Hilton Garden Inn Benton Harbor / St. Joseph — Hotel in Benton Charter Township

Our family of 4 had a confirmed reservation for two rooms for two nights that was made more than a week before checking in. Upon arrival around 3:15pm on June 19th were told our rooms were suddenly “under maintenance” with no advance notice and no clear explanation. We were sent to a subpar hotel up the road not at all acceptable for our family, especially with a small child. We then returned to find the manager had left and never followed up with us after multiple phone calls. We missed hours of our vacation trying to resolve the situation and trying to find another place to stay. Moreover we had to bring our child along through it all.

The next day, we were told no rooms were available—only to find out the ones we originally booked had been reassigned to others. We were promised priority, then ignored. Communication was contradictory, and no one in leadership at this property took responsibility. When we attempted to follow up again, the general manager was reportedly 'in a meeting' for hours and never made an effort to speak with us directly. Despite multiple attempts, we were never given the opportunity to connect with her, which further reflected a lack of accountability at the highest level of leadership.

Only the front desk staff on Thursday and Friday (shoutout to Katherine, Melissa and Carissma) showed professionalism and empathy. Management was evasive and offered no resolution. Deeply disappointing for a Hilton property, and will not be back at this location with my family.

Update: After the general manager’s response below, I still haven’t received any direct follow-up or resolution. Disappointed this wasn’t handled better. Here is my response regarding the response provided below.

Thank you so much for this speedy response! We wish were were able to get this type of response in real time during our stay while we were guests. To address your points:

1.Alternative lodging: Even if the property is operated under third-party management, the Country Inn was not an acceptable replacement for the Hilton Garden Inn experience we were promised. As loyal Hilton guests, we expect consistency in service, quality, and accommodations—regardless of management structure. The downgrade disrupted our plans, delayed our evening with family, and created unnecessary stress, especially while traveling with a small child.

2.Contact Information: Yes, you left us your card. However when we did try to call the only number provided it led to the front desk and I had to speak to Katherine. There was no direct line to you other than a fax number and and email. We weren’t able to get ahold of any type of general management for 48 hours.

3.$50 Vouchers: The $50 coupons/vouchers, thank you! However, our family aimed to utilize them twice during our time and were told: A) You cannot use the vouchers at the bar B) You can’t use multiple coupons on the same meal. So, our meals would have to be under $10.

4.Maintenance Issues: We were never told anything about any floods, we were told that those rooms had been booked. If there was miscommunication or a misunderstanding it was because of the lack of direct face time to receive the full story. We were only told what was relayed from the front desk staff who didn’t seem to have the complete story compared to what you're explaining here.

5.As far as the 25,000 member points, thank you! These points totaled about $100-125 compared to the almost $1000 reservation total for two...

I'd review the stay, but there was no stay. I booked and paid for a king with sofa room 3 weeks in advance of our trip. We arrived at 4:15 and were told there were no king rooms available. A large wedding party had come to town and due to housekeeping issues, our room was no longer available. I offered to clean a room for myself or come back after dinner in 2 hours. That wasn't going to work for them. The poor desk clerk must have been having the same issue since he had clocked in an hour and a half earlier because he begged me not to yell at him, which I had not done. He also said he had debated between going to work or blowing off work to go to the fair instead. Must have been one of those weeks and places to work. Nice kid really. He called his manager who didn't answer right away. My husband ran outside and called the courtyard hotel across the street and booked a room while I stayed at the Hilton to help track down a supervisor. A few moments later I was handed a cell phone with a sales manager at the other end who assured me by Tuesday I'd have a full refund. Now we begin the $445 refund debate with the manager. Luckily, 3 other hotels across the street had rooms available. Never ever again will I go to the Hilton garden. Never. Let me repeat never again.

Edited after trying to get the refund ... see below reply from owner.

Called Tuesday as instructed by the sales manager I spoke with Saturday, who said the refund would probably have been issued by Tuesday and to call if it hadn't. He didn't answer his phone so the desk clerk suggested I call my third party booking agent. They are on top if it. Should be solved in 24 to 72 hours and will call the hotel to get the details. This manager hadn't lifted a finger to help yet that I can tell and i havent gotten a reply to my email yet. The owner in the reply below suggested the Hilton customer service site. I filled out my request for help. I still haven't gotten an automated response that my email was received and a resolution or reply won't come for 7 to 10 days. Even the customer service is horrendous. To top things off, the booking agency called to confirm that I was unable to use the room I paid for and managed to get someone from housekeeping on the phone. That idiot said I was a no show which is making my refund issue that much more complicated. I'm sticking with my first opinion about avoiding this hotel completely. I read a few reviews on other travel sites. My friend I was visiting even suggested this place. I should have read google reviews that over the last 6 months have been 2 and below consistently. So you guys sit back and relax. I'll do all the hard work. I certainly won't leave a light on for you...

Our pipes bursts so we got to stay overnight. It turned out to be a mini vacation. I drive by the Hilton Garden Inn on Cinema Way daily since it’s near my office, but I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t even know they served anything other than breakfasts. It turns out this beautiful restaurant located right in the spacious lobby is becoming a favorite of locals who enjoy a classy dining experience in a relaxed atmosphere. I was surprised to see a familiar couple sipping cocktails at the bar, while another local acquaintance dined a few tables away. As we were seated, I immediately noticed the fine table cloths, linen napkins, two forks and a bread and butter plate; I expected to find an over-priced menu typical of hotel restaurants. The menu prices shocked me. They had “sharables” ranging from $6-$15, sandwiches from $9-$13 including fries or fruit, and entrées ranging from $11-$29 for their Ribeye Steak. Letitia, our server, started us off with a Charcuterie Board. It included crostini that popped with fresh rosemary. I liked the goat cheese, cured ham and fig jam combo…sweet, salty and savory. After a nice crisp house salad, we grabbed ahold of some Sticky Finger Ribs which were aptly named. Large chunks of perfectly roasted rib meat fell off the bone with the slightest tug. The whiskey-soy BBQ sauce was unique and left the palate wanting the next bite. They have these as an app or a meal. She had the Citrus Grilled Salmon Bowl. Flaky, yet firm grilled salmon sat atop tomato-braised Tuscan kale, and a hearty blend of quinoa, barley & red rice grains mixed with fire-roasted peppers, scallions and fresh lime. A small dollop of smoked vanilla yogurt topped off the dish. WOW! When you come to check out Garden Grille & Bar for yourself, you may find me in there with my face buried in this dish. Kudos on this tasty energy-packed healthy course. I got the Trotter Steak. Perhaps you’ve heard of the term “baseball-cut sirloins?” In the Great Lakes region, it is common to refer to them as Trotter Steaks, a fist-sized top sirloin center-cut perfect for hard-core meat lovers. The manager boasted that it was the “best damn $19 steak in Southwest Michigan” and I do believe she is correct. Tender, flavorful and gently charred, the cut was garnished with garlic mushrooms and crispy onion straws. We split a marvelous Mason Jar Chocolate Fudge Cake dessert. Soooo good. ...