Hilton Anatole

I was very satisfied with my three-night business stay at the Hilton Dallas. After long workdays, I appreciated how quiet and comfortable the spacious, clean room was, and housekeeping was consistently efficient and professional. The hotel itself is modern, beautiful, and well maintained, with plenty of services that made the trip easy to organize. Staff were courteous and helpful, and the atmosphere felt pleasant and professional. I’d recommend it for work or leisure.

The biggest problem was how the hotel handled a serious security lapse. I came back from the conference to work and found housekeeping had left my door wide open with all my valuables inside. I was shaken, since anyone could have walked in. At the desk, I got a dismissive apology and was told to check for missing items so security could make a report. No manager was brought in, and there was no urgency or reassurance, just a promise to tell the housekeeper not to do it again. The housekeeper was later sent up to ask if everything was okay, while the housekeeping manager called to apologize. I had told the desk I’d be in my room for that call, but the manager never came up in person. It all felt unserious. Then Hilton sent an automated text asking for a 1-5 rating. I replied “1” and got no response at all. There was trouble from the start, too. Check-in went smoothly, but a loud alarm blared for the first 15 minutes in my room. It came from next door, and the soundproofing was so poor it seemed to be in my room. Security came after I called the front desk, but he knocked on my door to ask about the noise instead of dealing with the neighboring room. I’d stayed here last year for the same conference and had a perfectly fine visit, which is why I returned. This time was dramatically worse and completely unacceptable. With the noise, security failure, and lack of meaningful service, I won’t stay here again. I attend this conference every year, and I’ll choose somewhere else.

MEDIA was excellent, and the room was nice, though definitely not quiet. I was here for two weeks of training, and the hotel is enormous, with plenty to see, including the waterpark, a grassy outdoor area, and lots of artwork. But an academy group of kids spent three days running in and out of rooms and up and down the halls, slamming doors. Where were the chaperones? Some were wearing very short pajama-like outfits. The hotel should be clearer about expectations for underage groups and block off rooms better when several companies are staying. We had to be up at 5 or 5:30 each workday, so quiet matters at a hotel of this caliber. The room was great, but Counteroffer needs work. Please post a sign saying there’s an automatic gratuity. I don’t expect to pick up my own food to take back to my room and pay a tip, then be asked for more gratuity. It’s ridiculous 😒. If I’d known, I would’ve gone back to the sit-down restaurant MEDIA, where I got the service I expect.

For a $300-a-night room, I expected more. The toiletries felt disappointing for a “luxury” hotel, and both the atrium and tower were really cold as I walked from my tower room to the atrium cafe during the January snow and ice freeze. I only encountered cafe staff. They were pleasant enough, but compared with another nearby hotel where I stayed the third night, service at The Anatole felt clinical and transactional. The other staff were more personal and made guests feel like family. When two places offer similar amenities, how the staff makes you feel can make the difference. I stayed two nights and was underwhelmed. I asked to switch rooms because the first wouldn’t get above 72 no matter how high I set the thermostat. I wasn’t freezing, but it seemed locked. In the second room the temperature wouldn’t go above 74. The bath water never got more than warm in either room.