Stay Report: Hilton Garden Inn Panama (December 2014/January 2015)

Stay Report: Hilton Garden Inn Panama City
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I was looking for a place in Panama City that was close to many attractions and was walking distance to public transportation.  I had initially booked another Hilton property within the same neighborhood, but then I found the Hilton Garden Inn and it was significantly less expensive so I thought I would try it out – they say you get what you pay for and in this case, it is true.  The Hilton Garden Inn is a good budget option within Panama; however, if I was to do it over again I would pay the extra money to be in more comfortable setting.  Overall, the hotel provided a comfortable bed and a decent night stay but the customer service was lacking and the room needed to be updated.

The airport is located about 30-45 minutes away from the city so I had coordinated with the hotel to arrange for pick-up.  Everything was confirmed a month prior to arrival but when I arrived into Panama City, there was no pick-up.  After several calls to the hotel, and waiting for about 1 hour, I finally arranged transport with the hotel.  When I got to the hotel, I mentioned the ordeal to the night manager who said she would relay the information to the day manager the next day to respond.  The next day, I followed-up with the day manager the next who had not been told what was going on but also said she would investigate and get back to me.  I waited another 3 days but nothing so I then followed-up with an email to Hilton Corporate; it was only then that a response was received.  This was the lack of customer service that was experienced in the hotel.

The outside of the hotel and the lobby look very modern and updated.  The hotel itself is a tall but narrow building.  The hotel is located near the financial center within walking distance are a metro station, many restaurants, supermarkets, and other shops; it is a very convenient location.  When you enter the hotel, on the left hand side is a sitting area which contained couches, seats, as well as newspapers while on the right hand side is the restaurant.

Behind the sitting area is the check-in desk.  Check-in was decent, they were not overly friendly but not overly unkind, and I collected my room key.  Behind the check-in counter was the business center which contained three computers as well as a printer.  Further down the hallway were the elevators to the guest rooms.  In between the business center and the elevators was a hallway that led you to the first floor restrooms as well as an on-site washer and dryer (byob soap and powder); this amenity was a nice addition.  Security was another amenity that was nicely appreciated as you needed your key to access everything – the business center, the elevators, the gym, as well as the rooftop.

photo courtesy of Hilton Garden Inn

While the lobby and the first floor seemed updated and modern, the rooms did not feel modern.  As you entered the room, on the right was the closet which contained a safe as well as ironing board.  On the left hand side was the bathroom – the bathroom fixtures had been updated so that was a nice touch.  The bad thing about the bathroom was the inconsistent hot water – sometimes it would be extremely hot and nice while others time the water was barely lukewarm.  The bathroom contained a tub, a toilet, and a sink as well as Hilton toiletries. 

On the other side of the bathroom was the bedroom which contained two double beds as well as a night stand in between.  The beds had been updated with the newest Hilton beds, in which you can adjust the firmness of your bed.  The beds were comfortable and spacious.  Between the bed and the window were a couch and a lamp.  Across from the bed was a chest with 3 drawers on the bottom as well as TV on top.  Next to that was a desk.  Besides the bed, the rest of the furnishings in the room did not seem to be updated and looked a bit worn out.  Overall the room looked dated but provided enough space and comfortable beds.

Facilities at the hotel included complimentary wifi, which was free and strong, as well as fitness center and rooftop Jacuzzi on the rooftop.  The fitness center was medium size and had enough decent equipment with treadmills, weights, and other machines.  It was a pleasant to have a decent size fitness center.  Next to the fitness center was a small rooftop lounge that housed a 2-3 person whirlpool/Jacuzzi as well as some chairs to sit and lounge; the view from the rooftop was really nice.  The rooftop amenities were really nice, but it was a small rooftop and there were a lot of facilities put into a small area; in my opinion, it would have been better to focus on one or two items instead of trying to have everything on the rooftop. 

Overall, the hotel provided a decent night sleep with nice amenities at a low price.  The customer service could’ve been a lot better but I guess you get what you pay for in terms of customer service and overall feel of the hotel.