Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Cranberry

The location was convenient for visiting my daughter at college in Pittsburgh, with an easy drive into and out of the city. But the noise made this stay miserable, and I left a night early rather than stay a third night. On Friday, it sounded like the room next door was being remodeled, and the noise kept going after 10 pm. Saturday was worse: loud talking echoed from the lobby down the hall from 10 pm onward. I’d never had a ground-floor room before and hope I never have to again. At midnight my daughter complained, and an employee said a wedding party had just returned. When I complained at 2 am, I was told everyone had just come back from the bar and it was quiet now, even though people were talking loudly in the lobby while we spoke. I told the man at the desk that I could hear that conversation clearly in my room and the noise had been nearly constant since 10. He apologized and said it had been quiet for the past hour. When I asked if this was normal so I’d know not to book there again, he mostly just apologized and said it should be quiet now. The pool and hot tub also show a lot of age. There was a dead bug smashed on the wall beside the bedside lamp, which I wish I’d noticed sooner. The body wash and conditioner were empty, or low enough that nothing came out. The towel rack is inside the tub, leaving the towels damp when you use them. There were big gaps around the door, which might have let the noise in. This wasn’t what I expect from Hilton hotels.

The hotel was nicer in person than the online photos made it seem. The lobby and rooms were clean and pleasant, and the bed was comfortable. There’s a bar and restaurant downstairs, but prices weren’t visible in advance. I felt awkward asking what breakfast would cost, so I ate somewhere else. Cenci’s across the street was great. The location is decent, and the sunset view was pleasant.

The rooms were nice and the staff were great. There’s a hot breakfast, either buffet or à la carte, and checkout at noon was handy. It’s close to everything, with an indoor pool, hot tub, and a decent gym. Shower pressure was a little weak, but I’m being picky.

The view over the area was lovely, and the hotel felt luxurious and high quality. Our carpeted room was clean and quiet, and the bathroom had a handy nightlight already plugged in. Breakfast isn’t free, it costs about $14.99 per person, and omelets cost extra on top of that. The chefs were friendly, accommodating, and easy to deal with. We were surprised to find the microwave a bit dirty, though luckily we didn’t use it. The shower door had a section partly missing, apparently to give the bathroom a European/Middle eastern style. The lobby and elevator areas can get crowded when large groups come through. As we were leaving, a large wedding party arrived, and they had booked the hotel for the wedding. Seasonal events can make it busy. Even with those drawbacks, our stay was very nice and pleasant.