Homewood Suites by Hilton Galveston

The location is hard to beat. Homewood Suites by Hilton Galveston is right across from Stewart Beach and close to the Carnival cruise port, both reasons I booked. From outside, the hotel and lobby looked clean, modern, and very nice. But the room and the way our arrival was handled fell short. We asked for early check-in and were given a specific time to return. At that point, the desk said the room needed another thirty minutes because it had a smell they wanted to fix. After several promises and nearly three hours waiting, it still wasn’t ready, so we went to dinner. In the parking lot we saw a visibly upset family who said some of the rooms they’d booked months earlier had been canceled. That made us worry the same might happen to us. When we finally got into our room, the smell was extremely strong. It seemed another scent had been used to cover it, and the combination was overwhelming. There was hair in the shower and a used bar of soap, which was unacceptable. The room looked worn and poorly maintained compared with the polished public areas. The hotel has a lot of potential because of its location, but our visit missed the mark. Better room upkeep and clearer communication would make a big difference.

We were able to relax and catch our breath here before getting back on the road after a very long trip with a few snags. The hotel was quiet and comfortable, and the breakfast was well attended, hot, fresh, and plentiful. We got there a little early, and Sabrina and Cicely said they’d let us know when our room was ready. While we waited, they went out of their way to keep us comfortable and even warmed up some food for us. Their care and consideration were top-notch. We’ll definitely stay again if we’re in the area.

There’s just one entrance to the parking lot, so we had to make a U-turn. Google Maps made it look like there were two entrances. We also arrived to find that the room we’d selected for mobile check-in hadn’t been cleaned, even though we had checked in at the desk and been given keys. Staff apologized and offered to remove two nights of parking at $15 a night. The $30 was still on the bill later that day, but I called a couple of days afterward and they credited it. Otherwise, it was a great stay and I’d return. The Homewood Suites was clean and modern, with a spacious one-bedroom suite and very good breakfast. There was plenty of seating spread out across the breakfast area. Stewart Beach is just across the street, and the back way past the medical center made it easy to reach old downtown and the cruise docks. It was very cold while we were there. The staff said the pool was open, but it was locked when we went to look and see whether it was heated. They said they could unlock it when I asked, but we didn’t bother trying to use it.

We come back here most times we visit Galveston. Our favorite is the large one-bedroom suite, even though it’s just the two of us, and breakfast is huge and delicious. The breakfast staff do a great job. When we had a bathroom issue, we called the desk and an engineer showed up within a minute and fixed it quickly. I was impressed by how fast they responded. The staff are friendly and helpful, and the hotel is in a great spot, just across from the beach for sunrise walks a few steps away. We come back to breakfast waiting for us. The Strand and East End Historic district are also close, with their charm and good restaurants. The Seawall is right there too for long walks, it’s said to be the world’s longest walkway of some sort. Great place to stay!