Hampton Inn & Suites Orlando-North/Altamonte Springs

We came for a concert at the Kia Center, and getting on and off the freeway from here was easy. There was also a restaurant just two doors away, which was really handy. The room felt clean and safe, and the beds were comfortable. Staff were warm and friendly at both check-in and checkout. Breakfast looked fresh and delicious, and the area was super clean. I’d happily stay again.

At more than $200 a night, paper plates and a basic breakfast were disappointing. The trash outside was overflowing, one elevator was out of service, and there weren’t even hot chocolate packets in the lobby. The room’s wall AC control didn’t work either, and the staff didn’t seem friendly at all. The water issue was what put us off from the start. I asked for two bottles as a Silver member and was told no, only Gold and Platinum members get them. When I showed the desk clerk the app saying Silver members get two waters, he pointed to the “select hotels only” wording and argued with me. It wasn’t really about the bottles, we usually use them during our one-night stay. I told him he should have given them to me instead of arguing. We weren’t the only ones complaining about it, and if a perk is offered, it should be available everywhere. We travel for our daughter’s softball team and have had too many bad experiences with Hilton. This stay has us thinking about switching to Marriot. We won’t stay at this hotel again, and it’s going on our list of places to avoid. Here we come, Marriot!

The room was spacious and nicely set up, with a comfortable bed and a decent-sized TV, about 55-60 inches, I think. It has streaming services like Netflix and YouTube, which was nice. Still, management should check that the switches and equipment work in each room before a guest has to complain. There was a loud hum from both the AC and the bathroom vent. The vent switch did nothing. Even with the master switch and both other switches off, the vent kept running, and it was very loud. The AC was loud too. You’d have to be really tired to sleep through it. I don’t like white noise or whatever you call it. When I came in and said hello, the tall bald man with black hair didn’t greet me. He wasn’t rude, just not friendly or bubbly enough for a front desk role. On my last stay, an older Black woman named either Dora or Doris was professional and pleasant. She greets people when they come in unless she’s helping another guest. She was delightful. There’s room for improvement here.

The staff and location were great, and breakfast was a big plus. But the beds were so bad that we went out and bought foam toppers. The mattresses were thin and hard, and someone else in our group had the same problem. I won’t come back because getting a good night’s sleep matters too much.