Hampton Inn by Hilton Sydney

I hardly slept, and woke up with a sore back. The mattress was very firm, the pillows gave almost no support, and the room air felt stale and extremely dry. That’s a poor fit for a brand that promises comfort and rest. The check-in was the bright spot. The front desk associate was warm, welcoming, and professional. After I settled in, though, I couldn’t find a clear way to use Netflix or YouTube on the TV, so I called the desk by dialing 0. The person who answered sounded annoyed and cut me off while I was explaining the issue, saying they’d send a technician. I told them I didn’t need a technician, just instructions. After some hesitation and back-and-forth, they said to unplug the HDMI cable behind the TV and connect it to my own laptop, if I had one. That was the only solution they offered. I travel a lot for work, and this stay at the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Sydney, Nova Scotia fell short. No one tried to understand what I needed, gave clear guidance up front, or took ownership of a simple request. Between the uncomfortable room, lack of sleep, and dismissive response, there was little focus on the customer beyond check-in.

The staff were phenomenal and really accommodating. I was stuck in Sydney overnight while transporting equipment, and the person I was working for recommended this place. My big truck had room to park, the room was clean, and the bed was comfy. In the morning I got a hot shower and a free breakfast that was actual breakfast, not just a muffin and instant coffee. What more could you ask for? I’ll stay here whenever I’m stuck in Sydney for the night. Highly recommend.

The pool itself is nice, and the slide was fast and fun. But there were bugs in my room, and the pool was really unpleasant, with vomit in the water and along the sides. Those areas had a gross vibe. The main parts of the hotel were clean, and I loved the smell and the beautiful Christmas decorations. The rooms didn’t live up to that first impression. Without the bugs, the vomit, and the general grossness in certain areas, this could easily have been a four-star stay.

The pool was small and crowded, with 30-50 people squeezed in at once. The water didn’t seem well maintained, and I got an eye infection that made me miss work for a few days. Safety and supervision were lacking. Breakfast was disappointing too. It was advertised as “full breakfast,” but was very basic and far from complete. Service and facilities didn’t meet expectations, so I can’t recommend this hotel.