Hilton HHonors - Another Positive Hampton Experience

In the past, I had always regarded Hamptons as the poor stepchild of the Hilton Family. I had experienced threadbare sheets on saggy beds, skimpy towels and worn out rooms.

My last two stays have proved me wrong (see my prior post re: my Coralville Iowa stay.)

Over the weekend I had to be in Henderson, Nevada and stayed at the Hampton Inn on Astaire Drive. I was very pleasantly surprised at just how nice the room, bedding, bathroom and towels were. It was 111 degrees outside but the room had the air conditioner on when we arrived and there was a letter from the manager and water bottles and cookies waiting.

Our room had two queen beds, a sitting area with a couch, two televisions, a wet bar with refridgerator and microwave.

There were several types of pillows to choose from (each with a card describing its attributes), fluffy duvets, thick towels (and enough for a shower at night and clean ones for the morning too.)

I love the "bed desk" with the TV remote waiting on the bed.

And FREE high speed internet!

The breakfast had "robust" and regular strength coffee, hot waffles and sausage, and the "usual" continental fare, all served on foam plates with plastic ware, and the breakfastroom was CLEAN and well attended. Items were replenished as soon as they were running low (not when they were out).

The lobby is a bit tired and looks like my impression of Hamptons used to be....but with free up close parking, a room as good or better than most HGI or Embassy Suites or Hiltons I have been in, free internet/breakfast and very competitive rates and locations, Hamptons now have my full consideration!

IME, the difference between the newer locations and older ones is huge with Hamptons.

IME, the difference between the newer locations and older ones is huge with Hamptons.

It's really more the difference between new Hamptons and old ones that have not been renovated. The Hampton I stay in most often is one of the old exterior corridor ones but has been renovated in the last few years and has some very nice rooms and a very nice lobby area.

But some of the worst Hamptons I've stayed in were old ones that have not had a major renovation, and it really shows.

Just to confirm the OP, using the reliable HSI in our suite at the Henderson Hampton... this is undoubtedly once of the nicest Hamptons we have ever stayed in. Staff are extremely pleasant, everything works and I would definitely recommend it to anyone needing a stay in East Vegas.

Just to add to the list of positive reports on Hampton stays, my stay in late May at the Hampton Inn Ft. Lauderdale/Plantation was fine. Upgraded as a gold to a larger room on the top floor, free HSI connection in the room, plus a business center off the lobby with four pc's. Room was clean, quiet, away from the elevators (requested in my HHonors profile), with a bottle of water and cookies on arrival. Added amenties were free airport shuttle from/to FLL (15 minute drive), continental breakfast was fresh and good, with hot entries of eggs (pre-made) and sausages, rolls, breads, danishes, etc. Front desk staff were helpful and friendly. Very close to the Broward Mall, between Pine Island Drive and University, just off the freeway. Property appears to be not more then four or five years old.

Not having the Sunrise Hilton available any more, as it was sold and had been failing in later years in maintaining its earlier character (I needed a location close to Sunrise), this Hampton was a good choice for my four night stay.

bj-21.

My profile puts me at the far end of the hall from the elevator, something I'm all too happy to get, the very last room in the hall, but that also means that HSI usually isn't available at a decent connection speed.

Other then that, and I'm more then willing to give that up for the quiet at the end of the hall, I have been really loving Hamptons in the last nine months or so. I had one problem in January, I brought it to the manager's attention after the stay and without asking they gave me a 100% refund on the stay, but every other one has been great.

I really think they have gone out of their way to become better.

Now if we could just do something about the hockey puck eggs.

Mike.

Re: the hockey puck eggs, think EggMcMuffin, only smaller.

I'll take the long walk to the end of the hall away from the elevators gladly, for a quiet room. Same as you, my stay got me the very last room at the end of the hallway, top floor. No complaints.

bj-21.

I like the room at the end of the hall too. Quiet and next to the stairs too, no need to use the elevator. ^

I'll take the long walk to the end of the hall away from the elevators gladly, for a quiet room. Same as you, my stay got me the very last room at the end of the hallway, top floor. No complaints.

bj-21.

In the past, I had always regarded Hamptons as the poor stepchild of the Hilton Family. I had experienced threadbare sheets on saggy beds, skimpy towels and worn out rooms.

My last two stays have proved me wrong (see my prior post re: my Coralville Iowa stay.)


I stayed at 2 different HIs over the weekend and am noticing an improvement overall in the chain. The biggest improvement I initially noticed was the bedding. HI has joined the hotel industry and made an effort to improve. It shows. Both properties had comfortable beds.

After reading your post I also believe the towels were an improvement over earlier stays.

One of the properties had upgraded it's rooms. I thought it was a fine property and would not hesitate to recommend and stay there again. Location was Wytheville, VA.

One of my favorite Hamptons is in Agoura Hills, CA. When I travel to Malibu for my job, I try to get this hotel. It is very difficult to get a state rate of $110 here, but I was able to get it for my trip in Sept 06.

It is a very nice Hampton. It is only a couple of years old and if you didn't see the sign "Hampton" on the front door, you would never know it!

One thing I do not like is plastic ANYTHING. But I always bring my own coffee as well as my coffee mug so I never have to bother with the plastic ware anyways.

There will be a new Homewood Suites opening up in Agoura this year--that should make the availability of state rate more available....but then again, if it is between Homewood Suites and Hampton, I'll chose the Homewood Suites any day of the week. I'm just hoping they will have state rate!

Dawn

My profile puts me at the far end of the hall from the elevator, something I'm all too happy to get, the very last room in the hall, but that also means that HSI usually isn't available at a decent connection speed.

Other then that, and I'm more then willing to give that up for the quiet at the end of the hall, I have been really loving Hamptons in the last nine months or so. I had one problem in January, I brought it to the manager's attention after the stay and without asking they gave me a 100% refund on the stay, but every other one has been great.

I too prefer the end rooms with quiet and yes, often the Wi-Fi is weak there. I had a HI stay somewhere in CA. The Wi-Fi was weak to non-existant, I asked to change rooms but the hotel was sold out. I ended up using my computer in the lounge area, requested the 100% Guarantee and received it. Nice solution to a problem I hope the hotel will soon correct.

MisterNice

For the money, I'd say HI's are one of the nicest in the HH brand. They always impress me! ^

Hampton Inns get most of my business travel. I'm often in the same city/same hotel and the front desk staff usually remember who I am and treat me well.

I've stayed at the HI PVD/Warwick Airport several times this year and they have always been very accommodating and usually upgrade me to a suite (even before I became Diamond). This HI has a bar (which I've not seen at too many other HI's) but they don't offer the fresh baked cookies each evening (which is typical at most of the HI's I have been to).

On vacation this year, stayed at the HI in Clark's Summit, PA (the boonies) and had service that was an order of magnitude better than our stay at the Westin Embassy Row. Even had a (ok - I know it was a form letter) personalized letter in the room from the manager, with - e-mail and cell phone contact information "in case there were problems."

Have had similar experiences with HI on the road. Another great one is the HI in Vacaville, CA.

Hampton Inn Bowling Green, Ohio

Very nice layout, addressed me by name, and the welcome letter was actually hand written - nice touch.

Hampton Inn and Suites - Tucson North

No upgrade
No water
No cookie

No recognition that I was Diamond at all

Ah well

Perhaps it's the HI's I normally stay at, or just the pace of the new construction and ownership in the area, but I find the Hampton Inn properties I stay at normally don't even recognize I'm a Diamond. They accomodate my away from elevator and ice request, but putting in "Diamond upgrade to jacuzzi/king/suite if possible" in every comment box seldom, if ever, gets much. Occasionally I ask and I'm told that the Toyota, Big Midwest Coal, or whatnot company employee that lives there already has that suite. That said, I have no problem with this and they'll keep getting my expense money as long they are there. The reason I slug through all those frustrating HI's stays alone is for those nice Conrad award nights with my wife during holidays.

Hampton Inn, Bossier City, LA

A second home in a former life, this hotel rocks. The staff and atmosphere is so friendly and well executed that one feels very comfortable.

Quincy, IL - very nice Hampton Inn. ^

Overall, I find the Hampton chain to be best of breed. I ordinarily do more Marriott stays than anything, but if I need a roadside motel, I'll drive an extra 45 minutes past a Fairfield to get to a Hampton farther up the road. It's just a better, more consistent product.

So many of the other roadside chains vary too wildly. In some little towns, the Holiday Inn or Best Western might be a fantastic place - the place where people come from miles around for banquets, parties, a decent restaurant, etc. Then in the next town up the highway, the Holiday Inn or Best Western is a skeezed-out disgusting motel that doesn't look like it's seen a dime of general upkeep work since 1980. With Hampton, you sort of know what you are going to get, and usually it's pretty decent.

I still like the charm and oldschoolishness of a nice smalltown Best Western once in a while, but I hate booking them blindly when I can't plan ahead because I don't know how far I want to drive that night.

Yes, I remember back 15 years or so when I first stayed at a Hampton Inn; it was the one down at Key West. Although low season, the external corridor made for a noisy unpleasant experience. :td:

That was then; the chain has since come on leaps and bounds. For a lower end hotel, the value for money is very good indeed. The pace of new builds is quite staggering really. ^

Some of my best hotel stays have been in Hamptons. Rooms always clean; staff always seem to be fun loving happy college types. Naturally, if you travel a lot you'll have the odd hiccup or two but that’s life.

Best one for me recently is Harlingen, TX. :)

RR

Some of my best hotel stays have been in Hamptons. Rooms always clean; staff always seem to be fun loving happy college types. Naturally, if you travel a lot you'll have the odd hiccup or two but that’s life.


Another thing about Hamptons: many of the good ones truly are the finest property for many miles around. So the staff tend to take pride in them and keep them looking sharp. The aforementioned Quincy Hampton - although that's kind of a "big city" as far as my Hampton stays go :) - was treated just like a full-service hotel by its staff. They kept the place looking great and had little extras like fresh cookies & coffee at the front desk at check-in. I have no idea whether it is the best hotel in Quincy (I'm guessing they have some nice B&B's there or nearby), but it is definitely among them.

For family travel, free breakfast for all = ^

For biz travel, the above plus free WiFi and/or HSI = ^. I've booked away from HGI and ES for this reason (on principle).

I've been lucky and stayed at refreshed Hampton properties. Even the thoughtful touch of the curved shower rod is neat.

Ditto, most opinions on the Hamptons.. I'm at this hotel almost every other week (splitting travel between DC/Denver)... and wow am I surprised (pleasantly).

Staff is extremely pleasant and accomodating - going out of their way to help... Free Breakfast, HSI (both wired AND wireless), free business office (computer + Printer) in the lobby... And their bedding, amazing... I stayed in Westin's with their Heavenly Bed's when it had just come out - this is close (plus I'm paying 1/3rd of Westin's price so...)...

They even hold onto my toiletries bag for me for the week, so I get to travel without checking in my bags :D

I'm a big fan..

Oh, another thing I'll add...my first HHonors stay ever was at the Stephensville, Michigan Hampton Inn. (Well, I had stayed at Hiltons at earlier points in life, probably before HHonors existed, but this was where I noticed the brochure and signed up for the program.)

We got stuck there in a blizzard. We couldn't see anything...just pulled off the highway at the exit, hoping for a gas station or something. Lo and behold...an actual motel!! ^ So we decided to call it a night. Nothing but us and a handful of other stranded travelers in the place. It is a standard Hampton - clean and pleasant. And adjacent to a restaurant which actually stayed open an hour late to feed people stranded by the blizzard. :)

I was very pleased with a recent stay at the Hampton Inn at PDX. I think the rooms ending in 01 are a little larger than the rest (I was in 201). New beds, friendly & helpful staff, recognition of Gold status (M&Ms, water and a note waiting for me), and they even had the NY Times for free in addition to the Oregonian.