also the source of the most significant negative feedback: the hotel is situated adjacent to active train tracks. This results in frequent and loud train horns throughout the day and night, which is a major disturbance for many guests. Parking is available in a connected garage, which is convenient and offers in-and-out privileges, but it comes with a daily fee, which some guests feel is excessive for the room rate.

Staff & Service
The staff consistently receives high praise for being friendly, helpful, accommodating, and professional. Guests frequently highlight the attentive service from the front desk, restaurant, and bar teams. The check-in process is generally smooth, though some guests experienced delays due to room readiness or system issues. Housekeeping is a point of mixed feedback; while some appreciate the daily housekeeping and bottled water refresh, others report inconsistent service, including rooms not being cleaned, dirty rooms upon arrival, or staff entering rooms without knocking. There are also isolated but serious complaints regarding billing errors and unhelpful responses from management regarding these issues. Overall, the staff's positive demeanor significantly contributes to a pleasant stay for many.

Additional Information
The hotel maintains a pet-friendly policy, though there is a fee, and some guests noted that all pet owners are placed on the second floor, which can lead to noise from barking dogs. A significant point of contention for some guests is the lack of clarity regarding the pet policy, specifically that cats are not allowed, leading to frustrating experiences for those who assumed "pet-friendly" included felines. The hotel has a unique and quirky decorative element, a giant squirrel in front of the elevators that changes outfits seasonally, which many guests find charming. Some guests also noted that room service is not provided for stays of three nights or less, and there is no complimentary coffee in the lobby in the mornings.