DoubleTree by Hilton San Antonio Downtown

Front desk staff Kristen and John were lovely and professional. I do think John may have given me a fake number for his “GM,” but he's still cool. The bigger problem was the facility and how little manager Alex seemed to care. We're traveling across the country, and after checking in around midnight exhausted, we walked into a strong mildew smell. The bedding, floor, and towels felt damp, and there were water stains on the ceiling. The room felt dark, dingy, cold, and uncomfortable. We told the front desk and followed up the next morning. I was put on hold for 30 minutes while they said Alex and housekeeping would check the room. Thinking they'd forgotten me, I hung up and called back to ask for the boss. Alex said she hadn't gone into the room, but maintenance said the AC worked fine. The AC wasn't the problem. The room showed unsafe, unhealthy signs, and Alex said the smell must be from the floors, which were wet and where our service animal slept. Alex told me to contact Booking for a refund. Booking said they'd refund me if the hotel confirmed there was an issue, and called the hotel while I was on hold. Alex denied the refund, saying she saw no issue. Dampness and odor show up in other reviews too. For a downtown hotel, it was very disappointing, especially as a Hilton Honors member. Stay down the road, where they don't charge for parking. And we never got our cookies!

The entrance is a little tight for pulling in with a vehicle, though maybe that will change over time. Inside, the lobby is comfortable. Even with other customers there, the front desk recognized me right away, checked me in quickly, and I headed to my room with my luggage. It was nice to walk in and see a greeting with my name on it. The rooms were quiet, clean, and comfortable, and the bed was fantastic for me. The staff were great, and I'd definitely stay again.

The free shuttle to The Riverwalk was a real plus, and Jose, the shuttle driver, went out of his way to help guests. Be sure to tip him well. There’s a small neighborhood HEB nearby that was handy for picking up a few things. The hotel was clean, and the lobby had a great vibe for hanging out. We really enjoyed our weekend getaway and would stay again.

I never stayed a single night, but still ended up charged in full. I booked April 21-25 through Expedia for my brother’s Air Force graduation trip to San Antonio. About 48 hours before my stay, the driver meant to take us to and from the base warned that traffic would make getting around from the hotel very difficult. I tried to cancel then and booked a different hotel closer to the base. The hotel said to contact Expedia, while Expedia said it needed the hotel’s approval. I went back and forth with both several times, but neither took responsibility or offered a solution. I asked about a partial refund, but they wouldn't consider it. On my first call I was told a refund could be issued if Expedia approved it. When Expedia followed up, the hotel said it hadn't approved anything and that the information I'd received wasn't confirmed with management. That felt unprofessional. When I came in person to explain and ask again for at least a partial refund, they said there was nothing they could do and I should have canceled 48 hours ahead, even though that's exactly what I'd tried to do. I was told I could cancel without a refund. I offered to change the booking to one or two nights and pay for that, but they said it would cost extra and still wouldn't refund anything. The first room they gave me smelled strongly of urine. I asked for another room, checked it briefly so I wouldn't be held responsible for any issues, and left. I did not use the hotel at all. Even after trying to cancel in the stated timeframe, I was charged the full amount. I followed up with Expedia and the hotel afterward and was told no refund was possible. I understand that hotels have policies, but this showed no flexibility or customer care. A full charge for a stay I didn't use, after an attempt to cancel on time, doesn't seem reasonable. They said the reservation could be canceled, but the payment couldn't be refunded, which makes little sense. This has made me hesitant to stay at DoubleTree or other Hilton properties again or recommend them. If management sees this, I'd appreciate someone reviewing my case and contacting me directly about a possible resolution.