Stay Report: Hilton New York Fashion District (New York - October 2023)

   Stay Report: Hilton New York Fashion District

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was spending the weekend in New York and previously I have stayed in the Chelsea/Fashion District and really enjoyed the district.  It was within walking distance to subway stations, within walking distance to Penn Station, and easily accessible and within walking distance to many restaurants and shops.  I have stayed at the Innside by Melia many times and I really enjoyed the hotel, and I tried to stay there this time but the rate was too high so I was looking for alternatives nearby and that is when I saw the Hilton New York Fashion District.   This hotel is located in the Chelsea/Fashion District on 26th Street between 6th and 7th Ave (a block behind the Innside by Melia hotel).  Their average daily rates were high, but they had a good discount of points + cash so I was able to use some points and get a good rate for the night.  It was easy to book and manage the reservation through the HiltonHonors app and website.

I arrived at the hotel around 2:30/3pm and even though check-in is scheduled at 4pm I was able to get a room without a problem.  The hotel itself is narrow, like many New York hotels, and that was evident in the lobby which had a wide circular car entrance but the lobby itself was narrow and long.  As you entered, in front were the elevators and to the left was the small check-in desk and to the right was entrance to the hotel restaurant.  Check-in was relatively quick and as a HHonor member, I received two complimentary bottles of water.  I then proceeded to the elevator - there were 3 elevators but one was dedicated to go to the rooftop bar so was not accesible; another one was out of service and so were reduced down to 1 working elevator.  It was also a very slow elevator and very tight elevator, but because it was the only working many people tried to get in since you did not know when the other one was coming; that made it very unsafe and not a pleasant experience to get up and down.  You also needed your key card to enter the guestrooms and there were many examples of many individuals asking me and other guests to use our cards to enter their room. 

My room was on the 14th floor and the narrowness of the hotel also showcased on the hallways which were tight as well as the room size.  I have previously stayed at Motto by Hilton which is Hilton's answer to tiny/capsule hotels and the room size at that hotel in DC and this regular Hilton in New York were somewhat similar.  As you opened the door, you entered into a little hallway which had the closet, wardrobe, and coffee stand/shelves along one wall.  The closet was narrow but still contained places to hang your clothes, an iron, as well as an ironing board.  The coffee stand was on an open shelf next to the closet which contained the coffee maker and items on top, a minifridge down below, and another shelf/storage on top.  Next to that was a mini chair space to put your luggage.  Along that wall was a large desk with lots of desk space and places to plug in your electronics.  There was a standard office chair which was very comfortable.  Above the desk on the wall was the large TV and below the desk were drawers for additional storage.

Across the desk, along the other wall, was the bed along with two bedside tables.  The bed size was a large full-size or a small queen.  There were lots of pillows available and the bed was generally comfortable to sleep on - it was a bit tight so not sure if two people could fit comfortably on the bed together.  Next to each side of the bed were nightstands with nightlights and places to plug in your electronics on each side.  The bathroom was across from the bed and next to the desk.  It was narrow but did have a walk-in shower, a toilet and a sink.  There were refillable bottles of lotion next to the sink, and shampoo and conditioner in the shower and bars of soap were provided next to the sink as well as in the shower.  Like the room, the bathroom contained the basic necessities but was narrow.

I was only in New York for one day and most of my time was spent outside so I did not experience other facilities of the hotel including the rooftop bar, the restaurant, the fitness center, or the business center.  I did experience the wifi which was strong and was not limited to a certain number of devices.  I was able to stream videos on youtube with no connectivity issues.  Checkout was at 11am and I had requested a late check-out at 12pm but I was told 'to call in the morning and check'.  I called at 10:30am and they said 'no, the latest we can do is 11:30am but you can hold your luggage at the front'.   This was the first hotel that did not offer at least checkout until 12pm and the service was not the greatest in their response.  I checked out and was going to leave my stuff at the hotel and that is when I was told there is a $2 charge to leave your items at the hotel - I wish this information had been told beforehand so customers could be aware.  I am glad though, that unlike other hotels in the area the hotel does not charge a 'facility fee' per night for the wifi and the bottles of water, but $2 to hold luggage when you are demanding customers get out of the room at a certain time is a bit greedy.

Overall, its a nice location but the high rate, the narrow room, and the lack of working elevators does not make this place a favorite in my opinion.  I had better experiences, rate, and service at the Innside by Melia - and yes they charge a facility fee per night but I am willing to pay that because better service, better attention and communication to issues, and overall its a bigger room. 

Stay Report: Hilton Houston Westchase (Houston, Texas - October 2018)

Stay Report: Hilton Houston Westchase

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

photo courtesy of TripAdvisor

I was planning a trip to Houston and wanted to stay near the Galleria area but could not find a good deal so I expanded my search.  I had previously stayed at the Hilton Houston Westchase for a family friends wedding, and the hotel was nice and located about 15-20 minutes away from the Galleria and I found a good deal so decided to restay at the hotel.  From the outside, hotel looks like a tall office building with an attached restaurant and parking surrounding the building.  The parking is free and ample but some of the parking is a little shady so I would be careful about leaving valuables in the car; the parking does fill up quickly, especially well-lit areas and those closest to the entrances.  The hotel is located next to a supermarket and easy access to many amenities and highways. 

Check-in was a breeze, the attendant gave us the key and explained everything that the

photo courtesy of Hilton.com

hotel offered. We went to our room, which was located on the 5th floor and two doors away from the elevator (we were a little skeptical about the proximity to the elevator, but no noise from the elevator or gathering around it was heard).  Both the rooms and the bathrooms had been updated with the new Hilton offerings, but the doors and other structures indicated the building itself was old.  As you entered the room, the bathroom was on the right while the closet was on the left.  The bathroom was a bit small but decent and contained a sink, a tub, a toilet, and bathroom toiletries.  The closet was also standard and contained a shelf, hangers to hang items, an iron and an ironing board.  Further into the room on right hand side were the two double beds with a nightstand in the middle.  The bed quality was very nice and the pillows were very nice, but the beds in the Hilton seemed smaller than the ones we got at the Doubletree (check out that review here); the bed could easily fit two people, but there is just enough room to fit 2. Across from the bed was a chest with drawers on the bottom and a TV as well as coffee stand on top. The bottom of the chest also contained a mini fridge a well as a safe.  The room also contained a desk and a chair next to the chest, and between the bed and the window was was a table and lamp (the window faced out onto the parking lot).  The room we had was on a corner so while it was shaped a little differently, there was still plenty of space to more around and be comfortable.

photo courtesy of Hilton.com

The hotel is a full service hotel so there are many amenities for the guests to enjoy including a restaurant, parking, wifi, a fitness center. meeting rooms, a business center, and a pool.  The parking was self-parking, there was no charge, and there were plenty of spaces available; however, as I said before some parking spots were not as well lit as others so I would be careful about leaving valuables in the car.  The wifi was complimentary and there was no limit on the number of devices that could be connected, and the speed was decent enough to check email and watch videos.  The fitness center was located on the first floor, en route from the elevator to the big conference room/meeting room, and seemed to be installed as an afterthought.  The fitness center was located next to other rooms so there is a lot of traffic passing by the fitness center and it was somewhat small as well, as only three, maybe four, people could work out at the same time; 4 people or more and the place would feel very congested and cramped. Again it seems as if the hotel took out an existing room and replaced it with the fitness center. The amenities inside the fitness center included decent equipment as well as fruit (not the best looking, but not the worst looking either), water, and cold towels.

In the end, the hotel provided a nice and comfortable room with free parking, free wifi, good customer service, and decent location with many restaurants and services within a short distance away.  While it is a bit further away from the Galleria (about a 15-minute drive) the added benefits of the hotel make the drive worth it.

Stay Report: Hilton Houston North, IAH Airport (Houston, Texas - December 2014)

Stay Report: Hilton Houston North, IAH Airport
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

photo courtesy of Hilton.com

We were flying in and out of Intercontinental Airport (IAH) so needed to find a nice, clean hotel that also provided easy access to the hotel.  We found a great hotel in the Hilton Houston North which provided great airport hotel (though not connected to the airport).  The Hilton Houston North is located about 15-20 minutes away from the airport and is situated between a business park and a mall. The property is very large, has ample parking with security around it, and is able to handle large crowds (many flight staff were staying at the hotel and many large holiday parties from the surrounding businesses were also taking place at the hotel)

As you enter into the lobby, the first thing you notice is how large it is.  Straight ahead is the restaurant and coffee area while to right are the check-in desks and waiting area as well as the elevators to the guest rooms (meeting rooms are to the left).  As the hotel is designed to handle large groups, check-in was smooth and efficient so we received our key and went to the room.  

The rooms are spacious and looked modern and updated with new Hilton amenities. We had a room with

photo courtesy of Booking.com

2 double beds so as you entered there was a bathroom to the right and a closet to the left.  The closet was standard and contained a shelf, hangers to hang your clothes, an iron and ironing board, as well additional blanket and pillow.  The bathroom contained a toilet, an updated sink and tub as well as bathroom toiletries but the bathroom had nod been renovated as much as the main room but it was still large and pleasant.  Further into the room on the right side were the two double beds with a nightstand in the middle while across from this was a chest with drawers on the bottom and the TV stand and coffee stand on top and a mini refrigerator as part of the chest.  Next to the chest was a desk with a chair and between the bed and window, which faced out onto the parking lot, was a chair and a lamp.  The room was spacious and comfortable enough for an overnights sleep. 

photo courtesy of TripAdvisor.com

As a full-service hotel there are many amenities for the guests including a fitness center, a pool, meeting rooms, a business center, parking and wifi.  The wifi was complimentary and it had decent speeds, enough to check email and watch videos.  The business center was located next to the meeting rooms on the first floor and contained 4 computers - 2 macs and 2 windows - which provided access to internet and office documents and could easily print out materials.  The hotel also offered late night dining (when we arrived around 11pm - both a cafe and room service were still available) as well as a breakfast buffet. There is a Starbucks in the lobby, but it was closed the morning we were there.  Self parking was available at no charge and there were plenty of spaces available as well.  The hotel did provide a shuttle to the airport, there were lots of shuttles, but this shuttle was combined with other hotels in the area (the Hilton, the Marriott, and the airport) but as I said the shuttles were plenty and ran often.

Overall, it was a nice stay at Hilton Houston IAH Airport.  I was traveling a lot to Houston during this December and I enjoyed my stay so much that I had rebooked the hotel for my other stays as well.  The positives are the spacious rooms, the complimentary self parking, complimentary wifi, and frequent shuttles.  The negatives are the distance away from the airports and the hotel easily sells out.

Stay Report: Hampton Inn Houston-Near The Galleria (Houston, Texas - January 2015)

Stay Report: Hampton Inn Houston - near the Galleria

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

photo courtesy of TripAdvisor

I have been trying various hotels in and around the Houston Galleria area trying to find one that has a decent quality of sleep as well as a decent price.  I had seen the Hampton Inn in my previous researches and this time decided to try it out.  Overall, it was a nice and updated Hampton Inn which provided a spacious room, with comfortable beds, and good customer service.  The negatives were odd location of fitness center, lack of lighting in the parking lot, as well as the price --- the price was a bit high for what I would normally expect from a Hampton (i.e. I paid the same amount here as I have previously paid at the Doubletree or Hilton); and a comparable hotel in the area, the Courtyard, was less expensive.
The Hampton Inn is located about 10 minutes away from the Galleria – so not walking distance but a quick drive away.  There are two entrances – either from the Highway side road or from the main road.  Both of the entrances are not clearly marked but you can see the hotel before the entrance.  Parking is available in the front of the hotel or you can go to a gated section next to the hotel – both are paid parking and both need additional lighting as it was rather dark and dim at night. 

photo courtesy of Yelp.com

When you enter the hotel, on the right is the check-in desk while on the left is the dining room/lounge area where complimentary breakfast is served.  We had e-checked in through the app and just needed to pick up our key (in my opinion, Hilton needs to introduce a computer or something else to allow those who e-check-in to just pick up their key and go).  The staff were very friendly and nice and warm – this touch of customer service was appreciated. 

As you walk down the hallway towards the elevator, you pass an open business center - with two computers and a printer - as well as meeting rooms.  The layout of the first floor and elevators is odd – you have to walk almost ¾ down hallway from the lobby to get to the elevators and you pass many guest rooms to get there.  Midway down the hallway is an entrance to the parking lot, but that is not connected to the elevators and if you enter through this entrance you have to continue to walk past guest rooms to get to the elevators; the elevators are located in the middle of the hallway and across from guest rooms.  The fitness center is located at the end of the hallways, in the middle of the hallway between guest rooms – it looks like they took out one room and made it into a fitness center; not the best idea.

We had requested and chosen a room with two double beds and our room was a standard Hampton room.  As you opened the door, on your right was the bathroom.  The bathroom was standard with a tub, a sink, a toilet, as well as toiletries - the size was also standard, not too big but not too small.  Next to the bathroom was a huge door covered with a mirror (nice touch) and it was a swinging door that opened up to the closet.  Beyond that was the two double beds – both of which were comfortable but a bit on the small side.  In between the beds was a nightstand and across from the beds were a microwave, fridge, a chest with 3 drawers on the bottom and the TV on top, as well as a desk.  Overall, the room was decent, spacious enough and comfortable but not overly spacious. 
In addition to the fitness center and business center, other amenities the hotel provided were complimentary breakfast, complimentary wifi, and paid parking.  The complimentary breakfast was standard and decent, and the wifi was fast enough to check email and watch videos.  Overall, it was a decent stay at the Hampton Inn.  The hotel was updated and provided standard Hampton amenities.  The negatives of the hotel included the lack of lighting in the parking lot, the odd location of the fitness center, and the costs which seemed a bit high for a Hampton (it seems they were pricing for the area rather than for the product).  

Stay Report: Hilton Curacao (Curacao - December 2015/January 2016)

Stay Report: Hilton Curacao
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

When we were planning our vacation to Curacao, we wanted to stay at a nice resort.  I had stayed at other Hilton resorts and those were nice so decided to check the Hilton Curacao.  Overall, the hotel looks older, is an average hotel that provides a nice private beach, a small pool given the size of the resort, and a great NYE party.  What the hotel does not provide is good customer service as that definitely needs improvement.

Prior to our arrival to the hotel I had tried to communicate with the hotel regarding airport transfers and confirmation of the NYE party.  Trying to contact the hotel proved to be difficult and that was the first instance of not great customer service.  When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted as HHonors member (very nice as some hotels do not recognize this) and given our key to the room.  We had booked a club floor so our room was located on the top floor - which was the 5th floor.  Both the outside and the hallways of the hotel looked older - like 1980's/1990s Miami fashion.  

The room itself also looked older but was decent.  When you entered into the door, on the right hand side was a closet with a safe and some drawers in it.  Next to the closet were additional shelves.  Across from the closet was the bathroom, which had a nice long sink, a toilet, and a full bathtub.  The shower and the water pressure in the hotel was not good at all (no matter what time of day you took a shower).  Next to the bathroom was a table on which the coffee maker stood.  Further into the room were the two double beds with a nightstand in the middle.  The headboard behind the beds were wicker and the both the tables and the lamps continued the 1980/1990 fashion.  The beds were comfortable and provided a decent night sleep.  Across from the beds was the TV with drawers underneath and a desk next to it.  Behind the desk was a door which led out to the balcony - our room faced the casino so the views were alright, not great, but the balcony provided a nice relaxing area.


We had access to the club lounge so decided to check that out.  The lounge also needed updating as the decor looked very old.  Also, the food in the lounge all looked frozen and none of it looked fresh.  Apart from two nice attendants, most of the service in the lounge were neither pleasant nor helpful.  Also, the food in the lounge was on a first come, first serve basis - if you did not get it when they put it out then you were out of look.  There was no refilling going on, despite the crowds.  The lounge had a balcony that looked onto the pool and the ocean and that was a nice to sit out and enjoy the view.

The hotel itself had a lot of amenities from various restaurants, to a private beach, a health club, a spa (which was closed for the holidays, which was very odd since this is when a lot of people will be coming to the hotel), and a pool.  While all decent amenities, each item seemed small given the size of the resort and number of people at the hotel.  The service at the health club and the restaurants also needed improvement as well.


One good aspect of the hotel was the New Year's Eve party.  The hotel hosted a New Year's Eve party and you could purchase tickets.  The tickets included a buffet dinner, entertainment, and close access to see the fireworks show.  The service during this event was very nice, the entertainment was very nice, the additional party favors were a nice touch, and the fireworks amazing.  Overall, it was an older hotel that provided an average stay with a good NYE event but poor customer service. 

Stay Report: Hilton Addis Ababa (Ethiopia - January 2014)

Stay Report: Hilton Addis Ababa
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

Photo Courtesy of Hilton.com

I had a really long layover in Addis Ababa (over 14 hours) so instead of spending it at the airport, I decided to use my points and relax at the Hilton Addis.  Overall, the hotel is very large and expansive with lots of amenities, but definitely needs to be updated.   

After you exit customs and enter the arrivals hall, there is a Hilton booth/stall where you can wait for transportation.  The hotel does not provide complimentary transportation, rather there are two paid options; either the Hilton shuttle or a private car.  The private car costs a little more, and since I had been flying all night and had assumed the private car would be quicker, I had booked that option; I was very wrong.  I entered the booth/stall with another couple who had paid for the shuttle; they waited for 2 minutes and went into the shuttle while 15 minutes later I was still waiting for the private car.  When the car finally showed up, it was dirty with trash all over the floor, looked run down, was uncomfortable, and the driver was playing a rap song with a lot of cursing and inappropriate language.  It was definitely not the way you want to start your trip. 

Photo Courtesy of Hilton.com

The hotel is located near the UN building but there is not much around it in terms of walking. The hotel does provide maps for shopping and other amenities if you want to take a cab or private car.  The hotel is a big complex with lots of people and is very busy. From the outside, the hotel looked like it was nicely built for the 1980's and has not been updated since then.  From the entrance, you walk up an outside walkway to the main lobby.  When you enter the lobby, straight ahead are the check-in desks while to left is the sitting area and to the right are other services/desks (see below for the facilities available).  Check-in went smoothly, I was given my key and quickly went to my room.  The first room I went to had an odd smell to it so I asked to be switched to another room. 

Photo Courtesy of TripAdvisor.com

The room was a decent size but was very outdated as both the room and the bathroom looked very good for the 1980's.  As you entered into the room, on the left was the bathroom while on the right was closet.  The bathroom had a sink, a tub, and a toilet, all of which looked outdated and were very low to the ground.  Further into the room, against the left wall was the bed while against the right wall was the chest with drawers on the bottom and a TV on top and a desk next to it.  I had a room with a king size bed, so that was against the wall with a nightstand on either side.  The bed itself was large and decent but not extremely comfortable; it was not uncomfortable but not extremely comfortable either.  

We had access to the club lounge and we went there for breakfast as well as cocktail hour.  The Club is not that big and it is divided into two sections – the first section on the left contained the food and drinks while in the right section was the seating area.  The seating area was enough for 15-20 people, which was fine for breakfast as there were not many people; however, for cocktail hour there were TONS of people so it felt congested and tight. 

As I said earlier, the hotel has a very big complex and there are lots of facilities for the guests to enjoy including:

Photo Courtesy of TripAdvisor.com

• a money changer with good rates (note: remember to keep your receipt as we had charged food to the room and needed to pay that but the hotel needed a receipt from the hotel money changer to verify the exchange)
• Airline offices – Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways
• Safari and Tour Group Bookings
• An Olympic size pool (which was very busy in the evening time)
• a promenade with shops
• a restaurant near the pool (with decent food but service was a little slow and hectic)
• a spa and sauna with one of the best, and cheapest, massage I have ever had.

Photo Courtesy of Hilton.com

While the facilities provided for the guest are a great positive, a huge negative was the lack of customer service.  After the issue with the airport pick-up, I had asked the hotel to make note of it when I checked in.  When I followed up, I had to talk to multiple individuals because nobody spoke to each other.  It was very frustrating repeating the same information due to lack of communication amongst the staff.

Overall, it was an interesting stay at the Hilton Addis.  The positives were the nice facilities and amenities available to the guest.  The negatives were the poor room quality and the poor front desk customer service.  It was definitely not the Hilton experience I was expecting, but it was better than sleeping at the airport.

Stay Report: Hilton Madinah (Saudi Arabia - March 2014)

Stay Report: Hilton Madinah
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

photo courtesy of Hilton.com

In my previous trip to Madinah, I stayed at a different but spent a lot of time in the Hilton’s restaurant as the hotel is very close to the Mosque.  For this reason, when I was returning to Madinah I decided to book my stay at the Hilton Madinah.  As I said, the hotel is located very close to the Mosque - you walk out of the hotel, turn right, and walk for 30 secs and you are at the mosque. That was about the only good thing about the hotel.

We pulled up to the hotel entrance on the first floor and then took the escalators up to the second floor to the lobby to check in.  The first floor contained the entrance to the street while the second floor contained the check-in desks, the business center, and the restaurant.  The lobby was not very big but looked updated enough; unfortunately this is where the updates ended.  Check-in was extremely slow and inefficient, and the staff were not courteous at all.  I finally was able to check-in, received my key, and proceeded to my room. 

photo courtesy of TripAdvisor.com

The room looked outdated and needed to be overhauled as the rooms looked very good for the late 90's but seemed not to have updated since then.  As you enter the door, on the left hand side was the entrance to the bathroom.  The bathroom contained a sink, toilet, and bathtub which were nice but the bathroom also needed to be updated.  Across from the bathroom was the closet, the fridge, and other such items.  In the main area were 2 double beds with a night stand in between – the beds seemed to be the only thing that had been updated in the room as they were very comfortable and in comparison to the new Hilton standard beds.  Across from the beds was a chest with drawers on the bottom and a TV on top, and next to that was a desk.  In between the bed and the window were some tables but there was also room to put in a roll-away bed.  Instead of a sofa-bed, this Hilton had upgraded to the new Hilton rollaway which are way more comfortable than the sofa-beds; at least you can get a decent nights rest on the roll-away.

photo courtesy of TripAdvisor.com

The hotel had a couple of facilities available for guests.  Breakfast was complimentary and while the selection was good, the seating area was very small and could not accommodate the crowds.  When we went early in the morning, we could easily find a seat but as we left -- and the crowds getting bigger – the seating became limited and it was more of a 'fight for your chair and your life' type of situation!  Another facility in the hotel is the lounge on the second floor.  The best part of the lounge are the windows alongside one part which faces the Mosque and provides nice views of the crowds and of the Mosque itself.  The lounge itself contains comfortable and relaxing chairs, and the lounge serves food but the food is bad, expensive, and the service is EXTREMELY slow.  The last facility is the business center, which is located in the lobby level and contains two computers with fast internet access and a printer.  At the time I went, wifi was not available neither in the hotel nor in the rooms so the only way to access the internet was through the business center.

Overall, the location of the hotel along with the beds and the business center are the positives.  Everything else, from the outdated look, the lack of customer service, and the slow service in the restaurant, are all things that need improvements!  An example regarding the lack of service – we were three people staying in the room so we asked for additional toiletries.  The request was made on the day I arrived into the hotel and two days later, and multiple requests later, still never got the shampoo (nor other items we requested).  One pleasant note on the service:  we did have a medical issue and needed another fridge in the room and that the hotel was responsive to that.  It took multiple tries and explanations but eventually they brought a bigger fridge.

Stay Report: Home2 Suites by Hilton New York Long Island City/ Manhattan View (New York - September 2015)

Stay Report: Home2Suites New York Long Island
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

Hotels in New York can be very expensive at times, especially around holidays and weekends, and usually rooms in the city tend be smaller/compact.  There are many hotels outside the city that provide a lower price, a bigger room, and still have access to the New York train system.  I have been wanting to try the Home2Suites brand so when I saw one was located near New York, and had all the amenities mentioned above, I decided to try it out.

The hotel was very convenient located near two subway stops and was only 3-5 stops away from Manhattan so provided easy and convenient connections.  The hotel is located either a couple of feet away from the 39th subway stop on the N & Q line, or about a 2-3 minute walk from Queens Plaza where other lines are available.

Upon entering the hotel lobby, straight ahead is the check in desk with elevators to the rooms right behind the desk.  To the left of the check in desk is sitting area/kitchen area and computer stands.  You can access the two computers or just sit and relax in the lounge chairs; the kitchen area is also where complimentary breakfast is served in the morning.

 

I proceeded to the desk to check-in and receive my key.  Check-in took some time so it could have been more efficient, generally throughout the stay the front desk service was alright - not bad but not great and there is room for improvement here.  As a HHonors member, I did receive a complimentary bottle of water at check-in, which was a nice gesture.  Once I received my key, I proceeded to my room.

The room itself looked like a junior suite.  Upon entering the room, on the left hand side was the bathroom while on the right was the kitchen. The bathroom had a sink on one side and a shower on the other side. The shower had refillable shampoo, body wash and soap was provided – no other amenities were provided but this was a nice environmentally-responsible gesture.

The room itself had a full kitchen with a full fridge, sink, stove, dishwasher, and plates.  Beyond the kitchen was the sitting area with a couch, which turns into a sofa bed. In front of the couch is a TV with drawers underneath.  Next to the couch is the bed and there is a curtain which can be drawn to separate the sitting area from the bed area – but the curtain only extends the length of the bed and not the length of the room.  Across from the bed was a pull out desk and shelves above the desk, and next to the desk was a tiny closet (that had an iron and ironing board).  The bed itself was comfortable and provided a good night sleep. Each lamp had outlets so there were plenty of places to plug in a recharge.

As it aims to be a suite hotel, there are many facilities available for the guest to enjoy.  These include complimentary breakfast, a gym, laundry facility, a small market, as well as complimentary wifi.  As I was only here for a short while, I only got to experience the wifi which was complimentary and provided decent speeds. 

Overall, it was a nice stay at the Home2Suites.  The room was spacious, there were many amenities in the room, and the location was convenient.  As I said, I was interested in trying the brand and after experiencing it, the hotel seems to be a combination of two existing brands from competing companies.  The room size and layout is very similar to Hyatt Place while the kitchen, the additional amenities, and focus on the environment are very similar to the Element.  It all combines to a comfortable hotel in a convenient location

Stay Report: Hilton Zurich Airport (Zurich, May 2015)

Stay Report: Hilton Zurich Airport
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was arriving late into Zurich and had an early morning flight the next day, so instead of travelling into the city I decided to stay near the airport. There are many hotel options connected to or near the airport; I choose to stay at the Hilton.  Overall, it is a good transit hotel that is comfortable and has lots of amenities.

The hotel itself is located approximately 15-20 minutes away from the airport.  The hotel does provide a free shuttle to and from the airport, and the shuttle runs every 30 minutes.  The hotel is located on a hill, so you drive up to the top of the hill to the lobby, which is the 4^th floor of the hotel, and then you take the elevator down to the rooms, floors 1-3.  The layout of the hotel is a bit odd.  As you enter into the hotel, the check-in desks are in front of you with a small shop to your left and the restaurant/bar to your right.  Check-in was efficient and we quickly received our keys and went towards the elevator to access our room.  The odd layout of the hotel continues, as to get from the lobby to the elevator you have to pass by the kitchen and prep room for the meeting rooms, where there is a lot of traffic at night.  Additionally, the hallways are very long so it is a bit of a walk to the elevators and then from the elevator to the room.

The room itself are big and comfortable.  I was traveling with 2 other adults, so we had a requested a room with 2 twin beds plus a rollaway bed; the request was approved for a cost.  Even with the three beds, the room did not feel cramped.  As you entered into the room, on the right hand side was a closet with an ironing board and safe, and on the left hand side was the bathroom with a nice full sink and an open shower plus a toilet.  Further into the room, on the left hand side were the two twin beds which were comfortable and provided a good sleep.  There were night stands next to each bed with individual reading lights and power outlets.  In between the beds and the window was enough space and this is where the rollaway bed was placed.  The rollaway bed was also comfortable and provided a decent sleep (not as nice as the beds, but decent enough).  Across from the beds was a TV stand with drawers underneath and a desk next to it.  All around the room were power outlets which were greatly appreciated.

The hotel is a full service Hilton so there are many amenities available including free wifi (for hilton hhonors members), a really nice and large fitness center that also includes a sauna, a business center, and many meeting rooms. There is a restaurant and room service available.  As I was only there on transit, I did not have time to experience all the amenities except for the wifi, which was a decent speed.

Overall it was a pleasant stay at the Hilton Zurich Airport.  It’s a nice transit hotel with spacious rooms and lots of amenities.  The service at the hotel is also good, in fact a nice touch is that the hotel provided complimentary coffee and croissants in the morning for those passengers who had early morning flights.  If you are trying to see the city, this may not be the hotel for you; however, if you are transiting in Zurich, then this is a good place to stay.

Stay Report: Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa (Seychelles - January 2014)

Stay Report: Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was going to be spending some time in Seychelles, so I was looking for a nice resort that had a lot of amenities for the guests.  I’ve had previous success with the Hilton brand so when I found this property, I decided to book the Hilton Northlome Seychelles.  Overall, it was an average stay with nice rooms, good staff, but a bit disappointing with the service sometimes.

The hotel is laid out in an open setting, so everything allows for fresh air and seeing the natural beauty; it is really nice when the weather is pleasant, not so nice in the rainy season.  When you first enter the property, you go to a small office in which you are welcomed and then wait to be shuttled to the next building which houses the check-in desk.  When I arrived, the hotel attendants seemed unsure about what was going on or our arrival; it was a bit chaotic.

The check-in desks are located in the main building, which also houses the business center, the pools, the restaurant, and a gym below.  After being checked-in, which again was chaotic, I was given a tour of the hotel, and then shown to the room.  I later found out that I was not given a lot of information that should have been provided during check-in, information that would have been useful such as access to free shuttles.

While I have many complaints about the check-in and the service, I cannot complain about the room as it was beautiful and spacious.  The room I had booked was the ‘king studio apartment’ and it felt like a mini villa with a balcony and porch, which provided nice options to sit outside and enjoy the view.  As you approached the building, you entered the porch which had chairs to sit outside and enjoy the view of the property.  As you opened the door, you entered into a mini-hallway in which the only way to go is left.  As you progressed into the room, you enter into the sitting area with couches, a chair, a desk, and a TV on a stand that is connected to DVD player.  As I was traveling in a group, I had requested for a roll-away bed to be placed in the room, and this was placed between the couch and the window.  Even with the rollaway bed, this part of the room felt open and spacious. 

While the windows were against one side of the wall, against the opposite wall, beyond the couches, was the large king-size bed with a nightstand on either side.  The bed was extremely bid, very comfortable, and provided a really good night’s rest.  As I said, everything about the room was spacious, and this was also true of the bathroom, which was huge.  There were two entrances to the bathroom, the main entrance was near the TV stand while there was another entrance near the entryway.  The bathroom contained both the closet and the bathroom, but each section was very spacious.  The bathroom contained a toilet, a standup shower, a big closet, a double sink, and a Jacuzzi tub.  The best part about the tub was that it faced the window looking outside – this window/door you could open and it would lead to the balcony.  It was a really nice view and amazing to sit in the tub and look outside.  The balcony outside the bathroom connected to the balcony outside the room, and this balcony contained lounge chairs to sit, relax, and enjoy the views.

As the Seychelles is an island, most guests come here for the pool and beach.  The hotel does have two pools but their beach access is that of a rocky beach.  They do provide snorkeling and scuba equipment (for a fee) and to access a sand beach, they have free shuttles to Beau Vallon beach (we found this out on our last day).  The two pools are located in the main building where the check-in desks are located.  The main building has three floors – on the bottom floor is one pool plus the gym (and the walkway to the rocky beach); the second floor contains the second pool, the check-in desks, the business center, and access to the third floor; the third floor contains the restaurant.  The pools were decent size, not too small but they could have been bigger.  There was one major issue with the pool; lack of towels.  Usually, the hotel provides towels specifically for the pool so that you don’t have to use your own.  The hotel had the setup there but no towels; every guest kept asking for them but they never brought them.

The business center were a couple of computers connected to a printer in an open-air environment near the check-in desks/lobby.  It was a bit slow but it was provided enough access to check-in and print boarding passes.  As I was there for a couple of days, I was also able to try both the restaurant on the third floor as well as the bar/lounge near the pool.  The bar/lounge is open for lunch and drinks and is very nice, has good food, but extremely slow service.  There is a restaurant open for dinner on the top of the terrace that serves a different buffet nightly. We went for the Seychelles cuisine buffet - overpriced and definitely not worth it!

Overall, it was an interesting stay at the Hilton Northlome Seychelles.  The hotel is a bit far from Beau Vallon and many other destinations, but it is located right on the bus route so you can take that anywhere. There is also a small supermarket located 7 minutes uphill from the hotel which provides easy and quick access to items that you may need.  The rooms are nice and spacious, but the customer service needs improvement.  The room service and room attendant were very good and very responsive; however the front desk service and attendants were neither good nor customer friendly.  The service was so bad that on the 3^rd day I was there, I wrote to the general manager about the lack of service. The general manager was quick to reply, asked to meet with me in person to discuss the issues and try to resolve it prior to my departure. The managers were very accommodating and nice and they made the trip worthwhile.

Tip: taxis to the airport are very expensive. If you have booked a local nature tour, the tour guides will also do airport pick-up and drop offs and usually at a better rate. This is what we did and saved a lot of money and it was more comfortable and convenient.