Hilton Garden Inn Huntsville South/Redstone Arsenal — Hotel in Huntsville

|I was excited to try my first stay at a Hilton Garden Inn in Huntsville. Unfortunately, it will be my only stay at this hotel. ||Due to my Diamond Member status, I was offered a free upgrade to my room before I arrived! I was excited about it because it never happened before. However, my “upgrade” came with a broken refrigerator and inoperable jacuzzi! And when traveling with items needing to be kept cold, this was unacceptable. The jacuzzi was the “upgrade” but I never got a chance to utilize it. I hoped that by twisting the dials, checking the plugs, and wishing a little bit, that the fridge would be working when I returned from dinner….. it didn’t work. ||I knew calling the front desk was going to be fun. (Sarcasm!) Approximately 5 minutes earlier, I walked in the front door after dinner and saw the front desk employee sitting on her chair between the office and front desk looking like she couldn’t wait to go home. When I approached the desk, and stood there for a minute, she looked up and I was greeted with a look of “why are you bothering me!” I asked for two waters, which was then met with resentment, because she had to get up (I feel like). I was then met with an interrogation about the waters, and if I had gotten some before at check-in. The whole situation was rude and uncalled for. ||When I called Michelle at the front desk to talk about the fridge as I now knew it wasn’t working at all, I could tell that I was bothering her (once again). I told her the problem and she stated she would TRY and find someone to fix it. She also asked if it was plugged in… lol. Why would it NOT be plugged in? I then requested a room change, but she said she would find someone first. I told her this was supposed to be an “upgrade” to my original room and that was met with a “whatever sigh” and “I’ll call you back.” ||I was not pleased with the interaction as I’m sure no one would be. Approximately ten minutes later I received a phone call that no one could be found and I would get a new room. (I believe my original room - No upgrade). “Just come down and I’ll get you new key cards.” ||When I went to the front desk for the new key cards, I waited patiently off to the side as she dealt with another customer. As she was working she looked over to the side, saw me (and recognized me from the early interaction), rolled her eyes and said “here you go” with an attitude. Again, like I was bothering her. ||I finally got to my new room, and was able to “relax.” ||Other issues in this room included the bathroom was dirty, their were reddish-brown stains near the trash can and on the wall (you make up your own mind on that substance), the shower was sub-par with weak pressure, and the light to the thermostat wouldn’t dim. (I finally removed the whole thing from the wall at 0400). ||The entire stay wasn’t worth it. From the stay itself to the employees, I really expected more from Hilton. ||Save your points and your money! I’d...

Not sure what has happened at this hotel’s management, but I had a terrible experience this week. I wrote a previous review that was glowing, and I wish I could delete it! I arrived a little after 9 pm after a long day of meetings & travel to an empty front desk. After a little while Frankie came out of the back office to check us in. She acted as if we were interrupting what she was doing in the back office and was trying to get her task done with us as quickly as possible. No greeting or even recognition of my Diamond HH status! I asked if our rooms faced the woods and she looked at me like I had two heads..."We don't have any rooms that face the woods". Not true, the rooms that are on the back of the bldg face the woods. She looked at our room numbers and said that our rooms were even numbered. Ok...so my original question still stands...No they face the front of the bldg...The parking lot...and we are sold out. So much for my request for a nice quiet room facing the woods. Off to the rooms we go. I open up the door to my room and get greeted to the pungent odor of stale cigar…In a smoke free room of a smoke free hotel! I go back downstairs and again nobody at the front desk (Frankie is now at the bar talking to the bartender). I go out to my car to get my glasses and each time I pass Frankie she stops talking to the bartender, but ignores that I am there. I back up to the room to see if having AC on for a little bit helped the odor…Nope! So back down I go. Frankie is now at the front desk, but has developed a major attitude towards me. She could care less when I tell her that I am NOT satisfied with my room and why. In fact she even accuses me of having an attitude and that was why she wasn’t going to help me. She also stated that I previously did the same thing to get a free room at their property. When I confronted her on this statement she back down and admitted that there was nothing in my record to reflect this...Since I never did! No new room…Back up go to a smelly hotel room, which also had a broken shower door and a burnt out shower light. The next morning I asked about getting these items resolved and got the yes sir routine. When I got back later that day the room smelled like perfume and the shower door was still broken. Wonderful! They did send the maintenance guy up to fix the shower door. When I check out the next morning I told them I wanted a credit for at least 1 night and was told I had to talk to the mgr (Grant Hutcheson) who was not there…Again. So much for the “Hilton Satisfaction Guaranty” at this property! I called Mr. Hutcheson the next day, but got his VM and no return call. I can tell you that I will NOT stay at this...

Lots of disappointing aspects of this location. I am a Diamond member and very selectively for when I complain. This whole experience was frustrating.

I always use Hilton app to check in. When I did check in I always scout out the best room. This gave me 1 option, which was room 208. According to the app there were no other rooms. Upon arrival, there were two yapping little dogs in 206 and a big woofer in 210. This was within the first 15 minutes. I went to front desk and was concerned because according to the app this was our only room available. The staff was nice about it and moved us to room 408. Yet the app said there was only one option for a room.

They have a nice lobby area with a bar area. I was excited to enjoy a drink once we returned to the hotel, which was at 9:32 pm on a Friday night. The bar was already closed. Friday night at 9:30 and it’s closed. That’s pretty lame. I got a Yuengling in a bottle from the snack area and headed to the room. Whatever.

On my bill, they charged me $8.00 for an import beer.

First off, if you are going to close the bar just after sundown, don’t charge your patrons 8 bucks for a single beer. Especially when there is a huge sign saying all alcohol has to be purchased at the hotel. Lame!!

Second, Yuengling is not an import beer. In fact it is the oldest domestic beer. It’s only been around since the 1800’s. A 6 pack is literally $9.00 or less. Again, ridiculous. By the way, I am a Diamond member so I didn’t pay for the beer but I hate places like this that rip off their customers.

Third, my wife forgot her toothbrush. I went to get a toothbrush from the desk and it was $10 for a toothbrush that use to be free if you forgot one. I am all for paying for things but 10 bucks? Seriously?

Fourth, at breakfast we came in and this lady was watching guard over breakfast like she was protecting a bank safe. We are diamond members so the lady told me our food is free. However, three times the lady called me from across the breakfast area and said, “Sir, I need to know what you are getting so I can write it down.” She said it twice and I finally said, “I am looking around to see.” She called me down one more time and I said, “ you know what? I am not eating. This is ridiculous!” She treated us like shoplifters the second we walked up.

This is my assumption. The staff was nice. The places wasn’t unclean. Which is most important. No complaints there. It could use an update but we weren’t upset with that aspect. This was a complete money grab. Our rate was $245 total, which is on the higher end, but no worries.

This place is a rip off and shady at best. Very...