Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola Downtown

Coming in around 11 p.m. one night, I saw a stripper having a photoshoot in the elevator lobby, with no employees in sight. It didn’t bother me personally, but it made the hotel seem unsecured and unwatched. They also charge for parking, which felt like a gotcha fee, especially with the hotel about a mile from downtown. I’d give it four stars otherwise. I stayed at Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola Downtown for a group function, but couldn’t get the group rate code to work online. Calls just reached call centers that couldn’t help, and once there, the front desk clerk wouldn’t honor the group rate but quickly pointed out that the room was nonrefundable. Stay elsewhere.

The room was super clean and quiet, and the parking lot felt very safe. Get an even-numbered room if you want a great water view. Veterans park is a short walk away. The receptionist was by far the best I’ve ever had. The TV was easy to connect an HDMI device to, which some hotels make a challenge.

The water view was lovely, and parking was easy with plenty of spaces, which is a real plus in a beach town. Eve at the front desk also found me a terrific last-minute rate. At the bistro, Alli went out of her way to help with my gluten sensitivity. She was such a sweetheart. Artemus at the bar was great too, making me a custom drink when they ran out of ginger beer. The staff here are truly exceptional. I’d highly recommend this hotel in Pensacola!

The room’s cleanliness was a problem: there was dirt and hair in the shower, a black mold ring beneath the toilet rim, and an old, wet K-cup left in the coffee maker. Parking also costs extra, even though it’s in the lot attached to the hotel. Charging another $10 a day felt like a blatant money grab, especially since that isn’t common at nearby hotels. We checked in around 9:30 pm, and nobody was at the desk for ten minutes. I finally found someone mopping in the back to help us. Of the two guest elevators, one also serves as housekeeping’s elevator. The housekeeping staff were always pleasant, but repeatedly sharing a packed elevator with their full supply carts seemed comical.