stevekoe

I am making my first stay at a HGI property this week, after many years of staying at numerous Hampton Inn properties. I am at the PDX location, and I am reasonably satisfied with my stay. I booked the room late and was accommodated nicely on a holiday weekend at a nicely discounted rate -- which they even let me extend to Sunday night on short notice, as my flight home to Florida was cancelled due to HC Frances.

What I am curious about is the brand differentiation between HGI and HI. In most markets where there is a choice, the HI seems to be slightly less expensive, though sometimes negligibly so. At first glance, the rooms look identical to the nicer HI properties at which I have stayed. I have a king sized bed, with a chair, work desk, 27-in. television, 2-line phone, and wireless HSIA. That is pretty much the same thing I get when I stay at the HI in Commack, NY -- which I do frequently. The only difference there is the 2-line phone, and I don't consider that significant.

Digging deeper....the bathroom has nicer products -- separate shampoo and conditioner, and a small mouthwash. There was no lotion. At HI, I get shampoo with conditioner and lotion.

Beyond the room, the hotel has an indoor pool, pantry, business center, workout room, and complimentary hot buffet breakfast (for elites, anyway). Is this the only real differentiation? There is a pool at most HIs, but most of the properties I have come across, the pool is outside. Only some HI properties have a business center or workout room, and I have yet to see one with a pantry. The breakfast was a little nicer, too.

All in all, it seems like Hilton is trying to position itself in a market against the Marriott Courtyard. If this is the case, HGI scores points with the breakfast, but otherwise doesn't impress me as much as the newly refurbished CY properties.

Am I missing something else? Please don't think that I am griping....just curious where this brand fits in the grand scheme of things so I would know what to expect should I choose to book in the future.

Thanks,
Stevekoe

KathyWdrf

You must have been lucky in the Hampton Inn properties you've stayed at. There is in fact WIDE variation among them. Some are very basic, no-frills places with obviously cheap furnishings, small windows, and limited breakfast options. Others are much, much more luxurious. Some have microwaves and fridges in the rooms, but most do not (at least in my experience). Also, there is typically NO restaurant. (There have been other threads on Hampton Inns, including a long one devoted to reviews of HIs in various locations.)

I find HGI to be VERY different from HI. Most HGIs seem to be pretty new and much more uniform than HI. There is always a fridge and microwave in the room at HGI; always a pantry, a business center with free internet access, and (I believe) free high-speed internet in the rooms. There is a restaurant onsite, and it doesn't just serve breakfast, but other meals as well. In sum, you get a lot more than the no-frills experience, and rates are set accordingly.

underpressure

I go with Kathy on this. The HGI's I have been at have been much nicer than many of the Hilton's I have stayed at. They fired the first volley with no additional charge high speed Internet in all of the rooms, Courtyard matched it (or is at least trying as fast as they can).
As far as the rates, I have found many times they are the sames as a HI and if they are more it is ten bucks or so.
IMHO, this is the shining star of the chain right now.

bigjim

I actually agree with all posters on this thread.

I have seen instances (Pensacola Florida is a very good example), of the Hampton Inn and the Hilton Garden Inn being located side by side. While I have found the restaurant to be a little nicer at the HGI, the other differences in the hotels are neglible.

On the other hand, I have stayed in some crappy Hampton Inns (Foley, Alabama) and the Hilton Garden Inn 15 miles down the road at Orange Beach is absolutely great.

skylane

Tough question here folks for you dedicated Hilton followers... I've got a choice on where to stay for the next 3 months - a Hilton Garden or a Hampton Inn. They are right next to each other and both practically new (Lake Forest area outside of Irvine, CA). Rates at both are the same. Both have free Internet access. I'm a Hilton Diamond. Which one should I choose?

Hilton Garden
<UL>
<LI>+ $5 pantry money with each checkin
<LI>- Hot breakfast costs extra (Diamond just gets regular breakfast)
<LI>- No room upgrades.
<LI>+ More business guests - quieter.
</UL>

Homewood Suites
<UL>
<LI>+ Suite upgrades
<LI>+ Hot breakfast every morning
<LI>- Rest of breakfast buffet isn't quite as nice at Hilton Garden
<LI>- More kids/families staying (noisier)
</UL>

UpgradeMe

Title and text say HGI or Hampton. List says HGI or Homewood. I'm confused.

SEA_Tigger

I love the HGI"s, myself. The Homewood Suites are nice for extended stays since they have kitchens.

HGI vs. Hampton Inn, it's a no brainer. Always go for the HGI. And I love the PDX HGI is always cheaper then the HI. ^

MIKESILV

Not that tough, I would take a HGI over a HI every time.
Often they are newer properties, some actually have a PM dinner menu and the upgrade to a hot breakfast if you want it is often less than $5.

Plus if you break up your stays you get 500 miles vs 100 per stay.

mile

Humaniod

You can get an UG at HGI to a suite. Not really a full suite but a little longer room with sofa area. Of course you lose the $5 pantry cert.

craz

lets see if im not gonna make Diamond on nights but on stays. then Ill do both by switching back and forth every other night so as to get the Stay credit and the extra miles (assuming you chose Pts and Miles) if you get the 28 stays any way then I guess id go with Homewood. they usually have nicer pools(size wise) if you meant as the title says Hampton or HGI then again Id switch if the stay credits will be needed, or Homewood again. As for the HIs breakfast most likely if they are next to each other the same people own both so they wont you dropping by for breakfast. ive stayed at some HIs that didnt have a pool/hot tub but the Homewood did and they owned both so they told me just go over and if asked give them your room3 from over here (HI)

azepine00

If you are planning a long and rather expensive stay it may be worth stopping by and speaking with hotel manager ahead of time to see if he/she can offer you some extras (perhaps daily hot breafast at HGI or an extra large room or smth else along those lines).

Motion122

HGI at Lake Forest is a very new property. Stayed there once, new rooms, okay breakfast.

I hope you are there for business, there is not much to do around the area.

ElmhurstNick

I would stay at the Homewood if there are any decent restaurants within 10 minutes of you, unless you really really like your hot breakfast. If it's one of the Homewoods with Queen Studio rooms that are about 30x15, I'd take one of those every time and even pass up the two-room suite upgrades.

The $5 pantry credit at the HGI is nice, but the ability to stop and get your favorite beverage and snack and store it in your own full-size refrigerator is really nice after a couple of weeks. And some Homewoods even go out and do grocery shopping for their customers a la Residence Inn.

cordelli

Not even a choice to be made if it's Homewood vs. HGI for a long term stay. Homewood easily wins out. Having a full size fridge, a stove and the space (especially if they upgrade you to a huge room, though if it's just you it's a total waste to be able to sleep 8 in a room for one with two baths).

I swear, just being able to bet a six pack or a couple bottles of diet coke, come home and open a bottle or fill a normal sized glass (not 3 oz plastic thing) with ice and kick back and make dinner once in a while is so worth it. The evening snack is nice if you are funning in and out to dinner or something too.

If it's HGI vs HI, then it's more of a choice, I'd probably go for the HGI and full breakfast. I also like the pantry credit for a soda and ice cream bar at the end of the day.

I have never heard a peep from anybody at all my homewood stays, indeed I always felt like I was the only person in the place. It was freakishly quiet.

But if long term and Homewood is one of the choices, I'd always choose that.

skylane

Sorry about the title - it's Hilton Garden vs. Hampton Inn. I already spoke to the sales managers and got the discounted rates. As much as I'd like to split up the stays between the two properties I'm afraid I'd be frowned upon by the sales managers (since by giving me the discounted rate they would want all my business at the one property).