Hilton Garden Inn Lakeland

The staff were terrific, and housekeeping was wonderful. If I return to Lakeland, I'd stay here again or try another Hilton. For our work trip the room was adequate, since we mostly needed it for sleeping, though it was small and didn't have the full kitchen we're used to. There was a microwave, coffee maker, and mini fridge, which we made do with after work and errands. It stayed humid and warm whenever we came back. Setting the AC to 69 made it a little cooler, but it was still humid. One unsettling moment around 1 a.m. EST was when the beds, and then the floor, began shaking. We were near an airport, but didn't hear any planes then, so we're not sure what caused it.

My small requests for help with my blindness were never a problem, and the staff were kind and professional. That made a real difference. The rooms were clean and nice, and people seemed keen to make sure I had what I needed. There isn't much right around the hotel, though it's a short drive to everything. Rideshare options aren't great this far out from Tampa. From walking in to heading out, I felt welcome. Highly recommend.

We have worked with Hilton hotels for more than two decades and have never felt this poorly or unfairly treated. We're an LGBTQUIA group and have liked choosing Hilton because of its diversity, which makes this especially disappointing. After nearly two weeks of confusion with a new sales person and the manager, we were reassured several times that our chosen dates were secure, then told they had been given away. The manager later sent a contract we couldn't reasonably meet, after first submitting one we had agreed was reasonable. He also imposed rules on our group that have never been applied to other groups. I have to believe this came from the manager's own views. I can't imagine it came from Hilton itself.

Fran, the evening manager, made check-in a great experience. She was informative, accommodating, and gave me the best customer service I've ever received. She also looked after my colleagues and me throughout our evening meeting in the front lobby. The hotel was clean, with a lovely atmosphere, and in a great, safe spot near the airport, which made flying in and out easy. I've stayed at many Hilton properties over the years, and this one is amazing. 10+ out of 10. Great job, team Hilton Lakeland!