The Saratoga Hilton

The room was clean, roomy, and comfortably arranged, and the holiday decorations in the entrance and lobbies looked lovely. The grand entrances were a little confusing, with jazz playing outside. It's a great spot near popular bars and restaurants. We paid $365 a night for a king room. Saratoga is a beautiful, expensive city, so we understand the price.

We stayed 4 nights, and our clean room was refreshed promptly each day. Staff were friendly and helpful, and the meal service team was fantastic and very attentive. We ate several meals there, and most of the food was quite good. The scrambled eggs were the one disappointment. I think they were made from powder, and they tasted bland with a gritty, wet texture. Alfonso worked the dining room and seemed to lead the team. He was great, clearly proud of his work and eager to serve people well.

We came to the Saratoga Hilton for a conference with my wife, and from the start it went badly. Parking cost 25 dollars for two day's. There was no conference signage at the driveway entrance, so we walked down a long corridor to the open area with 534 Bistro and the check-in desk. We arrived at 855 am for a 9am conference, but they wouldn't let us check in until 130. The room was dated but not bad. The shower head leaked, barely sprayed properly, and mold covered the tile grout. Random caulk had been put over cracks, and management needs to address the maintenance. Several halls were very cold, and we heard other customers complain about it too. I asked about 534 Bistro and was told lunch started at 1130. When I went in at noon, employees were sitting around, one eating, and I was told it was closed because of weather. I had driven 3.5 hours through the weather to attend a conference with hundreds of people, so we went elsewhere for lunch. That evening my wife wanted dinner and a drink at the Bistro. Nobody greeted or noticed us when we walked in. Another customer told us to photograph the only menu and place our order at the bar. We got a wine, a mixed drink, and a Corona, and the bill was 35 dollars. Seeing nobody else order food, we left. The restaurant is garbage: no service, unfriendly, and price gouging. With such a big conference in town, they should have prepared special prices and staffed the restaurant. We heard an astonishing number of people complain about it. Management dropped the ball. People say wonderful things about Saratoga, but don't stay at the Saratoga Hilton. We found many places offering better service for the same or less money. We stay at Hilton locations across the country, and they're clean and professional with full services. This must be a private location, because it definitely is NO HILTON. I've reviewed many places, and this one will be on my will-never-forget list.

The rooms were clean, but at these prices I expect them to be perfect and inspected. There were no grab bars in the bathroom shower, and the single-handle shower faucet didn't indicate hot or cold. The sink wouldn't drain, and its stopper lift didn't work. The TV didn't have Fox, so I couldn't watch the World Series. Come on, folks.