Hotel Ballast Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

We went for a race and the distance to the finish line is great.

With parking fee and no microwave or refrigerator in the rooms.

Travelers deserve to know what they're paying for. My friend booked this hotel using a Marine Ball discount. Two couples, rooms next to each other, three nights. The discount was paltry compensation for what we encountered. The rooms weren't just dated—they were filthy. Drawers contained accumulated hair and grime. The bathroom sink area had more hair. Shower fixtures were rusted throughout, and the drain wouldn't function properly—hair and debris that should have washed away simply sat there. The sheets smelled of previous occupants and were clearly not washed. Basic cleanliness was not attempted. The coffee situation was absurd: no cups provided, the coffee itself hidden in a cabinet, and the maker crammed into a low cabinet requiring you to kneel on the floor to operate it. Not a single complimentary cup of coffee exists anywhere on the property. The smallest purchasable cup was overpriced, and the $18-per-person breakfast was largely inedible. The only item worth consuming was the fresh-made omelet; everything else was subpar and unpalatable. Three days without a refrigerator. Not broken—simply absent. The HVAC blower roared nonstop in both rooms, day and night, making restful sleep nearly impossible. Tissue boxes were missing. Towel supply was barely adequate for one day. We had to request extra toilet paper because no replacement had been provided. The room was booked for me by someone else, but travelers should not need to investigate whether a hotel provides clean sheets, functioning drains, coffee cups, or basic hygiene. These are standard expectations, not luxury amenities that require advance verification. This property operates fraudulently. Charging guests for accommodations this substandard—unwashed linens, non-functioning facilities, pervasive filth—while presenting as a legitimate hotel is unconscionable. The USMC should reconsider doing business with this property for Marine Ball events until it meets basic hospitality standards. I'm finished paying for substandard rooms masquerading as acceptable lodging. The only bright spot: the front desk staff, who remained professional and patient despite working in a property that is clearly failing.

If I could do negative stars, that would be great. Less than adequate! It was a 'deal' for the Marine Corps Ball? I would not choose to stay there again-and I have been there several times over the 20+ years I have lived in NC. Since they changed the name, and 'upgraded', not helpful. Views were good, not a lot of towels, no fridge, no lotion, breakfast buffet was less than ok. I would have rather stayed at another Hilton property two blocks up with a free breakfast-I know what I am paying for. We had guests come in and they thought it was like a Motel 6. Not my thing!!

I’ve stayed in many hotels and very rarely write bad reviews, yes I have stayed in worse hotels but never one at this price point that was so poor. I’ve given it a 2 star but it was nearly a 1. The reviews imply the city side rooms are dated, and our one most certainly was. As a Hilton diamond member maybe I’ve got to used to hotels making an effort. Zilch on this one. The iron man race was taking place so quite possibly no upgrade room was available the first night, at least that was the reason given, but I did complain and nothing changed. Based on the number of guests mingling in the lobby / breakfast the hotel didn’t look full. The recent the reviews housekeeping lets it down, the usual thank you for your feed back comment is recorded against many and we will fix it with the team is response but clearly the management chose not to. No hand soap on arrival, a single 1/4 roll of toilet paper with no spare and no room service until you complain . By then it too late , no room service available so towels and toilet paper just dumped on the bed. The shower didn’t drain properly. One other common issue in this and the 3 other hotels was the lack USB phone charging points in the rooms, only one , with none built into the many wall sockets. it must be a Hilton US thing. No proper bar seemed to exist, other than in the on-site restaurant , what a difference really nice and 5/5 establishment. The BUT though is it is not part of the hotel and you could not charge the bill back to the hotel. If only the rest of the hotel matched the restaurant. All the staff were fine and the breakfast was fine. Apparently it’s also hotel policy not to arrange early morning taxis for guests, for me that is ridiculous. The only excellent aspect is its location, the location is 10/10, Wilmington itself was good for a short stay, if it wasn’t for that this would have been a 1*. Only tip at the time of booking -1 week before our stay - there was very little difference in price between the river view and historic $5 from memory so the hotel at that time was not fully booked . A big mistake not taking the river side because reviews suggest they might be better. Unless I enter an Ironman race I will never be back in Wilmington , but if I were to I would not be staying here. It is not often I write that in a review.

Everything was great

Traditional hotel well situated to walk to the best Wilmington has to offer. On the river with a very nice outdoor lounge and pool area. Large rooms with plenty of space for clothes, special occasion dressing, etc. Pleasant dining area with good hotel food. Helpful and professional staff.

The bedrooms are large and comfortable but everything, (furniture, bath finishings, in room coffee set up, unreliable hair dryer, old towels) a bit nicked and worn. It looks and feels like the refresh wasn't quite finished.

Let me start by saying the location is beautiful. close to everything and very convenient. The lobby is really nice and up to date. However, as soon as you step out of the elevator, you’re greeted by the real hotel. There’s such a thing as rustic charm, this wasn’t it. You’re met with a musty smell, carpets that were once a different color, and an overall creepy, uninviting feeling. Once in the room, we found an empty box with no soap. The shower in desperate need of a deep scrub, with rusty soap caddies and grime buildup. No fridge, coffee maker or microwave, and AC unit that couldn’t keep the room below 70 degrees. The key reader stopped working while we were on a time crunch and we had to wait for maintenance to come fix it.. I’m baffled by any good reviews. This is in no way a five star, or even four star hotel.

Excellent location and character

Very well kept. Very close to everything downtown Wilmington.

I like the location of the property. I like the availability of on-site restaurant.

There were roaches in the bathroom. The bathroom floor and bathtub were dirty. The room felt old and dingy.