The Shinola Hotel Review
Detroit, MI
luxury
1 King Cass | Room #426
11/20/2025
The world’s first Shinola Hotel is Detroit’s new living room. Located in the heart of the city’s historic Woodward shopping district, this 129-room boutique hotel offers a completely original hospitality experience.
Hotel Rating
4.2
Great
A comprehensive look at what makes this special.
Bed Comfort
4.50
Gym
4.00
Internet Speed
5.00
Location
4.55
Pool
No Pool
Room Amenities
3.65
Room Cleanliness
3.60
Service
4.09
Value
3.55
The Bottom Line
What We Loved
- The windows can be opened.
- Great location downtown. Close to many stores.
- Very fast internet speed.
- Hotel has a very responsive Assistant GM
What We Didn't Like
- Service was okay. During check-in when asking questions about the property, front desk agent said to refer to the book in the room for information.
- While the living area is spacious, the bathroom is cruise ship cabin small, which seems disproportionate to the room size.
- The room was missing key amenities for a hotel at this price point. The room had robes, a Smeg kettle, a coffee machine and some glasses. However there were no slippers and no bathroom amenities (shower cap, cotton swabs, toothpaste, toothbrush and toothpaste. Also the curtains are not automatic. After my check-in email to Sean, the Assistant General Manager, the housekeeper manager brought these items.
- Cleanliness was an issue, the carpet needed vaccuuming, the brown couch was showing stains, and there were dust under the tables.
- There is only one fridge in the room which is filled with minibar items and is not useable for personal items.
- There are two closets, however only one of them had [six] hangers
The Verdict
I was excited about our 3-night stay at Shinola, however initial impressions left much to be desired. While touted as on Four Seasons level of luxury, there were significant caps that cause us to classify this as a midlevel hotel. I sent a feedback email to the GM & then saw the Assistant GM in the lobby the next morning. I forwarded the email I sent to the GM and Sean's response was 5 star.
Technology & Amenities
Internet SpeedExcellent
63Mbps
Good for:
Web Browsing
Emails
Zoom
HD Streaming
4K Streaming
Tech Available
USB Ports
HDMI Port
In-Room TV
Smart TV
Wired Internet Port
Bluetooth Speaker
Room Amenities
Coffee Machine(Generic Coffee)
Toothpaste
Useable Fridge
Slippers/Robes
Soap Provided(Bar Soap)
Additional Amenities
Photo Gallery
