Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Belleville — Hotel in Ontario

We have been loyal customers of the Hampton Inn chain across Ontario, and we have stayed at this particular location numerous times before. Never have we encountered such insensitivity and disrespect until today. We were looking forward to celebrating our anniversary weekend with our children so having not had a reason to cancel in the past, I booked a Hilton Member non-refundable rate. What I didn’t realize was that the policy is written in stone with no room for compassion or humanity. ||||Unfortunately, due to a family emergency, I explained we would be unable to make our trip. Now, I want to point out that when I spoke to Hilton directly and explained my circumstances, I was met with sincere sympathy and understanding and a case report was created. I then had the displeasure of speaking with the hotel’s general manager, Blair Gamble, who turned out to be the most rude, condescending and ill-mannered person I’ve ever had to deal with! ||||Life happens, people get sick and accidents happen, but that doesn’t mean we should get penalized by being held hostage in forfeiting over $550! We have three young children and are not okay with throwing away money like that! While I understand that I booked a “non-refundable rate,” Blair Gamble made NO EFFORT and showed no grace in offering another suitable option for our current situation. I continuously explained my situation and appealed for another option in place of cancelling as I was open to working together in finding another alternative. But my appeals fell on deaf ears. ||||Maybe I wouldn’t be as angry as I am, had I been met with the same civility as I was displaying. I have also worked in the customer service industry for 20+ years and I assure you that I would have lost my job on the spot if I ever dared to speak to a customer in the same uncivilized, insolent and callous manner in which I was met with, courtesy of Blair Gamble. ||||Maybe it’s time that the Hilton brand carefully screens who they have representing them, so they don’t end up tarnishing their brand and reputation. Especially when recruiting for positions within a managerial capacity, Hilton needs to revamp their customer service skills, protocol and etiquette portion of the training. Emphasis should be placed on how to speak with and deal with customers on a cordial and HUMANE level. The sheer lack of expertise in a managerial and customer service role was evident in the manner in which Blair Gamble spoke to me. Blair Gamble should either seriously consider retraining in customer etiquette or consider a career outside of hospitality, as this clearly is not his strong suit. Needless to say, Hampton Inn Belleville has lost a...

We have been loyal customers of the Hampton Inn chain across Ontario, and we have stayed at this particular location numerous times before. Never have we encountered such insensitivity and disrespect until today. We were looking forward to celebrating our anniversary weekend with our children so having not had a reason to cancel in the past, I booked a Hilton Member non-refundable rate. What I didn’t realize was that the policy is written in stone with no room for compassion or humanity.

Unfortunately, due to a family emergency, I explained we would be unable to make our trip. Now, I want to point out that when I spoke to Hilton directly and explained my circumstances, I was met with sincere sympathy and understanding and a case report was created. I then had the displeasure of speaking with the hotel’s general manager, Blair Gamble, who turned out to be the most rude, condescending and ill-mannered person I’ve ever had to deal with!

Life happens, people get sick and accidents happen, but that doesn’t mean we should get penalized by being held hostage in forfeiting over $550! We have three young children and are not okay with throwing away money like that! While I understand that I booked a “non-refundable rate,” Blair Gamble made NO EFFORT and showed no grace in offering another suitable option for our current situation. I continuously explained my situation and appealed for another option in place of cancelling as I was open to working together in finding another alternative. But my appeals fell on deaf ears.

Maybe I wouldn’t be as angry as I am, had I been met with the same civility as I was displaying. I have also worked in the customer service industry for 20+ years and I assure you that I would have lost my job on the spot if I ever dared to speak to a customer in the same uncivilized, insolent and callous manner in which I was met with, courtesy of Blair Gamble.

Maybe it’s time that the Hilton brand carefully screens who they have representing them, so they don’t end up tarnishing their brand and reputation. Especially when recruiting for positions within a managerial capacity, Hilton needs to revamp their customer service skills, protocol and etiquette portion of the training. Emphasis should be placed on how to speak with and deal with customers on a cordial and HUMANE level. The sheer lack of expertise in a managerial and customer service role was evident in the manner in which Blair Gamble spoke to me. Blair Gamble should either seriously consider retraining in customer etiquette or consider a career outside of hospitality, as this clearly is not his strong suit. Needless to say, Hampton Inn Belleville has lost a...

As a loyal guest who has frequented the Hampton Inn by Hilton Belleville for the past 3-4 years during my wife's business trips, I regret to report that my most recent stay has prompted me to reconsider future bookings. I initially chose this hotel for its consistent weekday availability, reasonable rates around $150 CAD, and included breakfast - which, while basic, provided excellent value compared to other properties in this price range.

Throughout my previous visits, I have appreciated the hotel's accommodation of late checkouts, which allowed me to work comfortably during my stays, often until 1:00 PM or occasionally even 2:00 PM, at no additional charge.

The property's cleanliness and overall comfort were once noteworthy features that made it my preferred choice in the area. However, I've observed a steady decline in these aspects over recent years.

During my recent visit, I encountered a concerning inconsistency in service. Upon check-in, the night staff assured me of a 1:00 PM late checkout. However, the following day, at 11:30 AM, I was confronted by a staff member named Malvina who insisted I must vacate immediately. When I explained my arrangement with the night staff, she stated that any extension beyond the standard checkout time would incur significant charges - $50 for staying until noon, and a full day's rate for any time beyond that.

When I expressed my frustration about this "bait and switch" pattern, which has become increasingly frequent, Malvina simply stated this was a new policy implemented in September 2024.

This abrupt change, combined with the lack of clear communication between staff members and to guests, represents a significant departure from the hotel's previously accommodating approach.

The declining standards in cleanliness and comfort, coupled with this inconsistency in policy enforcement and communication between night and day staff, have created an unprofessional and frustrating experience for long-term guests.

While I understand policies may change, proper communication and honouring commitments made at check-in should be standard practice. The convenient location and included breakfast can no longer compensate for these deteriorating...