Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Town Center

Ivenia made check-in easy and wrote down the parking instructions because I wasn’t sure I’d remember them. She also told me about the renovations starting around 8 a.m., so the morning noise was annoying but not a surprise. The renovated room I got was more spacious than it looked in the booking photos, and the shower got properly hot, which hasn’t always been the case for me at hotels. The location is central and easy to find, with lots of shops and restaurants within walking distance, so there’s little need for a car unless you want to go farther afield. I stayed over Valentine’s Day weekend. With the good service and location, this could easily be my go-to hotel when I visit Virginia Beach.

The location is convenient, but the rest of my stay was bad enough that I won’t stay here or at another Hilton brand hotel, including Hampton, again. My key card didn’t work at first, so I had to go back to the front desk. The AC unit was loud and rattly, and the person serving continental breakfast was somewhat rude. Those issues pale next to the billing mess. I stayed from Oct. 29 to Oct. 30 and definitely checked out before 11:00 a.m. on Oct. 30. But the emailed receipt didn’t arrive until Oct. 31 and said I’d checked out that day. It was a fraudulent receipt, and I was billed twice what I should have paid. After weeks of back-and-forth with the hotel and my bank, and some angry phone calls, I finally got a credit on Jan. 2. It took far too long and was far too difficult to sort out. Congratulations, Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Town Center, you’ve permanently alienated me from Hilton-branded hotels. I might change my mind if Hilton refunds the full cost of the stay and gives me a voucher or coupon. Until then, the Hilton brand is on my S-List.

This used to be a great place, but it’s gone downhill fast and is now complete garbage. Management needs replacing. Nearly every surface in the room, from the carpet to the walls and furniture, was stained. The bedding smelled awful, and I felt like I needed a shower after leaving. Worst Hilton I’ve stayed at.

The location is great, with restaurants, shopping, and more all within walking distance. But the rooms are dated, and cleanliness needs to be addressed with the staff. The walls are so thin we could hear whole conversations and the TV from next door. It also sounded like construction was happening on the floor above us. This wasn’t what I expected from a Hilton.