Review: Heathman Hotel + Trellis Restaurant - a Girl's Trip to Kirkland & Woodinville, Wash.

Despite a frustrating reservations experience, a stay at the Heathman Hotel in Kirkland, Wash., was a fun girls getaway. Photo courtesy of Preferred Hotels.

In the past year, I have been treated to some amazing girls-only getaways. I found a travel buddy in one of my besties from college and I'm loving our adventures.

I've been married now for 3.5 years and traveling with Darling Husband is rewarding and beneficial for our relationship. But, my appetite for going somewhere new is quite voracious right now, and when he feels like staying home or is on shift at the fire station, I call Bunny.

I was treated to a birthday getaway in Walla Walla by Darling Husband in early June. The next weekend, I got a girls-only trip with Bunny. She had never been wine tasting before, so I called her up and invited her to a Kirkland and Woodinville overnight (second) birthday trip.

The Heathman Hotel is two blocks from this sweet waterfront park where families can feed ducks and wade in Lake Washington.

Reservations Distress

I'm the only millenial who doesn't prefer to book hotels online. I always call and book over the phone. I like that I can talk to a person, ask questions and I can make sure to request a room away from elevators so I can get a good night's sleep.

Getting a reservation at The Heathman Hotel was not easy by phone. It took four calls to get it right. And, when I got through to the reservationist's line, his computer was too slow and he couldn't complete my booking. I ended up making my reservation online while on the phone with him because it was faster.

The hotel had an option to sign up for a Woodinville wine tasting tour and I selected the box in the online booking form. This tour and cost showed up in my email confirmation from the hotel.

Our room (after we took a nap). Typical, executive-style decor. But, it was one of the cleanest rooms I had ever stayed in.

I waited weeks for email details about the tour, but none came. So, the Monday before our Saturday trip, I called to get the tour details. I learned despite the confirmation email, I still hadn't been signed up for the tour. So, I called (two different numbers) to get the Front Desk and I was officially  signed up for the tour and told to meet at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Bunny arrived Friday night and Saturday morning, I was sipping coffee in the quiet of my home, planning to head to Kirkland at 9 a.m., when I got an email from the hotel guest relations manager reminding me of my wine tour - at 10 a.m.! It was 8 a.m.! I called the number in the email and he answered and said it was definitely 10 a.m., not 11 a.m. as I had been told on Monday. I panicked, knowing it would take 1.5 hours at least to drive from Tumwater to Kirkland.

I jumped up, woke Bunny and let her know we had to get on the road asap, and awaited a call back from guest relations. the staff member was hospitable and said we could do the wine tour Sunday or if we missed the 10 a.m. bus, the hotel would shuttle us to the first winery to meet our tour.

Three cheers for awesome options! We went with option 2, got ready and out the door in 25 minutes and actually made it to the hotel at 9:50 a.m.

The view from our room on the back side of the hotel.

Impeccable Hotel

Life was so much better when we arrived at the hotel. Our room wasn't ready, so we had the valet take the car and checked our bags at the Front Desk.

I ran in to use the restroom before our tour and luxury greeted me at every turn. The lobby isn't huge and there's even a dining table in it ... but it was sparkling clean. The restrooms had Heathman Hs embossed in the toilet paper, the end of the roll folded perfectly into a crisp triangle.

The hotel was bustling on a Saturday morning, with the valet ushering guests in and out and patrons stopping in the restaurant. Staff members were friendly, not New Orleans hospitality friendly, but enough.

We were treated to three mini doughnuts at Trellis for breakfast the next morning. Yes, there was a Starbucks a couple of blocks from the hotel, so Bunny was able to have her coveted mocha.

The Heathman is perfectly situated in Kirkland. It's not right on the waterfront and our room had a view of the parking lot, but it's two blocks from a waterfront park, the departing dock for Argosy Cruises and right by a movie theater and PLENTY of shopping. The streets definitely have some foot traffic, but the front of the hotel is on a fairly quiet street comprised of restaurants, shops and topped with expensive condominiums.

After wine tasting, Bunny and I got settled in our room and took a decadent nap before our 7 p.m. dinner reservation. The floor was quiet. I woke up once at 1 a.m. to someone's voice walking down the hall, but that was it.

The furnishings are typical, convention center-style, executive hotel decor. There wasn't anything that nodded to the Pacific Northwest or stood out in my mind.

Trellis Restaurant

My, my Trellis Restaurant is full of energy on a Saturday night! We had a dinner reservation and LOVED that they didn't hustle us out to turn our table over. We dined for about 2 hours. I had blue cheese salad to start and gnocchi in a red sauce for dinner, with a glass of prosecco. Bunny had tomato soup to start and the gnocchi as well, with a lemon drop.

I wish the server had warned us! Way too much breakfast at Trellis Sunday morning.

At the table next to us was a 10-person wedding party, dressed beautifully in sparkles and white. It was fun to be an observer of such a special day for them.

The wait staff was overly attentive, in a good way. They were always bustling around to fill water and check on drinks.

We made a breakfast reservation as well for the next morning, and dined under the covered, heated patio. Bunny had the croissant sandwich, I had the Kirkland Breakfast with fruit and chicken sausage. The portions weren't large at dinner, so we ordered a bigger breakfast. I wish our server would have warned us. It was SO. MUCH. FOOD. We ended up having more than half boxed up to take home, which we promptly forgot about and left behind in our room when we checked out. :/

Verdict: A night at the Heathman is not inexpensive. But! If it fits in the budget, it is a perfect location for a girls getaway. Bunny and I dined, shopped, strolled the waterfront and greatly enjoyed the Bon Vivant Wine Tour set up through the hotel. It is close to a spa/salon, but we couldn't get appointments the week before. But, that could be an extra fun thing to go with a gal pal if you schedule early enough.