Hilton Garden Inn Bologna North

The location is the one drawback, though public transport is easy to access and the staff gave us helpful recommendations. I’ve stayed at many Hilton properties around the world as a Diamond member, and the service here was among the best we’ve experienced. Davide Giacopuzzi looked after us as bartender and waiter. He’s charming, charismatic, takes his work seriously, and went above and beyond throughout our stay. We hope to see him again and will recommend this Hilton to other travelers.

The room was the worst part of my stay. It looked nice at first, but the bedding smelled unpleasant and wasn’t clean. There were stains and dust, and the place seemed poorly maintained. The bathroom was in especially bad shape: stained sink and toilet, an unclean-feeling seat, and dirty shower glass, fittings, and drain. Breakfast had a decent range, but food like bacon, eggs, or cucumbers was often gone and not replenished promptly. The staff setup also seemed disorganized, with two people repeatedly clearing and resetting the same table. At reception, people seemed absorbed in their screens and didn’t greet guests. Nobody at the bar checked whether we wanted a drink, and the general feel was cold and impersonal. The price was reasonable and the hotel itself acceptable for it, but I probably wouldn’t return. I’ve worked in tourism for years, and I felt the staff lacked warmth and a service mindset. There’s a lot of room to improve.

The heating and ventilation were a major problem. There was no way to turn off the heat and run just the fan, so the room stayed too hot for sleeping. I understand they were switching from summer air conditioning to heat, but there was no air movement. Opening the window barely helped, and brought mosquitoes. The recent renovation is where this Hilton seems to shine, though the work itself raised questions. The room was mostly clean, apart from a brownish liquid behind the toilet seat. The handheld shower wouldn’t stay fixed, and water leaked from the shower. It looked like the contractor had cut corners. The internet was unreliable, dropping after perhaps 15 to 20 minutes even though both my devices still showed a connection. I had to stop working, forget the network, and reconnect. That’s a real issue for a hotel that feels aimed at business travelers because of its location. The front desk staff were friendly enough but limited in what they could do. I’m a big Hilton fan, and this felt like poor oversight and management, with too little attention to guests.

I was here for five weeks on a work trip. The food was delicious and the hospitality was great. Davide is a bartender you don’t come across every day, worth staying here for. The location worked well for work, but if you want to walk around and find things to do, you’ll need some form of transport.