Spark by Hilton Decatur

The area felt safe, and there are lots of places to eat near the hotel. The bed was comfortable, the room was decent, and the front desk staff were great. Still, this newest Hilton addition doesn't quite match the usual Hilton experience. There were no hairdryers in the room, and the TV volume wouldn't go above 7, barely a whisper. The desk staff said they already knew about the TV issue. It would also be nice if they recognized Hilton Honors members and provided bottled water, either at the desk or in the room like they used to.

This was our fourth visit, but we'll be finding another hotel for our twice-a-year trips to this area. The first room was dirty and hadn't been cleaned, and the phones didn't work, so we had to go back to the lobby. The second room seemed fine at first. We turned off the AC because it was cold, then about an hour later ladybugs were crawling all over the walls, beds, and even the toilet. We were also very disappointed that warm breakfast had been discontinued.

The bed was clean and comfortable, the service was great, and the location worked perfectly. But staying here was a hassle because the rooms are still missing basic comforts. I found only one working outlet on the other side of the room, so I had to unplug the microwave and TV to charge my phone and laptop. There were no outlets or USB ports by the nightstand. I also stopped using the iPhone app to unlock the door because it kept opening Apple Pay, and I was afraid of being charged, so I deleted it. At night I could hear rock band noise from somewhere in the neighborhood, though luckily my sound machine app drowned it out.

The room was spacious and clean, but getting settled was a hassle. In the first room, the deadbolt wouldn’t catch, so we had to carry all our things back to the front desk for another room. Then the digital key stopped working after breakfast the next morning, and we had to go back down for a physical one. They said digital keys stop working after midnight. I’d never heard of that before.