I am not certain I can stomach staying at another Hilton ever again after this stay.
If you are looking for a quiet place to stay with almost no staff (a ghost town) to run a very large resort. This may be the place for you.
Check-in: The credit card machine was down for the last TWENTY FOUR HOURS. The app to circumvent using the front desk was malfunctioning, and online customer service was unable to help further. The check-in agent, David, was unapologetic and irritated at ME for my frustration with the lack of a solution. No, they could not fill out an auth form. No, they would not call the credit card for a manual authorization. Having been a hotel manager for a 5,000-room resort, I’m aware of multiple solutions. Finally, 2 hours later, they offered to let me fill out a credit card with a form. Absurd.
Upon arriving, we drove to valet. While I attempted to check in, my husband sat out for 20 min with not a single valet attendant or bell person asking if we needed assistance. I am assuming this is because the only attendant I saw must have been watching something riveting on his phone. Throughout the 2-hour, yes-2-hour check-in process, I would often see this man bent over a desk or a railing, eyes glued to his phone.
During the check-in time, we saw the same bell cart of luggage filled and just sitting out with no one to watch it. With the scarce staff, it would be all too easy to steal from it. Given we had over $2000 in wine, we were hesitant to let the bellman help us with our luggage. (I will say when we found a bellman who was kind, attentive, and not on his phone, he was wonderful, and we made sure our tip expressed our appreciation.)
Valet damaged my newly wrapped vehicle. We paid for valet, but ended up self-parking after seeing that. They clearly opened the trunk and hit a pole or the charging station.
Our room: mold in the shower, oil with dead insects running down the door, toilet seat rattling and coming off, the shower handle actually came off when you turned the handle to increase water temperature. The outdoor patio with the fire pit was very unkempt, tiny pebbles everywhere, making it impossible to walk out on the patio barefoot. Large cigarette burns all over the chaise lounge, and a nonworking fire pit. Wi-Fi never worked and cell reception in our room was minimal. TV shows options for using streaming services, but when you try, a message comes up about their contract ending with a service provider.
Oh god!!! The sheets and towels were the far worst, stiff and scratchy to the point it affected my sleep quality throughout the night. My face was red after drying it with a towel.
The outdoor fire pit didn’t work. Called front desk. Engineering never came.
No pool service. No room service. There are menus outside at the pool, but they were never open.
The pool was warm and we enjoyed that very much. The first evening, the Jacuzzi was green-tinged and smelled of algae. Someone else must’ve complained because the next day, that matter was resolved.
Lastly, we got zero information at check-in, but I later found in my key packet coupons to use for water and bike cruisers. Hilton must be really hard up for cash right now. I’ve never been to a resort where they ration out hotel amenities that you apparently paid for as a part of your $40 reserve fee.
The pros:
- across from the beach
- Close to State Street and the wharf
- Pool is heated
- Grounds are manicured and serene
- Female front desk agent with cute glasses and pieces had wonderful customer service
- Valet was kind (despite not owning up to scratching our car)
- Bellman who assisted us was kind and attentive (not the gentleman on the hoodie who was on his phone every time I saw him)
