Homewood Suites by Hilton Columbus/Polaris, OH

I liked the workout equipment, which appeared to be in good working order. There was cardio gear that linked to an Apple Watch and two workout benches. The room had more than enough cups, plates, bowls, and utensils for my long stay, and the breakfast choices were great. Front office staff were friendly too. Cleanliness kept this from five stars. The room wasn’t terribly dirty, and the sheets and towels were clean, but there was food residue in some cups and the dishwasher filter was filthy. The workout area could use dusting. These are minor things, but I stay at a lot of Hilton hotels and only give five stars when everything is superb.

We picked this hotel for my son’s basketball tournament, and the location was so convenient to the Fieldhouse, with several restaurants within walking distance. The rooms, lobby, and dining areas were all very clean. The staff were friendly and accommodating, especially the evening manager, Darrick. He greeted us with a smile, listened, and responded to what we needed. He made the place feel warm and welcoming. This will be a must for us when we return to Columbus/Polaris.

I knew exactly how much cash was missing, $385, because I counted it before going down to breakfast after taking some out for a tip. When my husband and son returned to one of our three rooms during breakfast, they saw a housekeeper enter, then immediately leave when she realized they were inside. I later learned staff had also been seen entering our other two rooms during breakfast. That conflicts with what we were told afterward. The manager wasn’t available when it happened, so we contacted customer service while still at the hotel. They initially seemed to take it seriously and said it would be handled. After we got home, more than four hours away, we were sent back to the hotel manager. He said “no one enters rooms until after check-out” and dismissed the concern despite multiple witnesses. We were told we’d have to return in person to file a police report, which isn’t feasible from that distance. The missing money was bad enough, but the lack of accountability left us feeling disregarded and unsupported. Guest safety and trust should be taken seriously. I hope this is properly reviewed so another family doesn’t go through the same thing.

The rooms are comfortable enough to live in for a week at a time, and housekeeping does a wonderful job turning them down during multi-day stays. The afternoon manager is friendly, helpful, and accommodating. I’ll definitely stay here again when I’m in the Columbus area.