Home2 Suites by Hilton Silver Spring

Amber, the Assistant Manager, was the main reason for my five stars. I booked through booking.com and ran into an issue with the reservation. She helped me sort it out and kept following up throughout the process without me needing to call. The rooms were comfortable, and the kids had a great time in the pool. We appreciated the free breakfast, especially the coffee, oatmeal, and waffles. Wish we could’ve stayed longer.

The place felt safe and seems well suited to a longer stay. The room had a small kitchen with utensils, plates, a fridge, microwave, and dishwasher, plus a comfortable bed, a small living room, and a TV. Breakfast was served, and parking was free. Getting to the metro wasn’t very convenient if you’re heading outside DC. Silver Spring was about a 12-minute drive depending on traffic, where you could leave the car in a parking lot or take an Uber. There were some minor issues. The bathroom sliding door was hard to push, so I told management. They said they’d send maintenance to fix it. I also reported the noise from neighbors: doors being shut hard, and people upstairs dragging things and jumping late at night and early in the morning. The front desk took action, but the noise continued for a few more minutes. Footsteps from upstairs were loud and annoying, like in many apartment buildings.

The pool was nice, and the man cleaning the lobby and common areas in the evening was very friendly. He was also attentive when other guests smoked a lot of pot and left the hallways and elevators smelling bad. I saw him deal with the odor more than once. The location was convenient, and mobile check-in was easy. But our room smelled bad from the start, and even after we lowered the heat, the odor never really went away. It was about 10 degrees outside, but the room stayed at 74 or warmer. I bought air fresheners across the street and tried to make do. We were there for only two nights, but the smell and humidity made it unpleasant. I didn’t raise it sooner because we’d unpacked hours earlier and moving rooms sounded like a hassle, if another room was even available. I mentioned it to the front desk clerk at checkout. She said the manager would contact us, but I never heard from them. Some of the staff weren’t very friendly. A few front desk employees were constantly on their phones, and one had a loud personal conversation on speakerphone. Trash was overflowing from the bins during breakfast. We’re a family of five and usually like Home2 Suites, but this location wasn’t up to par with others we’ve stayed at. I went back and forth between two and three stars. It was just okay, and I expect more at this price.

Most of the staff went out of their way to be helpful, and we had a very enjoyable stay. A couple of people at the front desk were dismissive and unhelpful when we needed assistance, but the rest of the team and the overall experience made up for it. I’d still recommend staying here.