Spark by Hilton Portland Airport Maine Mall

The room was really dirty, and a light was literally hanging by its wires. At the front desk, all I got was a shrug. The halls were dark, with badly patched wall holes and open breaker boxes. It looked like everything had just been covered with fresh paint, a landlord special. I’ve never had an experience like this at a Hilton property. Pay the extra $20 a night and stay at Tru or DoubleTree.

The service and staff were excellent, but I couldn’t get a decent night’s sleep without earplugs and a white noise machine. I could hear people next door and everything happening in the hallway. The plastic laminate floor echoed noise, and the bed’s thin metal frame squeaked whenever I moved. It’s clearly a remodeled property, but it lacks some of the structural standards I’ve come to expect from Hilton properties given the premium cost.

I stayed here while traveling for work and found it clean, with nice rooms and free breakfast available. It’s a good value in the Portland area, especially in the off season, and close to the airport if you’re flying out. A good budget-friendly place to stay.

I don’t know why the reviews were so bad. It’s a good place to rest for a night on a longer road trip. The rooms were clean and nice, with everything we needed. When we forgot to print our Acadia National Park tickets, the receptionist was very helpful and printed them for us. The free breakfast was super basic, though, so don’t count on much. Get your coffee somewhere else.