Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis University Area — Hotel in Minneapolis

As a guest, my experience was great. Valet, front desk staff, housekeeping, and facilities are all friendly and professional. The rooms are clean. As a new hotel, everything is very nice. If you are coming as a guest, it would be a good place to stay, close to campus and the light rail.

However, we used this hotel to create a guest wedding block for our November wedding and the experience in that aspect was terrible. Our reception was nearby at Profile Event Center and I wanted something close to the venue.

I was very disappointed with the wedding/block coordinator, Anna. When we first came to tour the facility and discuss what they could offer us in comparison to the Hilton down the street, Anna really oversold and under delivered. It was a difficult decision because the Hilton had similar offers and was equally as nice but it was the customer service and the eagerness that really got us to choose DoubleTree. It was not that we expected all these amenities in our hotel, but during our initial meetings, Ana seemed to be very accommodating and eager to please. We were told there would be a free shuttle for our guests to and from the venue, that we could get a complimentary conference space for our small Sunday brunch with coffee and pastries after the wedding, that we could have a late check out, that we could get a free room with the purchase of so many nights, etc.

After booking and signing our contract, we began to realize that everything that had been promised to us was actually for an additional fee or that it was not quite as described. Not only was a disappointed with what was presented to me, I had a hard time communicating my questions at all. It took Anna up to 14 days to respond to each email correspondence! Oftentimes, her replies were short or passive aggressive.

We were told that the shuttle was not necessarily available to our guests, only on the condition it was not already being used. This was not explained to us earlier, they made it appear that they would be sure there would be availability for our guests. Many of my guests were elderly and from out of town, so I wanted to make sure they would be taken care of. I felt as though I was being gas-lit each time I called and found out something was a bit off as it had been previously presented. At one point, I was told a different rate for our room and was only lucky enough to have it corrected because I had the quoted rate in my email. We found out our meeting space was contingent on a food order way above what we had described at the time of booking. We wanted something small (around 20 people, with pastries and coffee) but they required a minimum of over $1000. Ultimately, we ended up renting the Presidential Suite so that we could host our brunch with Costco pastries and coffee rather than paying upwards of $3000 for our "complimentary" meeting room.

These are just a few stressors that plagued such a small part of wedding planning. IMO I don't think a guest block and hotel reservation should be this difficult compared to all the other things that go into a wedding. I really wish I could give this vendor a better rating since all of my other wedding vendors received 5 stars from me. I just can't considering how much time and effort we wasted on this experience. I wish there had just been more transparency or explanation of what was included at the time so we could have made a more informed decision. If I had known it would have been such a headache, we would have went...

In case you haven't checked the expedited booking hotel sites, it is tough to find lodging less than 1.5 miles from Universal Studios and CBS Radford because everything seems to be "better" but way more expensive or cheaper but way more sketch. So, this was a great choice.

It was important to me to be close to CBS Radford because I was in town to shoot the game show "Blank Slate" on the Will and Grace lot (Rosita says hi). A non-disclosure agreement keeps me from telling you if I won the $10,000 prize, but let's just say that next time I am in town, I'm probably staying in the discarded needle suite at the "Bed Bug Inn".

PROS.

SERVICE. Check-in is at four, but the guy was gracious enough to let me get into a room around 2:30pm, not exercising his right to make me wait. (This only works if you are nice, so don't act entitled or quote my review). And, when I got there my room smelled like cleaning products, Members Only cologne, and an essential oil spill at The Body with the strength of a clothing store mall. It was Abercrombie and Retch. My point is, the guy assured me that this smell is from the non-toxic cleaning supplies, a scent that goes away in a half hour, and one of the reasons they air out a room before premature guests (like me) come in). And, he offered me a different room, offering two other choices. He also said I could leave the door open even though I was leaving for a haircut.

CLEANLINESS. The room was clean, modern, and simple, with no carpet, curtains, or clunky bedspread. Big comfortable bed, flat screen TV, and mini-fridge. The massive air conditioner was already on when I checked in. They have a "Fan Only" option that allows for white noise. Don't mistake it for the "Only Fan" option which makes it cross its eyes and stick out its tongue. The bathroom has a wide sink with the incredibly bright lighting like a Sugarfina store, allowing you see your back teeth through the pores of your nose. The fluffy towels of assorted sizes had the slight smell of bleach that would turn on a German and the shower was wide with a big shower head, glass doors, and products that actually lathered.

COTTAGES. I highly recommend the south side of the property has about ten freestanding cottages, which means you have your own carport (except for Room 101, closest to the entrance) and you have nobody above you and you have no shared walls. The north side is more like a typical motel with parking spaces and neighboring walls.

PR

Including this list (which I admit is nitpicking) allows me to keep up the five star review without reservation. The room is clean, but it could use a few small touch-ups (scuffs). My fridge (101) made a clunking sound twice a minute so I had to unplug it to sleep. Also, my alarm clock did not work, and no, I didn't mix up PM with AM or AD or BC, the radio wouldn't even play when I tested it. Though the extra large shower head allows for tall people and provides a lot of water, the water pressure could be better (it's not bad, but it's not stellar) and the water sneaks out between the glass door gap. The biggest issue for me (at least for Room 101) was the all-night road noise of Ventura Blvd that I couldn't drown out with the fan. And, of course, there may be an initial overpowering smell of cleaning supplies that require airing the room out, Advil, or sticking broken cigarettes up the nose like cops finding a school bus...

Horrible experience!! I am a handicapped person traveling with my family to a wedding. Traveling with me were a newborn and two toddlers. We chose this hotel because They advertised a shuttle for transportation, and a resturant serving breakfast lunch and dinner. We had three rooms booked and we're staying for three evenings . Two of my family members were in the wedding party. The day of the wedding being on a very tight schedule we decided to order lunch through the room service menu. We were told that they did not serve lunch. When asked why it was advertised and why there was a lunch menu they had no response. So we all went with no lunch because we did not have time to order the shuttle and find a restaurant in the area. This was not easy for the two toddlers to go without lunch . We booked the shuttle that took us to the wedding witch was a few blocks from the hotel. The driver gave us his business card informed us he would be there to pick us up. We orderd the shuttle for a 9:30 pick up. At 9:30 we called to have the shuttle pick us up. We were informed the shuttle would not pick us up . When asked why they said we were blocked from shuttle service. I informed them we were Hotel guest and that I was handicapped and also with me was a newborn and two toddlers The shuttle took us to the wedding why would they not pick us up? We had ordered a shuttle home before we left and also at that time they dropped us off at no time did anyone say they would not pick us up they just told us what door to meet them at and to call when we were ready. The receptionist informed us they would not pick us up because we were with the wedding ! So if you are a A guest spending three nights paying for three rooms you're not entitled to the free shuttle service if you go to a wedding ? We were left stranded without a ride in the middle of January. The bottom line is the Hilton does not value you as a customer ! Don't trust what they advertise it means nothing to them. I would tell you to check and doublecheck on their amenities to make sure what is truly available, however that is what we did they still will not honor their agreement! I will never recommend this hotel to anyone!

After posting this review Doubletree promptly responded and explain to me their policy. The manager explained they were going to use this as a training experience for their employees and assured me that something like this would not happen again to anyone that came...