We stayed at this hotel for a 10U softball tournament with our team. Between our 12 families and several other teams staying at the hotel, they had a lot of business that weekend.
Our stay started with an issue when the air conditioner in our first room wasn't working. To the hotel's credit, they moved us to another room quickly, and we appreciated how fast they handled it. Several other families in our group also had problems with their mini refrigerators not cooling properly.
The breakfast was another disappointment. At $26 per person, it was far too expensive for what was offered. Had we known the price beforehand, we would have skipped it entirely.
The biggest issue, however, was our experience with the restaurant owner. Before ordering Olive Garden for the team, we asked the hotel staff if it was okay for everyone to eat together in the lobby, and we were told it was we stayedin the lobby area with the food. Despite that, the restaurant owner confronted several parents in an aggressive and confrontational manner. He also approached one of our female coaches in a way that made parents feel the need to step in.
The owners complaint was that we were "taking business away" from the restaurant. I guess, by that logic, guests aren't allowed to order door dash food and eat it in the hotel. His attitude and the way he handled the situation were completely unprofessional.
In the end, he hurt his own business. After the way we were treated, none of our group spent any money at the restaurant for the remaining two nights of our stay. That lost business was the direct result of how he chose to handle the situation.
What was most concerning was seeing him taking photos of our 10-year-old girls while they were waiting by the elevator. When I questioned why he was photographing children and asked him to stop, he responded that he could do whatever he wanted because it was a public place. Regardless of the legalities, it made our families extremely uncomfortable and was completely inappropriate.
Because of that interaction alone, none of our families plan to stay at this hotel again. This was our third consecutive year staying here, and unfortunately it will be our last. We have always enjoyed staying at Hilton properties, but this experience left such a negative impression that I hope hotel management and Hilton take a serious look at how situations like this are handled and whether this reflects the level of hospitality guests should expect.
After Hilton's response, I'm even more disappointed by the lack of concern for what actually happened. Instead of addressing the issues we experienced, they chose to blame our group for the actions of the restaurant owner.
We have plenty of witnesses outside of our own families who can confirm what took place. At no point did any hotel employee tell us there was a noise issue. If someone had, we would have immediately addressed it. We were also not the only team staying at the hotel, so we cannot be held responsible for the actions of every guest.
The restaurant owner's complaint wasn't about noise—it was that our team families had food together in the common lobby area. We even asked if there was a larger meeting room we could use, and told the hotel we were willing to pay for it, but we were told none was available.
Based on our experience, if you're traveling with a large group or sports team, I would not recommend staying here. We did not feel welcome. If your group plans to gather in the lobby or common areas to talk or spend time together, be aware that it may not be appreciated, even when you're respectful.