kyushuman

Thanks for the update, it's great to know I'll likely get breakfast as a Gold (right?). I will try to get info about the gym, I like to stay healthy between beignets!

controller1

IMO, you may be better off spending another $20/nt at The Hilton Riverside. For that weekend, $129/nt gets you a flexible rate with 3-day cancellation privileges and a 20% discount at John Besh restaurants.

jamesteroh

I was there last labor day weekend for decadence and also a couple years ago.

Good location. They only have a couple suites so no upgrade.

I was really disappointed in how the breakfast went downhill. In the past diamonds received a full buffet and gold's the continental buffet and they changed it last year that diamonds no only receive the continental
Last year we were able to use the breakfast vouchers at the coffee place later in the day or towards dinner in the bar which was nice since I like Café DuMonde anyway.

I didn't use the fitness center, but the pool is very small and no pool bar. When I stayed there a few years ago it was during a pretty big rain storm and a lot of the staff didn't even show up and they weren't even doing daily housekeeping.

They were very good with a late checkout the first time but like the breakfast, last year they were only able to give me as a diamond a 2 p.m. checkout with no charge and the gold's were with only received a 1 pm.

Unless there is a huge price difference in the future I'll stay at the Riverside Hilton instead. They have never given me a hassle with a late checkout and if upgrades are available they will upgrade me.

The exec lounge used to get crowded, but I am told they changed their policy and only diamonds and people on the exec level get access now and that has helped ease on the overcrowding (in the past all gold's received access but now if they aren't on the exec level it's a starbucks voucher).

In all honesty if I was going to Decadence this year I'd stay at the W. Even though I have no status with SPG, with the Delta program I would be guaranteed a 4 p.m. checkout and they are generous with upgrades

kyushuman

Thanks for the update.
It sounds like I'd just get the standard room with some coffee voucher, no real breakfast, at either DT or Hilton Riverside?
I'm not a Diamond so I would get less than you.... as you know. My current rates:
Doubletree $109 but on a BRG so effectively $92. For about $40 more the Hilton Riverside doesn't seem that appealing, though they have a really excellent full gym there.
I'm HH Gold, And no SPG status at all.
IHG Platinum but that usually gets you very little too.
Hampton Inn Convention Center is actually a great property--I've gotten huge suites in the gorgeous brick warehouse building it's in. That's only $80. The more I hear about the DT I might just switch back to the Hampton (even though it's a good 20 minute brisk walk from the FQ)

jamesteroh

If you stay at the Hilton Riverside and you get upgraded to the exec level, you would have lounge access and the breakfast is there. If not then it's starbucks vouchers. The DT, it's a continental buffet in the restaurant with things like fresh fruit and bagels, nothing impressive. You can upgrade to the full buffet for a charge and I can't remember what it was.

There are plenty of places in NOLA for a great breakfast and I would just eat someplace else and use the vouchers later in the day at the coffee shop or in the restaurant. Last year one of the days we used it later in the afternoon for coffee drinks at the coffee house and another day we ordered some wings and used it towards that.

Sometimes the Roosevelt will offer great deals, I would just keep checking their site. No breakfast, but it's a great hotel and last I heard diamonds and golds received two drink vouchers for their bar.

I would recommend checking out non-Hilton properties as well. If you go to the Southern Decadence site sometimes you can find some good room rates. We got a great suite one year at the Montellone for not much more than the Doubletree was charging. I've also have gotten great rates at the Marriott on Canal and I love their pool, it's a lot of fun that weekend and if you can get a room facing the opposite tower sometimes you get some interesting views that weekend You may also be able to receive some benefits like free wifi at an SPG property as a Delta gold with the crossover benefit

Khssoccer16

I stayed two months back, and it was ok. The front desk and valet personal were very personable and happy to strike up conversation. The hotel is old, dated, has small rooms, and was worn down. I totally agree that the shower was hot or cold no happy medium. Location is great 10-15 minute walk and you are in the middle of the quarter but not up to typical doubletree standards. Half of my outlets in the room didn't work, and didn't get anything more than a thanks for being a honors member even as a diamond.

krazykanuck

Thought I'd update this thread. Stayed here for 2 nights this weekend over Mardi Gras to burn a couple of free weekend night certs. As far as Hilton's go I prefer the one on St. Charles but it wasn't available for this weekend on regular award nights. Sorry no pics, I forgot to take some when we arrived and then the room turned into a mess.

Booked 2 doubles for a buddy and I. Arrived and accommodated a couple hours before check in. Room was a on the smaller side, we would have been close to tripping over each others stuff. Room amenities left a bit to be desired (no in room safe, which for me is a huge plus in NOLA). Bathroom doesn't have an exhaust fan and the fixtures show signs of corrosion. Height of the vanity seemed built for midgets. Noise also travels a ton through the rooms. It was very easy to hear our neighbors and conversations in the hall. The housekeeping staff are particularly chatty in the AM.

Onto to the plusses, the breakfast in the restaurant was really good. We received certs which are valid for the continental breakfast, with an upcharge of $8 to the full buffet. The continental includes the standard things, as well as grits (it is the south!). On Sunday they were so busy we were offered a choice of a 15 minute wait, or a table with no service. We opted for the table with no service and scavenged plastic forks from the PJs Coffee and helped ourselves to the buffet not knowing what was full and what was continental. The next day it was less manic and the full vs. continental distinction was enforced. Certs are also good for $10 at the PJs Coffee.

The location is fantastic and the parade route runs immediately on the north side of the hotel. You're given wrist bands and they have security checking for wrist bands to get to the guest elevators. We were on the 6th floor and had a partial view of the parade route from the room.

One big downfall was the valet service, though I will give them the benefit of the doubt being Mardi Gras weekend. It took them 30 minutes to get my car upon check out and after we left I found a iPhone 6 USB charger plugged into the USB plug of my stereo that wasn't there when I gave them the car. Because I don't have an iPhone. Charge for valet is $40/day ($36 + tax) which is steep but during Mardi Gras this is probably cheaper than the public lots in the area.

MARDI GRAS DRIVING TIPS: One thing is it was a pain to get here by car on Saturday because of all the parade street closures. Essentially the only way is to come through the French Quarter to N Peters, go around the convention center to Poydras, and then turn onto S Peters and from there you can turn directly into the valet stand. St. Charles is closed basically all the way from Napoleon to Canal during parade hours.

In summary I probably wouldn't stay here again if any of my other options are available, such as the St Charles Hilton or the HI on St Charles. Definitely not on a revenue stay.

orvando

paid to stay here in May, maybe $120+tax on MVP rate. was Gold at the time. received 2 vouchers for continental breakfast in lounge morning, $12+tax to upgrade to full buffet with hot items which include omlette-by-chef station.

did not receive room upgrade at check-in, although i found staff to be incredibly friendly and upbeat throughout stay. room was nice size, but every aspect of it was run-down and tired. peeling wallpaper, chipped everything everywhere. very loud AC wall unit. perhaps the worst Doubletree room i've ever been in.

would only return with an even cheaper rate. slightly better location that Hilton Riverside, but rooms there are much, much nicer.

JetSet05

I stayed at this hotel Feb 10-13 on points. I also paid for 2 other rooms via points for friends and family. I checked in online the day before and choose a room on the 13th floor that was located on a corner and was not a connecting room. Part of my selection choice was due to the fact I was traveling with a 4 month old, and wanted to reduce as much of the rowdy mardi gras noise as possible. I checked in, and they had moved me to a lower floor, middle of the hall, and with a connecting room. They said it was an upgrade, but I completely disagree. They were unable to switch me back.

Night 1, was rowdy, as expected for a New Orleans night. However, it was more than the expected. At 12:30 there was a lot of noise, more than the mardi gras norm. My husband walked out of our room and heard our connecting room neighbors hysterically screaming "he fell out the window". Indeed a guest did fall out of a window, from our floor, floor 9. He was staying a few floors down, and because my room was switched to a pool view (instead of floor 13 city view), I saw the end result of the guest falling out of the window. Both the actual guest, and everyone on the floor that was in a terrible state of mind. It was very disturbing. While I am not blaming DT for the acts of the guests, I still know I would have never known or seen anything had they not changed my room.

To add to the already bad stay, we were heading to my child's baptism and I needed to Shower. When I started my shower, no hot water was available. I ah to take a lovely cold shower, and I was texted a few hours later (during the baptism), that the hot water had been restored.

Now, I relised some of these things were outside the control of DT (a death), but if you were in my shoes, would you ask for points back?

Link to press release if anyone wanted to fact check me:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cole-wha...-witness-says/

KENNECTED

Question? Did you speak to management when you were on site? That is always the best time to do something like this.

Talk to the hotel GM and stick to the facts of your stay minus the fall and see what they say.

JetSet05

Yes. As my husband and I were the only two sober guests on floor 9, I had a lengthy conversation (and official statement) to the GM. It was not exactly my top concern that night to discuss a partial refund.
The GM was also dealing with the friends/frat brothers of the guests, the police investigation, the clean up after, Hilton calling in counselors, and the university of the guest.

BudgetJetsetter

Stayed here this week. Free breakfast is eliminated completely during my stay here. No housekeeping with the usual on demand requests for items.

Face mask required signs are posted but most people do not wear one.

Cheaper rates have more of the usual rowdy crowd than you'd expect which I'm fine with. I'm usually up very late with my wife.

It's housekeeping that's been waking us up in the morning. It's not their cleaning duties but that they play music loudly from their personal devices. I've already complained to management and they said it would be addressed.

Asked for late checkout and was denied with reasoning that there are a lot of check-ins next day.

Hotel is across the street from Harrah's casino. Opposite direction is 24 hour convenience stores that many panhandlers hang out in front of during all hours.

During this time, surrounding area is busy during the day but I suggest being careful in the evenings especially if returning from a night out drinking.