Spark by Hilton Oak Forest

The desk staff were helpful and nice, though there didn’t seem to be many of them, so the desk was often unattended, even when I was checking in. Breakfast had nice options for adults, like bagels, cereal, and yogurt, all no-cook items, and coffee was available around the clock. The room itself was noisy: I could easily hear TVs and other sounds from next door, and the wall AC unit rattled and vibrated.

I stayed for three nights and am still missing one of my deposits. The front desk was helpful in trying to sort it out, but they said only the owner could fix it. After several calls and speaking to different people, I was told they had to send a deposit manually. That accounted for only one of the two I was waiting on. The owner later said all the deposits had been sent, so I’m disputing this with my bank. I had to keep calling just to get information, and nobody explained why the second deposit was missing or why I had to wait two weeks for a deposit. On my first day, the desk agent said they couldn’t see my payment and wanted me to pay for another night, even though I’d already paid. I told them I had no money for another room, and somehow they then found the charge. I got one deposit back the day after I left, but the other two didn’t arrive in the following weeks. This has been ridiculous, and I’ve been very patient. Don’t book here unless you want your money stolen.

The night shift guy even gave me 50 cents when I was short on quarters for the laundry, so a big thank you to him. The staff at the Oak Forest Spark gave me a warm welcome, let me check in early, and explained the Spark by Hilton business model. It aims to offer premium economy rooms at a lower price by sticking to the basics. The service was excellent, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and there were several cold breakfast choices. It’s a little Spartan, but there’s still a pool, gym, small in-room fridge, and conference space. There’s no microwave in the room, though a community one is available in the fairly well-stocked commissary. Laundry is on site and costs $3.50 total per load to wash and dry. If you’re traveling and want somewhere clean and inexpensive, I’d highly recommend Spark.

The breakfast was about what I expected, though I’d love to see breakfast sandwiches offered, even if they can’t have the buffet. I also liked the pool, and Aaron kept the area clean. He checked me in at night and gave me one of the best customer service experiences I’ve had. I think his name was Aaron. He was funny and handled an interruption from a woman who kept trying to break into our check-in quickly. The hotel was genuinely one of the quietest I’ve stayed at. I’d happily come back for the service alone. Five stars, bravo Hilton!