Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch — Hotel in Auburn

Just stayed here this week. First impressions of the hotel was nice. Nice looking lobby. Desk staff was polite and welcoming. The main floor had plenty of sanitizing stations and clorox wipes. First impressions of the room was nice as well. First issue is the constant fan in the bathroom. If you leave the door open ever so slight its so annoying. It does not turn off. I think it's part of the AC/vent systems but really annoying. Next sleeping. The bed had a lot to be desired. Old school coil type bed where you move, your partner moves. I have a better bed. They only have 2 elevators. One of which was broken. Being on the 6th floor, you have to wait a long time in order for it to make its way down/up. Especially with COVID, you want to give people space and not go up with more than 1 other person outside your family/party. We only had dessert in the hotel. Had some brownie fudge mason jar cake. It was good but rich. Also had the Carmel vanilla cake which wasn't worth getting. Lastly which isn't the hotels fault so to speak but does knock a star off IMO is the surrounding area. The parking lot is small. If you have to park on the side of the hotel, it partners with Sect 8 housing. I certainly didn't get a warm fussy feeling leaving my car on that side with people hanging around. Read the reviews on the housing authority. A cars window was smashed just the week before. They have the river walk right out back. The view wasn't great. There was no falls. Water must have been low. In the area, I did not feel comfortable walking around the falls. There is a local jail literally on the other side. The area itself is run down. Local fast food/restaurants get sketchy in the evenings. I honestly don't think I would stay here again if I come...

I dont even know where to start. Everything is closed for renovations, which start at 9am and end at like 7pm. NOISY construction and when I asked about it, they just said now is a good time to reno 'because it's the down season'. No pool, no gym. Everything is sectioned off for construction. We asked for an early check-in, and were pleased to be allowed with no additional fee! We check in, get our stuff up to the room, and I call down and ask for a crib or pack and play for our 8 month old daughter (listed on booking as available). They were happy to oblige and I was ecstatic, until a lady not in any identifiable uniform was at my door knocking, I cracked it open and she all but dropped a folded up, FILTHY pack in the doorway and ran away. My husband was at work, so I had to hold my baby and struggle to set up this disgusting thing so I can CLEAN IT to put her down for a nap. She screamed the entire time. Cool. I eventually figured it out, cleaned the pack and play myself with dish soap I'd brought and washcloths, and got her to sleep. I took a bath after she fell asleep, and whatever cleaning chemicals in the tub gave me a dry rash, like psoriasis which I have never had. Eventually turned into a chemical burn and took weeks to go away. Fast forward, room service was expeeeensive and downright terrible, but we needed to eat and hoped it would be cheaper than doordash. Wrong! We paid the same. Rooms are drafty from under the heat vent (literally cold air). Air is dry and dusty, woke up with a bloody nose. Slept awful for work the next day. All staff are just... odd. Unwelcoming. Not trained? The guy with the beard was cool, though. I dont know. We basically paid for amenities we did not get, and I'm sure will never get...

The location is great, the river has a pretty view, and it's only a short distance to numerous bakery shops, Cumberland farms, fast food, etc. That's the only good part of staying here.

The rooms need attention paid to them; rugs aren't vacuumed well, all corners are dusty, hairy, and lint filled, dresser drawers need cleaned, etc. The bathrooms need new shower curtains and the wallpaper is beginning to peel because the exhaust fan is very weak and does little to help humidity.

The A/C is cold set below 68 and warm set at 69 or higher. There is also no central dehumidifier or ability to regulate moisture level within the room; it is moist feeling. Very bad and promotes mold and fungal growth; should be remedied ASAP.

The hotel staff are okay, sometimes a little curt and short but I don't care about that. I understand working a public service job and its stressors.

I don't want nor need room service when traveling but they only offer it automatically on the 4th or 5th day of your stay, if you use that service. Seems a little strange to not employ enough hotel staff to do daily room service. Perhaps try paying them more and you'll have more people readily wanting to work cleaning jobs for 8hrs/day. You charge ~200-350 a night, you can afford to pay staff 18+/hr for their stressful duties. I don't care about your shareholders, investors, or company owner(s); they can jump rope and don't deserve the profit from staying here, the workers do.

No bed bugs or critters otherwise were spotted (and we checked with UV light, a 1200 lumen flashlight, and moving all furniture) so no worries there.

All in all a very mediocre stay with a pretty view and easy access to...