Hilton Garden Inn Lakeland — Hotel in Lakeland

6/22/2023-6/25/2023 I've stayed at this hotel numerous times throughout the years as a member of the - Lakeland Miniature Guild and never experienced what I/we went through this time around. This is an annual event comprised on the average of 30 to 40 members who reserve rooms for several days where we convene in workshops to work on miniature projects. This last stay and particularly what transpired afterwards was nothing more than unsatisfactory. We checked in on Thursday with no problem. The room charge was to be split by two of us as we shared one room. The room was ample for two, clean and neat. The hotel's restaurant was lacking food in that they couldn't provide most of the items on the menu. This was a problem on the first two nights due to the torrential downpours that prevented us from venturing out on the road to look for a restaurant. Notably, the hotel's bartender Karen was exceptional and went out of her way to accommodate us with whatever food. Some in our group were not happy with ordered breakfast.

We checked out separately Sunday morning. I checked out first and paid my half of the room charge and obtained a receipt that clearly showed I paid half. The following week I found that hotel, without prior notice or explanation debited my checking account of all available funds in a bogus charge of $200.00. I contacted the hotel and spoke with manager Roxane. Arbitrarily, this charge was placed against my card despite the stay being reserved under my fellow club member's Hilton account. Roxane informed me that the charge was for a 'pet fee'. Neither I nor my fellow club member who I shared the room with checked in with a pet. Roxane stated that she would conduct an investigation and call me back. She never called back. When I called her to find out the results of her investigation, she informed me that they found the room the unsuitable to let in that it was contaminated of urine and animal hair. This despite my telling her again that we didn't check in with pets of any kind, that our club member would attest not seeing us with pets and that their video recording did not show that we checked in with any pet. She nevertheless stated that after consulting with management they would NOT reverse the charge. It was my word against theirs. Contacting Hilton corporate in filing a complaint proved useless as they stated that each hotel had their own policy regarding pets. Web research revealed that some hotels were resorting to this type of practice of charging guests with bogus charges after they have checked out. Additionally, to compound the misery of this saga my fellow club member who I shared the room with and informed her about my misfortune unfortunately didn't check her receipt upon checking out and found that upon checking her bank account, she was charged the entire...

My husband and I visit this hotel twice a year. once during Sun in Fun, and then at Christmas. We have been guest since the hotel opened! For years everything has been beatufal and smooth. However; with this year's event cancelled and weeks trapped at home, we decided to come stay for a few days once the stay-at-home order was lifted. Upon arrival to the hotel it was very late at night. I had phoned the hotel too inform them that we would be arriving late, but we would be arriving. Once we did get to the hotel the woman who greeted us was upset with the time that we checked in. Apparently it messed up her nightly paperwork, and she was not the friendliest person when welcoming us. She did not go over the floor plan, or amenities that were currently available. Instead she gave us our room number, and exhaled in frustration as we walk towards the elevators. As I was ready to put that behind me and start a new day, the next morning, while walking back and forth to the vending machines on my floor, I overheard the housekeepers in Spanish making the comment to not change the top comforter if it looked like it was still clean. I was in disbelief, but the reality really came when I heard the manager in a different kind of Spanish condone that practice. It was at that point my husband and I packed up and went to check out. Katy the coffee hostess was the only ray of sunshine in that building! She explained that I needed to book and stay through the Hilton app, not a third party, so that when I have an issue like this I'm treated as if there's some validity to my complaint. I was told because I booked through booking.com that my concerns were irrelevant. I hope other guests have a better experience than my husband and I did. But from now on, we'll stay at the Hampton Inn Town, and his book are Sun and Fun fly-in tickets from the...

I have written very complimentary reviews for this property over the past four years, always considering it "our home away from home' for softball tournaments. We stayed here about 6/7 times a year, booking some 20 rooms for 2 nights a weekend! Many other ball teams stayed here as well, so the location was perfect for all of us. All that has changed! I have very little to say in the way of compliments and I wish that wasn't the case. |We were not greeted in any way that was outstanding and our usual bag of 2 complementary waters was not offered. Christmas music (if you can call it that!) was VERY loud in the lobby, and hallways, 24/7!!!!!!! The rooms no longer have phones (in case you need to call the front desk), nor was there a clock. We sat for a total of 40 minutes for our breakfast in the dining area, waiting for menus and made-to-order items to arrive at our table. There was a total of 10 people in the area during this timeframe....not busy at all, but seriously void of service. No coffee/tea was offered with cups....you had to get your own cup from the thermos at the coffee bar and take it to your table.|I know that my observations and complaints won't have any effect on possible changes. It's obvious the problem stems from not having enough employees to do a specific job. Our long wait for breakfast stems from another department employee rising to the occasion to help, but it isn't enough. The cook couldn't follow our and another diner's simple breakfast requests....they left, and we should have as well!|This was our last stay here....so sad to see the changes that have occurred It's like losing a...