DoubleTree by Hilton Newark Penn Station — Attraction in Newark

I've never been to NJ (or out of state on my own as an adult, for that matter) before so I was really nervous about staying somewhere shady. This place was FANTASTIC! I went with one of my friends in August for a concert at Prudential and it was perfect. We were warned by countless people that it wasn't safe to walk around after dark down here but if you're going to an event at Pru Center, no worries! You can walk out through the buildings attached to the Hilton and come out right across from the courtyard by the center.

It was for that reason alone we stayed here again in November for another concert. Anything with the Pru Center, the hotel is the best location ever. To get onto the short circle before the lobby is confusing (to me, at least) but when we called for help the greeter could not have been nicer. He was super helpful and even stayed on the phone with us until he could actually see us out front.

Things to know: There is pay by hour/by day surrounding the hotel (some of it a bit far, but we didn't explore) and there is a garage attached to the hotel. It is $21/day to park (i think) and you let the staff at the hotel know you're parking there. They will charge you there--DO NOT PAY AT THE GARAGE. Anytime you come or go, the front desk will give you a pre-paid ticket to get your vehicle in and out.

Internet is pay by device ($12 I think) or you can sneak down to the Starbucks located right outside the lobby and use theirs while they're open.

The rooms weren't any bigger or smaller than to be expected of any hotel. The nicest I've ever stayed at though. We had a double each time and they come with a desk, chair, flat screen TV, basic channels, alarm clock, etc. There's a menu for room service and the the bar/restaurant in the lobby but it's pretty pricey.

Bathrooms aren't huge but if four women can get ready in it and not want to kill each other, you can manage. Also, cleanest hotel bathroom I've ever seen. Rooms cleaned/restocked daily, the usual.

Staff: Excellent. There was a mildly annoying mishap upon check-in during our first stay--my credit card would not work and no amount of explaining there was 0$ charged on them was getting us anywhere. It wasn't until 2 other customers gave them the same story that they realized their system was done. It was irritating to me (6+ hours in a car and all) but not once was the staff unprofessional. They were always super courteous and were just talking to us to pass the time while we waited for everything to go through.

There's a small gym off to the side of the lobby which we did not check out either time but will this coming December for our trip. There were tons of restaurants in the surrounding area but like I said, we were warned to stay inside after dark and we rarely grabbed food until night time so fun fact: the hotel lobby has sliding doors to the left of the escalators that take you out to Gateway Center one way or the Penn Station the other. Both have a bunch of options (Subway, McDonalds, a Japanese restaurant, Starbucks, a Pizzeria, etc) and it was nice because it was all attached to our hotel!

Also, being attached to Penn Station is fantastic--it was a $10 round trip to go into NY. It would've been far more to drive/park or get a taxi so I'd strongly suggest going that route!

Ramblings over, it's a fantastic hotel. Very clean rooms/bathrooms, AMAZING staff (props, also. The 2nd time we went every other customer was asking for directions to Pru Center and every one of them that I saw was answered with a smile!), I can't go on about it enough. I've stayed there twice and we're already planning...

I am writing to express my extreme dissatisfaction and disappointment with my recent stay at the DoubleTree Newark Penn Station. As a long-standing member of the Hilton Honors program, I have come to expect a certain level of service and comfort when staying at Hilton properties. However, my experience at this particular hotel has been nothing short of appalling, and it is with great regret that I inform you that I will be terminating my Hilton Honors membership due to the consistent issues encountered at this property.

This is not the first time I have faced problems during my stay at this hotel, and it's disheartening to see that my previous complaints seem to have fallen on deaf ears. The overall attitude and competence of the staff at this location are far from what one would expect from a Hilton establishment. Their lack of responsiveness and disregard for guest concerns are evident in the multiple issues I encountered during my stay.

First and foremost, upon entering my room, I was dismayed to find that there was no hair dryer available. This basic amenity is a standard expectation in any decent hotel, let alone a Hilton property. I shouldn't have to go through the inconvenience of requesting such a basic necessity that should have been provided in the first place.

Furthermore, the situation with the washing sink was nothing short of unacceptable. The sink clogged so severely that the water had nowhere to go, rendering it completely unusable. I attempted to reach out to the front desk and housekeeping for assistance, but to my dismay, I was forced to endure an agonizing 20-minute wait before anyone even bothered to answer my call. This level of unresponsiveness is simply inexcusable for a hotel of Hilton's stature.

When a hair dryer was finally brought to my room, the staff had the audacity to ask me to demonstrate whether it worked. As a guest, I shouldn't have to prove the functionality of items that are supposed to be provided in proper working condition.

The cumulative effect of these issues is clear evidence of severe mismanagement and lack of attention to detail at the DoubleTree Newark Penn Station. If the root cause of these problems is indeed staffing-related, it is not an acceptable excuse to belittle or patronize a guest who is simply expressing genuine concerns.

I must emphasize that in all my travels, I have never encountered a hotel that failed to answer guest calls promptly or lacked basic amenities like a working sink. Even one-star establishments usually manage to meet these minimum standards, which is why it is deeply disheartening to witness such a disappointing experience at a well-known brand like Hilton.

At this point, my room was rendered practically unusable, and I cannot in good conscience pay for a stay that did not meet the most basic expectations of a hotel room.

Update: The engineer didn’t come to fix the clogged sink 12 hours after I reported this, and there was no follow up on a solution to our unlivable lives in our stay.

Therefore, I am formally requesting a full refund for this utterly subpar and distressing experience. Hilton should take this matter seriously and take immediate steps to rectify the situation at the DoubleTree Newark Penn Station to prevent further damage to its reputation.

I sincerely hope that my concerns will be addressed with the seriousness they deserve and that appropriate measures will be taken to prevent other guests from enduring similar frustrations in the future. I trust that you will handle this matter promptly and...

Dear Hilton Customer Service Team,

I am writing to formally express my deep dissatisfaction with our recent stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton near Penn Station. As loyal Hilton guests and as a family traveling with an infant, we had certain expectations of service, professionalism, and basic hospitality that were unfortunately not met. Our experience left us not only disappointed but deeply concerned about the treatment we received.

Unfulfilled Crib Request & Inconvenient Arrival Experience Prior to our arrival, we contacted the hotel twice to request a baby crib for our 7-month-old daughter. On both occasions, we were assured the crib would be available and ready in our room. However, upon our arrival at approximately 1:00 AM, we were told no crib was available and that no such request had been noted. As a result, my wife and I were unable to sleep through the night, sitting up to ensure our daughter's safety as she slept on the bed. The next morning, a crib was left outside our door without any notification or acknowledgment from the staff. I have a picture of my daughter sleeping on the bed covered with pillows for her safety. Let me know if you would like to see. Room Cleanliness The condition of the room itself was unacceptable. We found jelly candies on the floor upon arrival, raising serious concerns about cleanliness—particularly concerning when traveling with an infant. Misinformation About Parking Fees & Unprofessional Conduct by Management At check-in, the night shift front desk staff member (Sienna) informed us that parking would cost $28 per day as long as we did not take our rental car in and out of the lot. Based on this, we chose to rely on public transportation and not use the car during our stay. However, upon checkout, we were charged $48 per day. When I raised the issue with the hotel manager, Monica Thapa, her response was shockingly unprofessional. She dismissed our concerns outright and accused both me and my wife of lying. When we requested she verify our conversation with Sienna via security footage or audio, she declined and showed no willingness to investigate. Her attitude was dismissive, accusatory, and frankly disrespectful.

Rude and Discriminatory Behavior by Shuttle Driver To add to our distress, another unacceptable incident occurred as we were checking out. While I was loading our luggage and infant into our car in front of the hotel, a shuttle driver pulled in and began shouting at me to move my vehicle. I politely asked for a couple of minutes to finish loading, but he continued to raise his voice and stated, “we pay taxes,” in an aggressive tone. I too pay taxes in this country and have always respected the laws and values of this nation. I found this comment discriminatory and completely inappropriate. Every guest—regardless of their nationality, race, gender, or age—deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. This incident made me and my family feel targeted and unwelcome. This series of events—ranging from miscommunication, lack of cleanliness, unprofessional behavior by management, to outright rudeness and discriminatory treatment—made our stay highly distressing and completely unacceptable for a brand like Hilton. We had expected much higher standards of hospitality and guest service.

I sincerely hope this feedback prompts a thorough internal review and appropriate action. No guest should have to endure what we experienced—especially not families traveling with...