Hilton Garden Inn Albany Medical Center

I felt safe parking in the garage, which is sheltered from the weather and has corridors straight into the hospital. Rates are under $10 a day depending on what kind of visitor you are. The hotel is connected to the medical center. The hotel itself is lovely, with a breakfast restaurant and a bar and restaurant for dinner. My room was spacious and had a beautiful view.

The room and service were good, and we were welcomed right away with two bottles of water and chips, which made me feel special. I picked this hotel because it was closest to the Empire Plaza, where we had exams, and I’ve usually been a Hilton fan. But we won’t stay here again. There was no plunger in the room. I asked a maid if she had one, but I don't think she spoke or understood English. That's okay, but she got testy when I looked on her cart. It was embarrassing to have an employee come plunge our toilet after burrito night. Parking for one night with a large car was $30, and spaces were limited. I’d been told on the phone there was plenty of parking, that we could use the garage, and that we’d be reimbursed. My friends who came to hang out and visit had to pay for the garage too, and it wasn’t cheap. The other big problem was the meager $15 breakfast buffet. We paid over $230 a night, but the limited options cost extra, and waffles or an omelette from the menu cost more too. Really?

We enjoyed our three-night Friday-to-Monday stay, and the hotel was quiet most of the time. It seemed in good condition, our room and the common areas looked clean, and the beds and pillows were very comfortable. The location worked well for getting around Albany by car, with free parking, and it was walkable to nearby neighborhoods. Chain restaurants were around the corner, Washington Park and Madison Avenue shops were a short walk away, and we never felt unsafe. Coffee snobs should visit Jacob Alejandro. Every staff member we met, from the desk and security to housekeeping and breakfast hosts, was kind and helpful. Customer service clearly matters here. The one thing that kept this from being a perfect five-star stay was a loud party in the room next to us on Saturday. It started around 5 pm and continued well past the 10 pm quiet hours. I could hear it through earplugs and couldn’t sleep. We repeatedly contacted the desk to enforce quiet hours. Staff kept saying it was handled, but we felt they waited too long to escalate. Around midnight we were told security had asked the guests to leave, but nobody checked that they had actually gone. The noise continued until after 2 am, when police were called to get them out. It was stressful and unpleasant for us and the staff. I do want to commend the overnight desk attendant, David. He was gracious when I came downstairs at 1 am to complain, refunded all of Saturday night’s charges, and gave us breakfast vouchers for the rest of our stay. Despite that night, I’d stay again when visiting Albany.

My family enjoyed the stay, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The door lock gave us trouble, but staff fixed it quickly. The breakfast area attendant was very nice, though the buffet had very limited choices and tasted much too salty to me. I usually enjoy breakfast at Garden Inns, but not this one. There was plenty of parking and restaurants nearby. There’s also a grill restaurant downstairs, though we didn’t try it. The hotel could use more maintenance.