Spark by Hilton Charlotte Tyvola I-77 — Hotel in Charlotte

For years, this was my go-to hotel in Charlotte. Formerly a Wingate by Wyndham, it offered accommodations that couldn't be beat. Re-branded as a Spark by Hilton – which claims to provide “the best of everything you need, done just the way you want.” it's still nice – but not nearly as impressive. On my recent stay, this inn missed the mark in many ways.||The building still looks impressive, but my room itself felt sparse and drab, bringing back memories of my college dorm room. (And I received a free upgrade from a standard king to a suite.) The new furnishings are minimal: The living area contained a not-so-comfortable sofa and chair, along with a desk and a cabinet that looked like they came from IKEA. That cabinet housed a fridge, but the rest was empty. No microwave and no coffee maker. Only two lamps lit this large room, neither located near the sofa. In place of a desk chair, the desk was serviced by a large hassock, which was tiring to sit on.||The bedroom was just that: A room with a bed (albeit a pretty comfortable one). No dresser, no chair, no place for a suitcase, no phone. Not even a scrap of paper and a pen. The bathroom was a bright spot, OTOH. It was stocked with plenty of towels, and the dispensers for hand soap and shampoo were a welcome touch in such an otherwise spartan suite. ||The biggest disappointment came at breakfast time. The Spark website mentions their “bagel bar”, and they mean that literally. The selection includes just bagels, donuts and muffins. There wasn't a banana in sight, and even the typical containers of dry cereals have been scrapped. I could live without the Wingate's hot breakfast buffet, but Spark's breakfast menu seems awfully cheap.||To give credit where it's due, the housekeeping is immaculate, and the whole building appears nicely renovated and maintained (save for the rattle from the living area's HVAC unit, which couldn't be turned off completely even with the wall-mounted thermostat). The TVs were among the best I've seen in a hotel and the wi-fi connected promptly and worked well throughout my stay. The staff was pleasant, both at check in and check out.||In short, you can do worse than this re-branded inn. It's clean, and mostly comfortable, with pleasant service. My main criticism is that it's no bargain. There's an air of cheapness to it. For similar prices elsewhere, I could have had more amenities and a better breakfast The former Wingate always gave the impression that I got more than I paid for. At this Spark, I felt like I paid too much...

All of the pictures they provide are an accurate representation of what we had. Check in and check out were made easy, and it’s located outside of the inner city area, which is perfect for me. I didn’t want to be super close to the airport or a lot of night life trying to sleep. There are two other Hilton hotels in the same area, as well as another hotel. There are plenty of places to go nearby in my opinion as well. The room was very clean, as were the hallways, elevators, and lobby area. The most comfortable bed I’ve personally slept on in a hotel. The TV was very nice. The bathroom was clean, but as we only stayed a single night, and live two hours away, we opted to skip the shower and did so when we got home. They offer a bagel bar for breakfast. Which included plain, wheat, and everything bagels (double toaster and waffle maker to toast), blueberry and banana nut muffins, apples, oranges, bananas, boiled eggs, apple juice, and orange juice. They offer four different kinds of cereal including fruit loops, corn flakes, Raisin Bran, and honey bunches of oats, oatmeal to be made with hot water, vanilla and strawberry yogurt, oat milk, and 2% milk. They also had plain cream cheese, low fat, and strawberry. They had different kinds of jelly, butter, and honey. They offered toppings for the yogurt as well. They serve regular and decaf coffee, as well as the option to make tea. They also have a retail market that has snacks, drinks, alcohol, and microwaveable options for breakfast. They do not serve hot breakfast, but what they do serve has healthy options, vegan and vegetarian options, and is very satisfying. This was the best hotel stay I’ve had recently. I’ve stayed in four hotels in the last month, and this is the best one. Even comparing to the past, this is probably the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at. We will be staying here every time we visit Charlotte moving forward. Thank you to the hotel staff for maintaining such a wonderful hotel and for creating such a nice,...

I recently stayed at this location for two nights.

When I arrived I was greeted by Rosa. She was pleasant, friendly, professional, and provided the expected level of service. She also acknowledged me as a Diamond member. However, at the end of my stay, I was checked out by Millie, who provided the opposite level of service. While checking out, I asked about the food an beverage credit afforded to Gold and Diamond members. I was rudely told "we don't do that here. You have to take that up with Hilton." I know that different properties/brands have different policies regarding the dispensation of benefits, and I am ok with whatever the policy is. But, the stank attitude was unnecessary. Upon completion of my checkout, I was asked "is there something else?" I responded with, "Yes. Can I have a copy of my folio (receipt). Millie responded with "You paid with points, there's nothing to give you. You don't owe anything" I then told her I needed a copy for my records which reflects that." She begrudgingly clickety clacked on her keyboard to print a copy and handed it to me the way you would hand a child back a book report with a grade of F on it.

I don't understand why Hilton employs people just because they applied for the job and can physically perform it, but have no interpersonal skills which represents the Hilton brand. I know that most of these hotels are franchised out to whomever meets the requirements. Sad.

My overall stay at the property was adequate. The room was clean. Parking was actually free. But, the hotel advertises a "Free Breakfast". I guess we all have subjective definitions of breakfast. For me a Bagel Bar isn't one of them.

5 stars for Rosa. Negative 5 stars for Millie. 3...