Embassy Suites Montgomery Conference Center

Great front desk, but the room and the safety issue let it down The positives first: the receptionist who checked me in and the one at checkout were both excellent, friendly and professional. When I mentioned the cleanliness problems at checkout, she waived my parking fee, which was a really nice gesture. Unfortunately, the room itself is very dated and not properly cleaned. There were rust stains in the shower tray, and the sink's base was completely rusted. I found hair in the shower, in the bed, and next to the sink in the kitchenette area, and there was dust pretty much everywhere. The more serious issue was safety. In the evening I saw a visibly unsteady man walk into the hotel with a handgun tucked into his shorts, partly hidden under his T-shirt, even though the hotel prohibits firearms on the premises. I told the evening receptionist right away. She answered that she "didn't see anything." When I pointed out that she hadn't seen it because he had covered the gun with his shirt, she just said "ok" and did nothing. Great staff at checkout, but a dated, rusty and dusty room, and an evening response to a real safety concern that I found unacceptable.

My experience was by no means horrible. But it was annoying. The parking is insane. I ultimately gave up and spent the 33 dollars to park in front and still got a ticket. The ice machine didn’t work. I went to get coffee, as I didn’t want breakfast, and had to carry my luggage all the way around and back to get to coffee and water all the while jostling through people balancing their plates and drinks. The room was clean. The staff seemed pleasant but were hapless about the parking brushing it off to the city. It wasn’t a horrible stay. But I won’t be back, I just wanted to get a nights rest and get back on the road.

I’m extremely disappointed with the way I’ve been treated at the front desk, and I haven’t even gotten into my room yet. I’m currently sitting in the lobby waiting. I’m in Montgomery alone for OTS and had to find lodging off base because there was no availability on base. I’m unfamiliar with the area, away from my family, and already dealing with the stress of arriving for training. I wasn’t expecting anything extraordinary, just basic courtesy and professionalism. Unfortunately, the front desk staff have been extremely cold and unwelcoming. There was no greeting, no smile, and barely any effort to acknowledge me. Even asking completely normal questions, where the restroom is, whether I can go ahead and pay for my stay, or questions about checking in, somehow feels uncomfortable. At times, after I ask something, the staff look at each other in a way that makes me feel as though I’ve asked something strange or ridiculous. It’s incredibly uncomfortable when you’re simply trying to figure things out in an unfamiliar place. I’m literally sitting in the lobby right now waiting for my room, and I already feel hesitant to approach the front desk again because I don’t want to be made to feel like I’m bothering them. A guest should never feel embarrassed for asking a basic question at the front desk; that is precisely where guests are supposed to go for assistance. One interaction in particular with Andy at the front desk made the experience even more upsetting. I had already been there for about 30 minutes when I asked if I could go ahead and pay, and Andy told me that I couldn’t yet. However, two other guests came in after me and she was able to accommodate and assist them while I continued waiting. There may have been a reason for the difference, but nothing was explained to me. When I approached Andy again, there was still very little communication. She simply told me the total amount I needed to pay and instructed me to tap my card. That was it. There was no explanation of the charges, what was happening with my room, what I should expect next, or even an acknowledgment that I had already been waiting. The interaction felt rushed and dismissive, almost as though assisting me was an inconvenience and she simply wanted the interaction to be over. That feeling was especially difficult after watching guests who arrived after me receive assistance. What bothers me most is how unwelcome the entire interaction has made me feel. AS A PERSON OF COLOR, I genuinely found myself wondering whether bias has anything to do with the way I’m being treated. I cannot know anyone’s intentions, and I’m not going to state that as a fact, but no guest should be treated in a way that leaves them questioning whether their race or appearance has affected the courtesy being extended to them. I’m not asking for special treatment. I don’t expect anyone to go out of their way for me. A simple “welcome,” a smile, an acknowledgment, an explanation, or a polite answer to a basic question is simply hospitality. Those things cost nothing, especially at a Hilton property. Being alone, away from home, unfamiliar with the area, and here because of military obligations is already stressful enough. A little kindness can make someone feel safe and welcome; unfortunately, this experience has done the exact opposite. I haven’t even entered my room yet, so this review isn’t about the accommodations. It is entirely about how I’ve been made to feel from the moment I arrived. Hospitality starts at the front desk, and my first impression has been that my presence, and even my simplest questions, are an inconvenience. No paying guest should be made to feel that way.

Where to begin. We checked in on Friday. We walked into our room and half the lights didn’t work. I noticed it was not cooling down after we adjusted the thermostat. I called maintenance, he came to the room and looked and said “!well the unit is busted”. He said he would look into another room. He came back a few minutes later with a box fan and said “ sorry, this is all I can do”. I talked to a manager the next morning, she swapped us rooms but they were rude about it. The air was a little better but not great and only a couple of lights didn’t work. When we checked out that Sunday morning the manager was rude to the couple checking out in front of us as well as us. We also payed for parking there but had to park somewhere else and we did not get refunded for either of those. The location was great on the fact we were there for the expo but the rest was AWFUL! We will never be back.