Hilton HHonors - DT Albuquerque

I have a couple nites in Albuquerque in April. I've done the Hilton and was wondering if I can get some info on the Doubletree. Thanks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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HH Gold

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The DT is a completely forgettable, generic, approximately 20 story hotel, architecturally almost identical to the DT in Orange, CA. Not bad, not good; it is to hotels what Applebee's is to restaurants - mainstream and bland.

The Doubletree is downtown, and has an underground passageway to the Convention Center. As others have said, nothing special about it, but it's not a bad hotel.

Any update on this property? In particular the hotel condition.....the hotel web site states "Our freshly renovated hotel" in the description but doesnt list what has been renovated so any info would be appreciated.

As previously stated, the hotel isn't new. They were renovationg the upper HH floors when I was there back in April so I had a 2nd floor room. Bfast is ok. Be aware, as I checked in, I asked for the usual complementary bar drink coupon and I was told that the hotel is under new management and they have eliminated that HH benefit. I have a stay planned near the end of the month. I stay there for is close proximity to a storefront micro brew pub (no food, but no problem bringing it in).

For what its worth I travel to ABQ on a weekly basis, as far as Hilton I would reccomend the Embassy Suites. The walls may be thin but as far as cleanliness it is probably the best

I stayed at the DT ABQ a couple of times back on May, just after the room renovation, and it is much, much better than before. I was there for the renovation party -- the one before the lobby/outside renovation currently in process -- and the drawings of the finished product look really nice.

I would definitely stay there over the Hilton, and would stay there if your business takes you to Downtown...but if it doesn't, you might want to consider the brand-new ES on I-25.

I have no choice but to stay there due to rate and location so thanks to all for the updated info. I will report back after my stay.

I just stayed at the DT on 8/2...13th floor. If there was a remodel, definitely nothing special. It is a old hotel with just average rooms, but the room was clean. The lobby is nice but that is about it...

Just returned and found the hotel fine especially since the price I paid was about $75/night. They have free wireless internet which had ok speed. I was on the 13th floor and although nothing special as mentioned before it was clean and it did have some newer wallpaper as compared to other floors. Looked like new carpet but the bed seemed old style as was some of the other furnishings in the room but they where clean and the room was good size. The bar and restaurants was pretty quick and friendly and the prices where cheap. Parking was $10 per night but on the weekends there is a lot next to the hotel you can use for free.

I will stay there again as it if fine espcecially at that rate and the convenience to where I need to be working.

I just stayed at the DT on 8/2...13th floor. If there was a remodel, definitely nothing special. It is a old hotel with just average rooms, but the room was clean. The lobby is nice but that is about it...


I just stayed here again. From talking to the front desk person, they have remodeled floors 1-3. Much, much nicer, all new furniture, carpet, bed, etc. I will definitely be staying here moving forward!

That must be where I stayed, because the last time I was there in May, the rooms were top-notch.

Anyone have recent feedback on this property? I'm heading to Albuquerque in 2 weeks for work, was at the ES last time, but that is booked up (at least at my company's rate), so I opted for the DT. It is just 1 night, so not a huge deal.

Do they have any upgraded rooms for Gold? Can I expect anything else? I've learned that I need to ask...

I was at the HI in Flag last week and initially got zilch. Went back to the front desk to get the internet access code and said something like I guess there's no upgrades available....which resulted in them giving me an enormous suite, way beyond HI standards.

I've stayed there a couple of times since the supposed renovation and found it pretty mediocre. Perhaps I wasn't in one of the new rooms. But you should have no expectations, especially for the service. As others have mentioned, the Hilton is not much better. The Embassy Suites is new and nicer, but it has the typical Embassy Suites characteristics -- uncomfortable bedding, thin walls, cheap furnishings, no service. I usually stay at the DoubleTree over the other two because the rates are generally considerably lower.

It also depends on what location you want. The DT is downtown and, although downtown Albuquerque is not exactly thriving, you are within walking distance of restaurants and bars, which cannot be said for the other two properties.

I stayed there in the Autumn and was happy. Nothing special, but nothing wrong either.

I've stayed there a couple of times since the supposed renovation and found it pretty mediocre. Perhaps I wasn't in one of the new rooms. But you should have no expectations, especially for the service. As others have mentioned, the Hilton is not much better. The Embassy Suites is new and nicer, but it has the typical Embassy Suites characteristics -- uncomfortable bedding, thin walls, cheap furnishings, no service. I usually stay at the DoubleTree over the other two because the rates are generally considerably lower.

It also depends on what location you want. The DT is downtown and, although downtown Albuquerque is not exactly thriving, you are within walking distance of restaurants and bars, which cannot be said for the other two properties.

Thanks for the input, I'll have low expectations and be surprised if anything happens. My office there is probably walking distance, so the DT will be convenient. My company has a rate of $99+tax for the DT, which is $20 less than our $119 rate at the ES.

The last time I stayed at the ES, I was upgraded to a corner suite, was HUGE!!! Too bad I was by myself and just there the one night.

Evidently even my lowered expectations were too high. Here's a quick run through:

* Arrived at about 5 PM. There were 2 employees doing check-in, several customers waiting. At other Hilton properties, I've gotten, "I'll be with you shortly," or something similar after I got in line...nothing here.
* When I did get up to a clerk, he kept calling me, "Mr. Smith." My last name is NOT Smith. I didn't bother correcting him.
* Construction/renovations continue at the property. I didn't notice too much, but they restricted the customer elevators to 2 (the other 2 for construction). Not a huge deal, but if you were towards the bottom, good luck getting in. The elevators had a loud ding as they passed each floor, I wouldn't want to in a room that close.
* They put me on the 14th floor (it is a 15 floor property). I had a view of the mountains to the east. The room was small (I've been in HI's that were larger), especially the bathroom. It was a renovated room, with new furniture, paint, curtains, etc. But small is small no matter how you cut it.
* I booted up my laptop and couldn't find a place to plug in. My company doesn't allow laptops to use wireless and disables it (mine doesn't have it). So I go back to the front desk.
* I find 3 employees just standing around chatting at the front desk. I ask about wired internet, maybe another room, "No, not at this property." Fine, I ask, "What about the Hilton?" The 3 stand there like deer in headlights, not a peep. So I ask, "Would one of you please call and find out?" The woman does (or at least pretends to), "No, they don't have it either." One of the guys says, "What about the ES?" I reply, "They're booked, that's why I'm here." After that, I realized I was getting nowhere and went back to my room.
* Rather than do nothing, I figured I'd drive around and explore, found a place to eat way out somewhere.
* When I got back to my room, (I had turned a/c on), the temp seemed OK. I decided to just shut off the heat/ac unit.
* I woke up at about 3 am and was dying it was so warm. I got up and turned the a/c back on. When it kicked on for the rest of the night, it woke me up, and I hardly slept after that.
* The free breakfast buffet was in the basement of the hotel. The food was edible, filling, but not much more. I have to give credit to the host and servers, they were very attentive.

I've decided that my goal this year is to make HHonors Diamond so I can stay wherever I want through the forced room benefit. The ES in ABQ is such a great place, no wonder it sells out. I'd rather stay at a Hampton than put up with the DT again.

Thanks for the report. Seems like a pretty typical experience.

Any new news on this property? I'm on my way there in August and wondering what to expect.

Thanks!

Any new news on this property? I'm on my way there in August and wondering what to expect.

Thanks!

I'll be staying there tomorrow and will post an update to this thread when I return.

I'll be staying there tomorrow and will post an update to this thread when I return.


--Looking forward to your update/review. I have to stay there next month - would have preferred the newer ES, but went with DT because it's closer to my business meeting.

TDM

--Looking forward to your update/review. I have to stay there next month - would have preferred the newer ES, but went with DT because it's closer to my business meeting.

TDM

It is probably less than a mile between the ES and DT. The only advantage of the DT is that you can walk to the convention center area and downtown.

When I can't get in the ES, I've since stayed at a Homewood Suites, and have not been disappointed.

It is probably less than a mile between the ES and DT. The only advantage of the DT is that you can walk to the convention center area and downtown.



--Yup, and my business is at the convention center: I figured I'd just take a taxi from the airport and not bother with the hassles of parking, so next to CC is going to win this one for DT. Maybe if the ES has a shuttle to the convention center if would be worthwhile to stay there. I guess I'll go DT this time and see if they've spruced things up a bit for the HH floors.

If nothing else: Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies.


TDM

--Yup, and my business is at the convention center: I figured I'd just take a taxi from the airport and not bother with the hassles of parking, so next to CC is going to win this one for DT. Maybe if the ES has a shuttle to the convention center if would be worthwhile to stay there. I guess I'll go DT this time and see if they've spruced things up a bit for the HH floors.

If nothing else: Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies.


TDM

For meals, I'd recommend a walk to the Hyatt around the corner - the restaurant is excellent. Or, if you're really hungry and not wanting to dress-up, Tucanos grill two blocks east and south.

I'll be staying there tomorrow and will post an update to this thread when I return.

Back from my decent (if short) stay at this property on Friday night. I checked in around 1 a.m.; the renovated lobby looked fine, and my cookie was still good in spite of the inevitable hours it had been sitting in that warming drawer. :p My room was 1403, a spacious corner room near the elevators. I never heard the dinging of the elevators, thankfully, but I could vaguely hear the TV in the next room. I assume that the 14th floor has already been renovated; everything was new except the TV, and it wasn't that old itself.

My room faced east, and I could see the ES from my window; it can't be more than half a mile away, but obviously the DT is even closer if you're going to the Convention Center. But if you'll have a car and have a destination elsewhere in ABQ, the ES is very convenient to I-25 and you won't have to tackle the one-way streets of downtown.

I'd intended to use the exercise room in the a.m., but I never found the motivation so I can't tell y'all how it was. But the room was comfortable (if not completely quiet) and I may stay there again; haven't ever tried the ES, though, so I might also do that next time.