Spark by Hilton Richardson Dallas — Hotel in Richardson

I don’t usually leave reviews, but I feel like people need to know what they’re walking into at Spark by Hilton Richardson. This was by far one of the worst hotel experiences my family and I have ever had.

We checked in through the Hilton app and requested a digital key ahead of time. It never worked. When we got to the hotel, the line at the front desk was full of other guests with the same issue. So much for convenience.

Once we got to the room, we noticed there was no visible thermostat and the air conditioning wasn’t working right. The room felt humid and had a strong, strange smell — like cleaning chemicals or possibly pest control spray.

After a long, exhausting day in the Dallas heat with our kids, we tried to relax in the pool — but it was a complete health hazard. The pool was full of cigarette butts, bugs, and leaves, and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in days. Even worse, there was a lightbulb fixture floating loose inside the water, with wires still attached. That’s not just gross — it’s dangerous and should be reported to the city.

We didn’t let the kids swim, and went back upstairs to shower and sleep — but two out of the four towels were stained with something I didn’t even want to identify. The bathroom mirror was broken. The floors were dirty. The AC unit itself was dusty and gross. The table in the room (which I planned to use for work) was sticky and hadn’t been cleaned properly — food residue was dried on the side. I didn’t even feel comfortable walking barefoot in the room.

Worse, the safety lock on the inside of our room door looked like it had been previously broken into — it was completely loose and hanging, and I did not feel safe. If my husband hadn’t been with me, I honestly would have left.

I didn’t shower because of the towels, and I couldn’t sleep because the room was hot, humid, and gross. We woke up early, skipped the included breakfast (which we were supposed to enjoy), because when my husband went to grab a coffee, he saw spiderwebs behind the coffee machines. Absolutely disgusting.

We ended up leaving early, tired, sweaty, and frustrated — and having to spend money on breakfast elsewhere. I called Hilton customer service, and they said the manager would call me. Spoiler alert: they never did. No follow-up, no apology, no offer to change rooms. Nothing.

And just to be clear — yes, I was looking for something more economical, but that doesn’t mean I was looking for something dirty or unsafe. Choosing a lower price point should never mean settling for filth. The level of nastiness in this hotel felt more like a $20 roadside motel — not a $105/night Hilton-branded property.

This hotel is dirty, unsafe, poorly maintained, and run with zero accountability or care for guests. I booked it because it was supposed to be clean and include breakfast — we got neither. I don’t even care about a refund at this point. I just want other people to know the truth and avoid this place.

Do yourself and your family a favor: stay anywhere else. This is not a Hilton-level experience. This was a complete...

Subpar accommodations and horrible customer service. Can’t believe it’s a Hilton property. Felt Motel 6-ish or what I imagine an Oyo would be.||My husband and I traveled here for business. I checked in online, where the app indicated I would not be charged until arriving at the hotel. Due to major traffic issues, we were unable to check in prior to our event. I called and spoke to an individual and let them know we’d be checking in around midnight and I’d need to provide a different card. I was assured that was not a problem.||We arrived about 1:15 am and Hilton’s systems were down. Fortunately, I had confirmation of my reservation and knew my assigned room number, so he gave us keys to get in our room. That in itself felt like a negotiation and all we wanted to do was sleep. I reiterated that I needed to change cards, and was told it could be done through the app, but since the system was down, I let him know that it was not possible. We told him that we’d figure it out. ||We get to our room, and first impressions are not great. Get in bed (by this time it’s after 2 am) , and fall asleep to be woken up by a phone call to tell me my card was declined. (The one I told them I needed to change-but could not because the system was down.) I was shocked, and asked what were they trying to authorize—$100 incidental on a $91 room. Never have I experienced such a hold on a cheap room. In my sleep deprived stupor, I expressed my displeasure and told him to turn off incidentals and just charge the room. After what seemed like a shouting match, he hung up, but did do as I asked. (What exactly was this much of a hold needed for at 2 am, when check out was at 11?)||Customer service: We should have not been woken up for something that initiated with an internal issue. It is an outrageous hold amount—we stayed at a Hilton property for two nights the previous weekend and it was a $50 hold.|I was not asked how my stay was when checking out, and I was very eager to tell them.||Accommodations:Large room, but bathroom felt a little hospital-like. Thin, itchy towels. When I turned on the shower, dirt pooled in the bottom of the shower. It looked like someone was working in the shower with shoes on, and it made mud when the water hit it. Cheap bath products. Air conditioning not great. Itchy sheets, but pillows ok. EV chargers not working. Plastic bags floating in pool, which was visible from our window.||I seriously can’t believe Hilton attaches its name to a...

Stayed 2 Nights

Overpriced for the experience compared to similar hotels

Dated and gloomy atmosphere with dark paint and low ceilings

Small, minimal room despite being a double

Noisy environment due to poor insulation

Outdated and noisy room AC unit

Disappointing breakfast selection with veey limited options that frequently ran out

Friendly staff and decent cleanliness

Comfortable beds, though not the best quality

The hotel definitely fell short of my expectations. I had to make a last-minute booking and only had time to skim through reviews, which seemed decent. Based on that, I chose this hotel over others in the area.

However, upon arrival, I quickly felt I had made a mistake. The hotel appears older, with some renovations, but still feels gloomy due to its dark blue paint scheme and low ceilings.

My room, despite being a double, was noticeably smaller than comparable rooms I've stayed in recently — for instance, at a Holiday Inn Express. The furniture was minimal and of mediocre quality, with very little space to store belongings. The AC unit was noisy and seemed outdated.

The hotel itself doesn’t seem well insulated; I could hear people walking barefoot in the room above, doors opening and closing in the hallways, and conversations from passersby — all of which suggested poor soundproofing.

I specifically chose this hotel because it offered breakfast, but that was disappointing as well. The selection consisted only of bagels with cream cheese, some yogurt and coffee that ran out quickly,

On the positive side, the staff was friendly, and the facility was acceptable in terms of cleanliness. The beds were comfortable, though not the best quality.

Given the reviews I had read and the $120 per night I paid, I expected better. While that rate isn’t excessive, I’ve had better experiences for a similar or lower prices elsewhere. I won’t be returning unless I can’t find a...