Home2 Suites by Hilton Riverside Downtown Convention Center

The location is close to everything, and I liked needing a room key to use the elevators because it felt safer. There were a few homeless people around, but that’s typical for downtown and it wasn’t too bad when we visited. Parking costs an extra $29, though it’s in an enclosed garage. Breakfast was free and nice, with waffles, coffee, cereal, oatmeal, eggs, bagels, and fried potatoes. The rooms looked nice and clean except for the shower, which had pink stuff on the walls and dirt along the bottom. It didn’t seem to have had a deep clean, and it’s hard to feel clean when the shower isn’t. The front desk was really nice. We called the night before checkout to ask for an extra hour, and they agreed without charging us. Housekeeping hadn’t gotten the message, though, and knocked the next day, so we had to explain we’d already arranged it with the front desk.

The elevators need a room key, which felt inconvenient at first, but I came to appreciate the safety setup. One evening, some young men without keys asked me to let them into the elevator. I said I’d check with the front desk instead. Staff knew about them and explained they were visiting a guest, so they’d need that guest to come down and escort them. I didn’t feel comfortable letting them in, and I appreciated how professionally security handled it. After I reported it, security followed up with them. They looked rough, but were polite to me. The next morning the front desk explained that a guest had tried to invite nearly 20 visitors, and management had already warned them about violating policy, possible police involvement, and extra charges if it continued. That made me feel the hotel takes security, guest safety, and its rules seriously. We had a comfortable, enjoyable, and safe stay with our group, which matters when traveling with families and teen athletes. Our studio had two queen beds and a sofa queen bed in good condition. It was spacious and well set up, with a refrigerator, microwave, sink, and kitchenware. The hotel was quiet, and all the staff were friendly and welcoming. The heated outdoor pool was a nice extra, and the gym worked well for our teen hockey players to exercise together. I used the laundry facilities every day for my son’s hockey gear. You have to download an app and add money to use the washer and dryer, but it was fairly easy. Laundry soap and dryer sheets were also available for purchase. Breakfast was included and decent, though we wished there had been bacon. The coffee was very good, and the team liked having breakfast together. There’s no hot tub, but that wasn’t a deal breaker. The parking garage is shared with another hotel, and the lower levels can fill up if you arrive late, though there’s usually parking on the top floor. The hotel is family friendly, and there’s a food court next door within walking distance. It’s also good for group BBQs: after a game, we cooked hamburgers and hot dogs, and it was a wonderful way for everyone to relax and celebrate together. I’d absolutely stay again and recommend it to groups, teams, and families.

We spent nearly $200 after taxes and fees for what turned into a 14-hour stay, and the experience was terrible. The neighborhood was another concern: people described as local homeless residents shouted obscenities at my family as we came and went, so keep that in mind if it matters to you. After returning between my son's games, I asked for a late checkout because we had nowhere else to go. At first I was told no because many guests were arriving and there were no rooms. I had already checked online and could see rooms matching ours were available. Then the answer changed to a $75 charge for two extra hours. I asked if housekeeping could clean our room last and let us leave when they arrived, but that wasn't allowed either. Earlier, check-in had been quick. The hotel looked fairly new and clean, and our basic room was spacious and clean too. But there was no blanket for the pullout bed. The front desk said they'd send one up. The phone rang about 15 minutes later, but nobody spoke, and after 45 minutes I went down to get the blanket myself. We went to bed, but our neighbors apparently had other plans and some kind of party carried on until about 1 a.m. We were up and out by 5:30.

The room was quiet and everything in it worked well, and the staff were friendly and professional. I also liked having coffee available in the lobby and a good breakfast. The gym was nice. I didn't use the pool, though it was available. The location works well for activities around Riverside, and I'd definitely come back.