Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas Park Central Area

The parking situation didn't help: the hotel is in a not-so-great part of town, and most spaces are in the poorly lit garage underneath. There's even a sign saying they aren't responsible if your car is broken into, which makes it seem like that may have happened. My room smelled like someone had been smoking weed all day. It was dirty and felt like it needed a serious clean and some work. Everything felt sticky enough that I wanted to wash my hands after touching it. Hilton hotels I've stayed at are usually great, but this one let me down.

Yolonda was incredibly polite and sweet. She was the only person working all day, apologized several times for the wait, and gave us complimentary water and candy. Still, the problems outweighed the positives for us. The rooms were spacious, though some were hard to find, and when we returned we found water leaking through the ceiling and soaking the carpet. Getting there and checking in were both difficult. We waited more than 30 minutes by the road just to get into the parking lot, then over 45 more minutes to check in. The underground garage was confusing and dirty, while the little lot behind the hotel was always full. Honestly, I'd stay somewhere else.

The lobby was actually decent, but the place quickly gave the impression that the owner was running it as cheaply as possible. During my Monday-to-Friday stay there was always just one person at check-in, no matter how busy it got. It also seemed like a skeleton crew: I saw the same workers all five days. The same woman handled breakfast and happy hour every day, even though breakfast starts at 6am and happy hour at 5:30pm. She was a sweetheart, but it looked like the owner was taking advantage of her. The policies and food felt cheap too. You need a voucher for both breakfast and happy hour. Signs make it VERY clear you get ONE omelette only, and the bacon is kept with the cook instead of on the buffet, so you have to ask for it. It's a tacky way to control portions, especially if you're used to other Embassy suites. In room 510, the coffee maker was broken. I called the desk several times and got no answer, so I went down. They said it would be replaced, but the maintenance man said housekeeping handled it. The desk then said housekeeping had been told and it would be done soon. It never happened. If you want coffee in your room, don't stay in 510, it's probably still broken. This doesn't meet what I'd expect from the Embassy Suites name. On arrival, the parking garage was dank and creepy, with faded markings, leaking pipes, and poor lighting.

The pool was so cold it felt like a hypothermia risk, and there was a nail sticking into my shin. I had to push it back out with my other knee, and it's still healing. Don't put your baby in that pool. The room was clean, breakfast was good, and the staff were good. The location is good too, with nice places within walking distance.