I am extremely disappointed with my stay at Hilton Garden Inn Cleveland East/Mayfield Village. As a Hilton Honors member and a frequent Hilton guest, I never expected to have such a poor experience at a property carrying the Hilton name.
From the moment we arrived, it was clear that this hotel is suffering from a serious lack of maintenance and cleanliness. The decorative flower pots at the entrance did not even contain flowers. Instead, they were being used as trash cans and ashtrays, filled with garbage and cigarette butts. This created a terrible first impression and accurately reflected the condition of the entire property. Everything felt dirty, from the entrance to the hallways, dining area, and guest rooms.
We were also surprised and disappointed at check-in. We made our reservation believing that breakfast was included, only to be informed upon arrival that it was not. What made this even more frustrating was that our friends, who were staying at the same hotel, booked through a third-party website, are not Hilton Honors members, and yet breakfast was included with their reservation. As loyal Hilton Honors guests, it was extremely disappointing to receive fewer benefits than non-members.
The hotel itself appears old, poorly maintained, and neglected. Our bathroom had visible mold, the wallpaper was peeling off the walls, the refrigerator in our room was not functioning, and the bed sheets had stains on them. To make matters worse, one of the elevators was out of service, and both the ice machines on the 2nd and 3rd floors were broken during our stay.
Another shocking detail was the condition of the light fixtures. Many of them were visibly rusted, including fixtures inside the guest room and bathroom. This level of deterioration creates a strong impression of neglect and lack of basic maintenance, which is completely unacceptable for a Hilton-branded property.
Although our reservation was for four guests, there were not enough towels in the room for everyone. This is a basic hospitality standard that should never be overlooked.
The breakfast experience was equally disappointing. Rather than offering a buffet, guests must order from a menu. That would have been acceptable if the service and food quality had met even minimum expectations—but they did not.
There was only one employee serving the dining room, and her attitude was consistently rude, unfriendly, and aggressive. At one point, she mentioned that her manager was present and made it very clear through her expressions and behavior that she was unhappy about it. Her attitude created an uncomfortable atmosphere for everyone.
The plates and coffee mugs were dirty, with visible splashes and stains that appeared to be from previous use. Coffee was served cold and in such limited quantities that there often did not seem to be enough for all guests in the dining room.
The food quality was unacceptable. My daughter's pancake was raw in the middle. The bacon was dry, overcooked, and nearly burnt. Portions were extremely small and not representative of what guests should expect when paying for breakfast. The dining room chairs were also visibly stained and dirty.
This morning, when we came down for breakfast, the same employee greeted us by immediately speaking loudly and directing our family to sit elsewhere without even offering a simple "good morning." No explanation was provided as to why we could not choose our own table. We were then seated directly beneath a freezing air-conditioning vent, making the experience even more uncomfortable.
What is most shocking is that this happened at a Hilton property. I have honestly stayed at roadside motels that were cleaner, better maintained, and provided friendlier service than this hotel.
This property is in urgent need of deep cleaning, renovations, equipment repairs, and significant customer service training. The condition of the hotel falls far below what anyone would reasonably expect from the Hilton brand.
From the trash-filled entrance and cigarette butts, to the moldy bathroom, stained sheets, rusted fixtures, peeling wallpaper, broken refrigerator, broken elevator, broken ice machines, dirty dishes, poor-quality food, and hostile customer service, every aspect of this stay was disappointing.
As a Hilton Honors member, I feel especially let down. Loyalty to a brand should be rewarded, not result in a worse experience than that received by non-members who booked through third-party websites. This stay fell dramatically short of the standards that Hilton promotes and that guests rightfully expect.
I cannot recommend this hotel to anyone. This was, without question, one of the worst hotel experiences my family has ever had. A property that should represent the Hilton brand instead delivered an experience that was inferior to many budget hotels and roadside motels.
Extremely disappointing.
US
ZA