Thought I'd post a review on this property as I wasn't quite sure what to make of it...

Stay: 2 days midweek end of Jun '13
Room: Booked deluxe for 1 person (no standard rooms left/ available)
Status: Gold

So the first thing, think of this as a hotel which serves the airport, not a hotel at the airport. It is over 5 miles from the airport, and unlike the Radisson Blue etc which are near the terminals... the only way you'd see this property is on final approach out the left side of the aircraft!

Aware I would be using the shuttle bus I didn't really worry too much about the distance, but it takes a good 10mins - the drivers do seem to take back road/ short cuts at rush hour/ peak times which is useful. The shuttle runs every 45mins during the day. There is a timetable (which to be fair it adhered to) but you wouldn't know that on arrival at the airport so if like me you unknowingly miss one by a couple of mins then you're in for quite a wait - which is made considerably more frustrating by the fact that every other hotel chain shuttle will pass numerous times during that wait! There is a 2 euro charge for journeys from the hotel to the airport - although I wasn't always charged that.

Upon arrival at the property it looks fairly smart and modern although not in an area to match the hotel exactly. There is a large Tesco across the road which is quite handy, and a bus stop which has regular buses into the City Centre E2.40 for an adult single.

Upon check in I was welcomed and told they had my Gold status on file. I was given 2 breakfast tokens, and internet voucher (for bar/ restaurant area code – otherwise you just use your name and room no. to log on). I was also given a voucher for a free drink in the hotel Bar/Grill.

Having booked a deluxe room I had no expectation of an upgrade (the only higher level being suites) and indeed I didn’t receive an upgrade but was quite happy with my fairly large deluxe room. There were two bottles of water and a jar of nuts sat on the side. The room itself was not in condition to match the rest of the hotel. It was smart and tidy but there were a number of knocks and scuffs on walls etc.

I ate in the bar for dinner on the first night and was actually quite impressed, whilst the prices were as you’d expect for such a hotel the portions were a decent size and the staff managed to maintain good service in what was a very busy environment. It is worth noting there are no real nearby alternatives that I could see, a KFC in the opposite shopping complex or a bus into the City centre.

Breakfast was average. There was a nice selection and everything you’d expect from a Hilton breakfast, but in comparison to somewhere like Tower Bridge where the scrambled egg etc. seems to be spot on every time, it just wasn’t anything special. Interestingly on the first morning I ate fairly late and the service was excellent (filling my OJ, offering more tea etc.), on the second morning after being shown to a table, I wasn’t spoken to again and not offered any tea/ coffee for the entire time I was in there.

On the plus side the drinks voucher was redeemable for any drink and I had a nice large glass of red on the last night (work complete!). Likewise the water in my room was replaced.

Conclusion?: Well like many airport hotels there are often good rates to be found here, but for me an airport hotel is all about convenience and if I were to require a stay here again I'm not sure whether the Hilton brand and benefits would be enough to sway me away from the Radisson Blu etc which are located next to the terminal. Ironically my meetings were at the Radisson Blu but prices and benefits made me head for the Hilton.

Interestingly having walked across to the Tesco on the first night for some bits, I was told by a colleague the next day that the area wasn’t the best for wandering around in the evening, albeit on a bright summers evening I can’t say I felt uncomfortable or at risk walking across to the shops!