Hilton Garden Inn Corvallis

The morning restaurant host was a great guy, always cheerful. My room on the third floor was average, about what I’d expect at a mid-grade hotel. They’ve added a dine-in restaurant, and there’s also a lobby self-checkout shop with a wine cooler, perhaps to help support the high price. I paid $265 and think it should be closer to $145. For a traveler like me who spends about nine months a year in hotels for sports and entertainment work, that feels way overpriced. There’s no nighttime lighting in the parking area or on the sidewalk. You can’t see where you’re walking, and someone checking their surroundings can’t spot a threat hiding nearby. That’s a serious security and tripping hazard, and it feels like a liability waiting for a lawsuit against Hilton. Shame on Hilton for having a room service attendant who speaks no English. At this rate, they should be able to find American workers.

I slept well in Corvallis. The bed was nice and the room was comfortable. I’d recommend it.

The desk service was good enough, but the student part-time workers didn’t seem professional and made me feel like I was in a dorm. They need to make this a higher priority. Never again.

I could hear the people above me walking and dragging a wheeled suitcase, and the neighbors next door moving around and bumping into the walls. The room itself was cheaply decorated, and for a bed I used for less than 12 hours, the price was ridiculous. I only booked here because it was the sole vacancy within an hour’s drive. I wouldn’t usually pay this much, and Airbnb seems to offer a lot more for less. At $260 a night, you could at least include breakfast. Mid-grade hotels manage it, even if it’s only continental. I’ve paid $160 elsewhere and gotten breakfast. The room also had a QR code asking me to tip housekeeping. Tipping culture is out of hand. It shouldn’t be my responsibility to pay employees a living wage when the CEO makes millions. The company needs to rethink its priorities. From my first call to reservations, all I got was cold politeness, with no warmth or positive human interaction. I stayed at eight hotels on this trip, some costing as little as $100, and the cheaper ones were kinder and more willing to help. It should feel like a human interaction, not a money grab. Big hotel chains are going to go downhill if they stick with ugly decor, inflated prices, and too few amenities. Someone with honor and vision could take over. If they won’t change and keep grabbing money, they’ll end up like Blockbuster.