I stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacations on the Boulevard on a government business trip which I booked through our travel website. I was excited when I saw that the room rate was only $102 for federal government, conisdering their typical daily cost is $300+.
First, when I checked out I was hit on my hotel bill with $125 in "Resort Charge," at $25 a day. I was never informed of this charge until I got my bill. Furthermore, when I called the hotel to ask about it and protest, I was told that this was a corporate charge that could not be waved. When I told them that this is a ripoff and I was going to put on social media, I was told "Okay. You go ahead and do that," before I was hung up on.
When my wife and I walked into the hotel room, we were first hit with a very small, very uncomfortable, and absolutely miserable hotel room. The walls were gray. The interior decoration was like something out of a horror movie. They were all gray or dulled metal. There was no desk or desk chair in the room, which I would have thought there would be for a business trip room.
Instead of a desk or chair, there was a table with some very uncomfortable chairs. My wife has a bad back and works from her laptap, so I called down to the front desk to ask for an office chair or something more comfortable. I was told that there were no office chairs in the building (literally) and that they would not be able to help us out.
Next, I asked if they would be able to transfer us to a different hotel, since this room was definitely not to our liking. Hilton said that we would be able to book a different hotel, but we would still have to pay for the night at this hotel. This is five minutes after we walked into the room, but because we walked into the room, Hilton was unwilling to help us at all. Furthermore, the cost to book at a different hotel was significantly more than what we had booked the room we were in for.
Finally just exhausted from travel and the hastle of trying to get anything from the staff, we accepted defeat and stayed in the room.
The next day, on our way down to breakfast, which is NOT free, unless you eat like a fasting monk, we saw that the conference room directly next to our room was full of at least a dozen very nice looking executive office chairs. So, as it turns out, there are office chairs in the building and there were plenty not being used not 10 feet from our room.
About that conference room: my wife stayed in the hotel room working, in a not-so-comfortable chair, for the day while I was at training. As it turns out, the hotel time share sales staff meets in that room for motivational meetings and "sales" inspiration. Big shocker: sales strategies used by Hilton sales staff are absolutely designed to rip you off. They know they're selling you less than you're paying for, and they practice ways to provide high pressure sales to convince you otherwise. Let me reiterate: My wife HEARD them say that the customers aren't getting very good deals, but pressure on them for long enough will get them to concede.
The last day that we were at the hotel I was supposed to be in class until 12. I called the front desk to ask for a late check out of 12:30, since I would have to drive back from class. I was told that any checkouts after 11:00AM would result in a half-days room charge. That's not a half day at the government rate. The young lady on the line told me it would be a half of the full room rate of $300+ dollars.
Do not stay at Hilton Hotels. Do not buy a time share with the Hilton Hotels, as they are statedly out to pressure you into paying more money than the value of the product.
Hilton Grand Vacations on the Boulevard Reviews
I stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacations on the Boulevard on a government business trip which I booked through our travel website. I was excited when I saw that the room rate was only $102 for federal government, conisdering their typical daily cost is $300+.
First, when I checked out I was hit on my hotel bill with $125 in "Resort Charge," at $25 a day. I was never informed of this charge until I got my bill. Furthermore, when I called the hotel to ask about it and protest, I was told that this was a corporate charge that could not be waved. When I told them that this is a ripoff and I was going to put on social media, I was told "Okay. You go ahead and do that," before I was hung up on.
When my wife and I walked into the hotel room, we were first hit with a very small, very uncomfortable, and absolutely miserable hotel room. The walls were gray. The interior decoration was like something out of a horror movie. They were all gray or dulled metal. There was no desk or desk chair in the room, which I would have thought there would be for a business trip room.
Instead of a desk or chair, there was a table with some very uncomfortable chairs. My wife has a bad back and works from her laptap, so I called down to the front desk to ask for an office chair or something more comfortable. I was told that there were no office chairs in the building (literally) and that they would not be able to help us out.
Next, I asked if they would be able to transfer us to a different hotel, since this room was definitely not to our liking. Hilton said that we would be able to book a different hotel, but we would still have to pay for the night at this hotel. This is five minutes after we walked into the room, but because we walked into the room, Hilton was unwilling to help us at all. Furthermore, the cost to book at a different hotel was significantly more than what we had booked the room we were in for.
Finally just exhausted from travel and the hastle of trying to get anything from the staff, we accepted defeat and stayed in the room.
The next day, on our way down to breakfast, which is NOT free, unless you eat like a fasting monk, we saw that the conference room directly next to our room was full of at least a dozen very nice looking executive office chairs. So, as it turns out, there are office chairs in the building and there were plenty not being used not 10 feet from our room.
About that conference room: my wife stayed in the hotel room working, in a not-so-comfortable chair, for the day while I was at training. As it turns out, the hotel time share sales staff meets in that room for motivational meetings and "sales" inspiration. Big shocker: sales strategies used by Hilton sales staff are absolutely designed to rip you off. They know they're selling you less than you're paying for, and they practice ways to provide high pressure sales to convince you otherwise. Let me reiterate: My wife HEARD them say that the customers aren't getting very good deals, but pressure on them for long enough will get them to concede.
The last day that we were at the hotel I was supposed to be in class until 12. I called the front desk to ask for a late check out of 12:30, since I would have to drive back from class. I was told that any checkouts after 11:00AM would result in a half-days room charge. That's not a half day at the government rate. The young lady on the line told me it would be a half of the full room rate of $300+ dollars.
Do not stay at Hilton Hotels. Do not buy a time share with the Hilton Hotels, as they are statedly out to pressure you into paying more money than the value of the product.