Embassy Suites by Hilton Phoenix Biltmore

Breakfast was the one enjoyable part of our stay, though the line was long and they ran out of pancake batter almost every morning. We were at a hockey tournament and had to stay here. There were six or seven teams in the hotel, and staff made us feel like they wanted the kids gone. The manager chased them out of every common area, and the security guard harassed kids using the elevators. After we received a nasty note blaming the kids for breaking elevators, we learned that two more elevators had broken that morning. The pool rarely had enough towels for the kids, often none at all, and there was always an excuse. The room seemed nice at first, but the shower head and faucet were loose in the wall and wouldn’t fully shut off. The toilet ran constantly, the rooms were very humid, and the smoke alarm went off every time we got out of the shower. Housekeeping only made the beds, and left just two towels for our four guests in a double suite. We also heard from other guests that they had no hot water or no water in the shower for their entire stay. Some were locked out when their door knob batteries died, and there was mold in a couple of rooms. We were disappointed and wouldn’t recommend staying here.

The front desk and staff were nice and helpful, and check-in was easy and timely after a long travel day. But at $340 a night, this stay at the Biltmore Embassy Suites, Phoenix was far below what I expected. I was there January 15 - January 20, long enough to get a good snapshot of the hotel and its operations. I was part of a group of about 20, and many of us had similar experiences. The building doors leading outside weren’t locked or secured, so you didn’t need a key card to enter and anyone could walk in from the street. I don’t recall seeing emergency information by or on the door, though I may be mistaken and need to check my pictures. In my room the water pressure was low, there was no hot water, and the toilet either flushed slowly or filled to the rim before flushing. The bathroom faucet wouldn’t shut off and dripped constantly, and its handles turned almost all the way around. I had a sitting area and a little fridge, which was nice, but I’d gladly trade those for a hot shower and a secure building. I checked out a day early. Two hotel staff members assured me I’d get a refund for one night and told me to call to confirm. I did, but upper management refused, even though I had bought trip insurance. I need to look into why I didn’t get the refund. I travel a lot and have never had such a crappy stay. Not getting the refund added insult to injury. For $340 a night, I’d pass. Try the Drury instead. I think we paid $140 a night there last year.

The rooms and amenities are great, and I loved staying here. The bar staff, Stacy and Gloria, went way above and beyond to lift my spirits when I’d had a rough day. It’s nice to see people being uplifting because they’re happy at work.

The location is good, and our king suite looked very nice, with three sinks, a mini fridge, and a nice balcony. Breakfast was free and included an omelette bar. A few things could’ve been better. The room took a long time to reach the right temperature, the bed was firmer than a traditional one, and the shower felt narrow. Facing the shower head, my arms were only an inch or two from the door and wall. I’m larger than average, but it still felt smaller than others.