Homewood Suites by Hilton Baltimore

Bugs on the bathroom floor on my second morning were the last straw. I went straight to the desk to ask for another room, and the staff reacted as though bugs in the rooms were nothing new. They moved me over to the Hilton Garden inn side, which seemed a bit nicer. I travel every week and have been a Hilton diamond member for just over a year. This was the first Hilton where both the room and the staff let me down. The front desk was dismissive when I arrived, and the room was dated and covered in stains. I tried to look past that because I knew the hotel was old, but I wouldn't recommend Homewood suites Baltimore unless you're fine with a dated room and bugs.

The bell hop was SUPER INFORMATIVE, and we'll definitely be back! We arrived early and were told our room wasn't ready. When I asked whether another room was available, the front desk attendant said the room we'd picked in the app had a beautiful view and asked if we could wait 30 minutes. It was absolutely worth the wait.

The staff were polite and helpful throughout, but the state of the property made it hard to feel comfortable. Furniture was damaged and stained, carpets were dirty, and the comforters had holes. The rooms showed so much wear that the hotel needs a major cosmetic renovation, or its policies need to be reconsidered so the place stays clean, safe, and maintained. I support the idea of accepting government vouchers, but I feel that this has contributed to the decline in upkeep here. I wouldn't stay again unless the hotel makes improvements.

Harbor East was the reason I chose this hotel, and it was a good choice for getting around. The area is lovely, with plenty of shops and restaurants, and the aquarium, science museum, and other attractions are within walking distance. The garage is a block away, but an elevator connects it to the hotel, which came in handy on rainy days. Our one-bedroom suite had a king bed and pullout couch, plus a kitchen area and separate bedroom, which I like to have when traveling with kids. It was still very small for four people, but we were mostly out exploring, so it worked. I slept comfortably in the main bed. My kids could feel the bars through the couch mattress, though they slept soundly anyway. The shower fixtures could use an update. The place was clean, and everyone we dealt with was friendly. Breakfast is included and has a small selection, which could be tough for picky eaters. The hot options were delicious, though. One morning there was shredded pork with the eggs, and it was phenomenal. My kids mostly stuck to cereal. The MAC fitness center is amazing, with free weights, machines, dumbbells, pickleball courts, boxing bags, a squat rack, plenty of cardio equipment, two-lane pools, a family pool, and a hot tub. The main drawback is the weekend pool schedule: it's open only 7-4, and swim lessons take over from 9-12. My youngest was eager to swim, but we couldn't get there until our last day. Housekeeping showed up unexpectedly for an extra day, before I'd tidied anything. They took their time, washed the few dishes in the sink, gathered the kids' things from the sofa bed and remade it, and even straightened the bathroom counter and the snacks I'd left in the kitchen. The room looked great when we came back. The door keypad died on our way back from breakfast just before 8 a.m., and we were locked out. The desk expected maintenance to arrive soon, but couldn't reach them, so we spent about an hour and a half waiting in the lobby with two kids. It was frustrating, though the staff were sweet and helpful, kept my youngest engaged, and offered a few things to make up for it. Then the keypad failed again the next day. Luckily maintenance was available right away and we waited only about five minutes. The rooms are cramped and maintenance was hard to reach that first time, but I'd still stay here again.