Hilton Garden Inn Macon Hotel / Mercer University

The little restaurant was surprisingly good: tasty food, good prices, and great service. The hotel is right next to Mercer University, with lots of parking and green space for walks or pets to play. There are outdoor pet-waste bins too, which is convenient and sanitary. The place was very clean and comfortable, and the staff were friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Five stars from me.

We paid upwards of $200 a night for a three-day stay, but were never told when booking, online or otherwise, that daily construction was underway. This Hilton Garden Inn in Macon, Georgia has apparently been under renovation since November 2025. At check-in, we were told the noise would stop after 5:00 PM. It didn’t. Work started early each morning and carried on into the evening. February 16 was the last straw. My husband and I went to the restaurant and bar for dinner and found power tools running, dust, and loud commotion. Contractors were working in the kitchen, bar, and pantry while guests were eating, nearly until 10:00 PM. Some younger contractors were testing new kitchen equipment, filming social media videos, and fooling around with it. They removed the caution tape blocking the bar so they could sit at the unfinished bar to eat and drink. They were loud and disruptive, drinking beer while guests were being served, and appeared to still be on the clock since they kept getting up mid-meal to return to work areas. It felt as though paying guests were in their way instead of being owed basic courtesy. When guests, including me, asked when the work would stop for the night, we were ignored. If this had happened before dining hours or in a closed area, that would be different. It was during restaurant service, while we were trying to have a peaceful meal. It felt like the hotel’s own workers were being set up to fail by management. There seemed to be little or no oversight, no clear separation between guest areas and construction zones, and no enforcement of appropriate conduct during guest-facing hours. The front desk staff were consistently kind and professional. Stacy, the bartender, was exceptionally courteous and accommodating, and the kitchen staff were polite and apologetic, clearly doing their best in a difficult environment. The central problem was management and contractor oversight, especially in the evenings. Charging full rates without disclosing renovations that affect comfort, dining, and expectations is unacceptable. This felt like a bait-and-switch that has continued since November. Transparency matters at this price. Shame on this location for operating without proper disclosure or control. I’m posting this personally on Google so my husband’s Hilton business account isn’t affected, since his company regularly books Hilton properties.

Even with the hotel clearly under construction, my room was clean and comfortable. I had a delicious salad for dinner from the restaurant, and Stacy served me quickly and was eager to help with my order. Shannon, Stacy, the Chef, and the rest of the staff were genuine, friendly, professional, and accommodating. Thanks for the great service. It made for a pleasant, simple overnight stay.

The staff were nice, but I was disappointed they didn’t offer to adjust the price after such a bad stay. I paid more than $200 for one night in a place that didn’t meet even Motel 6 standards. The bedrooms were dark and dirty, the sink and tub wouldn’t drain, and the water stayed lukewarm no matter how long I let it run. The television didn’t work either. I called the front desk multiple times, and maintenance tried twice, but I never got a connection to watch anything. I checked out of this Hilton at Mercer one week ago, on 1/1/2026. It’s a very old hotel and, to its credit, is being renovated, but the rooms are far below what I expect from a Hilton. I’ll never stay here again. Unfortunately, the town has the Rhythm and Ralley Pickleball sports facility, which hosts major Pickleball tournaments, so I have to visit the area several more times this year. I’ll stay somewhere else. This is the first time I’ve really wondered whether the days when “Hilton” meant luxury are long past. Ms. Vanessa Jackson-Lloyd