DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Westchase

The location was easy to find, but the stay wasn't worth the cost. We were quoted $200 for two nights, then had to pay $600 when we arrived. The room was ordinary, the bed uncomfortable, and there wasn't a microwave in it. Breakfast wasn't included. They may say it is, but each time we went to eat, the charge showed up on our account. The elevator was out, so we had to take the service elevator, which was farther away, especially inconvenient during my sister's wedding. Whenever we went to the front desk, no one was there. They refunded us $80 after charging $600.

Everyone we dealt with was polite and helpful, but this wasn't the romantic birthday stay I'd hoped for. I'd consider coming back, though the hotel should train staff better and offer reasonable compensation when there are real problems. We had trouble at check-in. We arrived around 3:45 after wanting to check in at 3, and the room still wasn't ready. Long at the front desk said some members have a 2pm checkout. I wondered what plan they had for turning rooms around quickly in that situation. I'd also requested a specific room, and they had no other one to offer. The main elevator was broken, so we had to use the service elevator. At least we didn't have to walk up 4 flights of stairs. At checkout, Mr. Long was on the phone, frustrated with a guest who apparently hadn't paid. I was waiting there while this happened. Once he finished the call, he checked me out. I asked to buy cookies, but there weren't any left. I tried to keep a positive attitude and carry on with my day.

The only thing I'd flag is that the AC made a bit of noise. It cooled the room well and didn't bother me, but others might want to know. The room was clean, with modern furniture and fixtures, and the area felt safe. Everyone I met was friendly, especially Mike, who was kind and knew his stuff. I enjoyed my stay and thought it was good value.

The main elevator wasn't working, so we had to use the service elevator, which kept skipping the 2nd floor. They also limit you to 2 water bottles for the whole stay. It feels like they're trying to squeeze every dollar out of guests and cut costs. I expected better from a Hilton Doubletree. They wanted to charge us $10 per hour for early check-in until 3pm, even though our room was available. Pretty ridiculous.