Hilton Garden Inn Portland Airport

Great hotel, but something about my early morning departure really stayed with me. The elderly night front desk attendant greeted other patrons with a good morning and thanked them when they returned their key cards, then pointed them toward the complimentary coffee. I got none of that. I felt invisible as a brown native, as if I didn't deserve acknowledgment, while the two other groups were treated warmly. Please treat every customer equally and make everyone feel valued. Thank you.

The room was comfortable and cleaner than most. That's about the best I can say. My fourth-floor room facing the street was so noisy that sleeping was hard. There was no hot water at the bathroom sink, and the maintenance guy said that's apparently a regular issue. The made-to-order breakfast arrived surprisingly hot, but didn't taste very good. Bar drinks were average in price, and service was decent. The building is being upgraded, but that shouldn't mean cleaning gets overlooked.

I came back for a second stay in three months because I had to, and the place is still being renovated. They don't mention that when you book, and the hallways look rundown and dumpy. Parking is limited because of the work, there's nothing special about the hotel, and staff do the bare minimum. The front desk people often disappear into the back office, though they're friendly when you do catch them. Rooms are cleaned every other day, a practice left over from the pandemic, while most hotels have gone back to daily service. I wouldn't choose this place if I had another option.

The rooms were clean, thanks to the staff, but old, with old pillows. Construction is going on, and you can hear and follow the sound of an upstairs toilet flushing all the way down to the ground floor. Better to stay somewhere else.