Hilton Garden Inn Kitchener/Cambridge

A modern, new hotel with friendly, welcoming staff, and a great value for the price. It’s pet friendly, which is a big plus, and sits near Highway 401 in Cambridge. The place was very clean and well maintained. The on-site restaurant and bar were nicely decorated, though they weren’t open when I visited on Sunday night. The small gym was well equipped, and the pool was clean and looked after too. I’d definitely stay again and recommend it.

There’s lots around the hotel, including restaurants, LCBO, Beer Store, Walmart, and other shops, and it’s right off the 401, so getting there is easy. We were visiting the Waterloo area and would consider staying here again. Our room had two queen beds, a small fridge, microwave, and plenty of storage. The beds were comfortable, the room was clean, and the bathroom had been remodeled. Check-in was simple, and staff were welcoming and polite. The heater and AC unit was a bit noisy, and we had to ask for towels because there weren’t any in the room. Breakfast isn’t included. We paid $14.95 for the buffet, with sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes, toast, fruit, and pastries. It was much like breakfast at other hotels, where it’s usually complimentary, so keep in mind there’s a charge here.

The pool was out of service for emergency maintenance during our visit, which was especially disappointing because we’d planned to use it. The location was convenient and the staff were courteous and friendly, but between the pool closure and the room issue, I’m unlikely to stay here again and will look at other hotels. We were in town for my daughters’ tournament and stayed two nights at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cambridge. I usually have good experiences at Hilton properties, which is why I often book with the Hilton Honours app. This time I checked in through the app and was offered room 403 as the “preferred room.” It felt dated compared with the room we moved to. On the first night, I asked to switch rooms because of cleanliness concerns. When I pulled back the duvet, one bed’s sheets had visible stains. Staff were understanding and offered to bring clean sheets right away, but the replacement sheets smelled clean and were very thin and stained. Then I lifted the mattress to put the sheet on and saw a few dark specks, which might have been crumbs or bugs. I didn’t feel comfortable sleeping there, so I asked for another room instead of the free breakfast the staff offered. The new room felt much more updated, with thicker, cleaner looking linens. We checked both mattresses for peace of mind, and they were spotless, with no dark specks.

Getting around was easy from here, with restaurants, shops, and major routes nearby. The fitness center and restaurant on site were both well kept and useful during a short stay. It’s a comfortable, dependable choice for business or leisure travel in Kitchener, and I’d consider staying again.