Spark by Hilton Miami Doral

Manuel Checo was a fantastic host and made sure our needs were taken care of. We arrived as a big group, and he stayed level-headed and gave us very good customer service. Our rooms were comfortable, clean, and neat. The hotel is also handy for food, shopping, and groceries. It’s about 23 minutes from the airport and around an hour from the port, depending on traffic. Kudos to Manuel!

The front desk staff were polite, and when we arrived early, they tried to get a room ready for us one to two hours before check-in. We appreciated that. The rest of the place felt pretty unclean, with lint and mildew around the floor, and it’s clearly a budget option, even though we paid over $200 a night. Breakfast was extremely limited, just bananas, cereal, and maybe toast if you got there before it ran out. There were no hot options like eggs or bacon. The laundry area felt sketchy, with really old coin-operated machines. I’d call it an okay choice below $100 a night, but otherwise it isn’t worth it.

Arlis marked us as no-shows at 5:57 p.m. and gave away the room, even though I’d booked it on June 2 for December 27, six months ahead. When I tried to check in at 6:30, she slid my ID back and shrugged. Why could a front desk clerk release a room before 6 p.m., especially during the holidays, when finding a room in advance, let alone that night, is so hard? She was rude, condescending, and a jerk. My husband asked for a manager, and she handed him a card and said, “good luck, she’ll be in on Monday.” She’s a nasty human being and shouldn’t be in customer service. Hilton made things right after I spent three hours on hold, comping us an ocean suite at the diplomat resort, so thank you to Hilton. I’ve stayed here several times before cruises because it’s near the port, reasonably priced, and fine for a quick overnight. After this, never again, at least not while Arlis works there.

Arlis at the front desk was so sweet and helpful, and made me feel welcome. The hotel was clean and comfortable, and the location was great. I had an amazing stay at Spark by Hilton Doral and would definitely come back.