Very disappointed. This is not the standard expected at a Hilton. The whole hotel was in need of a deep clean, lobby and ballroom carpets were badly stained and dirty, and this continued into the rooms where even the interior of the drawers in the chests were stained. The tap leaked water into the tub when trying to shower and the shower controls weren’t fully functioning. Everything looked tired and dated.
We stayed for 3 days for a Jazz Festival, with 900+ attending, between guests, crew and artists. We appreciate we don’t get points as it’s a bulk booking, no complaints there, but when registering as a Gold member no water offered etc, and even the basics not supplied, we were still waiting on shampoo etc being filled when we left.
Every day of our stay we received flyers underneath our room door at least twice and sometimes three times a day advertising a local pizza carry out. Not something I expect, or want when I’m staying at a Hilton and it begs the question who was delivering them and what are the security implications of having outside vendors wandering around the 15th floor sliding flyers under guests doors.
Two venues were set up for the buffet breakfast for our group, each to cater for approximately 450 people. The South Tower buffet ran out of food on one morning, and each day the ‘hot’ food was cold and extended only to breakfast potatoes, scrambled eggs, sausages and bacon, none of which were warm never mind hot. We pointed this out to the staff and they went to bring out large newly filled hoppers of food, the new food from the kitchen was colder than the items removed. There was no bread / toast facilities etc, but some pastries were offered but these weren’t fresh. Fruit platter was nice. There was granola but no bowls and only dairy milk offered for a party of 900 you’d expect some non dairy options.
The evening buffet meals were poor, lacked sufficient veg or fixings - one night it was mashed potatoes and green beans, the other it was rice and broccoli that was it, with 3 lukewarm main dishes which were served with gravy / sauce and only lifting tongs - not a ladle or serving spoon in sight to get some of the gravy.
During the day the outside cafe the Turtle Cafe was closed because the staff thought it was too cold! The temperature was in the mid 70’s and residents were occupying outside seating and the swimming pool area unable to get something to eat or drink other than go back into the hotel to the bar or cafe.
And to round of the evening after a great concert, a 40m/yard queue or waiting line to access the elevator as only 2 working not 4. And we had to navigate the painters one night who were working atop a builders frame as the concert ended - someone at this hotel needs basic operational logistic training. Then, one of the operating lifts failed one night, one lift only for 450 rooms and 16 floors. A number of guests we spoke with commented that almost one year ago at the same concert event the same lifts were inoperable!
We were on the 15th floor and could never get the lift called only to find out the 15th floor lift request button ‘was broken’ we had to call the lift to go up to floor 16, jump in, then after our detour to floor 16, head down. On the Sunday we ended up walking down 15 floors to breakfast, folks were trying to check out / catch flights and they advised that the lift had opened 6 times already with no room at that point - just chaos.
We were also concerned about safety. Hilton staff were managing the lifts at night to try and prevent friction with the lift issues. They were loading 12-14 people into each lift which clearly stated a maximum load of 8 people.
The hotel is on a prime beach front location and should be one of the stars of Hilton Florida. Unfortunately it’s definitely failing in every respect, and especially for a venue that’s supposed to cater for conferences and functions. Absolutely disgraceful, particularly given the cost to stay there.
Prior to checking out, we obtained the details of the resort’s manager and fully intend to make both him and Hilton aware of our dissatisfaction, disappointment and dismay following our visit and stay.
