This installment will cover my stay at the Hilton Belfast. The trip to the coast and Giant's Causeway, black cab tour, and other highlights to come.
For the remaining three nights, I switched to the Hilton. Why did I do that? Once again, this goes back to having random plane tickets with no real destination in mind. I was toying with all kinds of ideas and wasting way too much time planning this trip. I was suffering from analysis paralysis; there were just too many options. Then I saw there was a Hilton sale, and rooms were really cheap (£80 for the “deluxe” category), and I thought, why not and booked a non-refundable rate, thinking that it would at least commit me to staying in Belfast. One decision was made, at least.
As you will read below, it was not my best decision. Mid-range hotels always disappoint me: either go cheap (because, hey, it’s super cheap!) or go fancy. I forgot that when booking this stay.
I’ll start with the good: everyone in the hotel— aside from Housekeeping!—was very friendly and helpful. The people at the reception desk were always great (if mostly ineffective at getting Housekeeping to do anything), the staff in the breakfast room hustled to keep everything clean and refilled, and the concierge booked me a black cab tour at the last minute.
But Housekeeping was terribly, hilariously bad at their job. My first impression on entering the room was, well, that’s what I get for booking a mid-range chain hotel. And then I went into the bathroom. There was a half-empty bottle of moisturizer and what struck me as a rather paltry assortment of other toiletries. One of the hand towels had what looked like mascara stains on it (black smudges, which look exactly like what my towels look like when I don’t properly wash my face, so I recognize mascara stains on towels when I see them.) And, while the trash bag in the bathroom was empty, laying across the trash bin was one long, used string of dental floss. <Insert horror music here.> Which seemed stuck to the top of the trash can, and hung over the side, but I guess being stuck was better because I was worried it might fly up when I opened the lid and that would be gross.
Toiletry assortment upon checking in
I am not going to be winning any photography awards anytime soon.
Hmmm, had I been given a room that hadn’t been cleaned? The bed was made. But had the sheets been changed? Did Housekeeping think they were just refreshing the room for a guest who was staying over? This hotel had one of those cards that you were supposed to put on the bed if you wanted sheets changed, so you were opting-in to fresh sheets, rather than opting out (I’m one of those cynics who thinks this benefits the hotel more than the environment.) In other words, YEECH.
What I should have done was to go back to reception and ask for another room. According to the floor plan, all the rooms are basically the same. The “deluxe rooms” just have bathrobes and slippers and were on a higher floor. The “executive rooms” were on higher floors still, with lounge access. It’s also a large hotel. It probably would have been very easy to switch. But I didn’t do that. I had a late lunch reservation, so really needed to be on my way, because after that I had a black cab tour. I had a schedule to keep, dammit. A call to housekeeping on the phone connected me with the general Hilton reservations line, so I went downstairs, stood in the line for reception, and asked if I could have the room clean. The look of horror on the concierge’s face when I mentioned the dental floss was priceless.
When I got back, Housekeeping had come, yes, BUT THE DENTAL FLOSS WAS STILL THERE. As was the half-empty bottle of moisturizer. A bunch of other toiletries (ooh, I get conditioner! And bath gel! And more shampoo!) was there as well, but I guess the idea of disposing of the stuff used by the previous occupant didn’t register. I tossed the offending half-empty moisturizer in the trash, thankful that at least the dental floss didn’t fly up at me, and decided that tonight would be a good night go try a great cocktail bar, but I won’t sully that experience by including it in this installment. I looked the bed over carefully, still concerned that maybe the sheets hadn’t been changed. Sigh.
The next morning, I was out early to go on the Giant’s Causeway tour, and not back until 6. The bed was unmade, all dirty towels still in the bathroom, housekeeping hadn’t bothered. I went back downstairs, spoke once again to reception and asked for housekeeping to come (making sure the “please change sheets” card was still prominently displayed on the bed) and went out to find dinner. When I got back, the bed was made and there were fresh towels. But guess what was still there? That’s right, the dental floss.
Still there!
Since this was becoming a regular thing, the next morning I stopped by reception to ask if the dental floss could please be removed. I could have removed it, but a) I didn’t want to, and b) IT WASN’T MINE. The person I spoke with again looked horrified. I’m pleased to report when I got back, it was gone.
Cleanliness aside, the furnishings and decor were exactly as depicted on the hotel’s web site. It was all just worn and tired, which was exacerbated by the lack of housekeeping. The carpets certainly never got vacuumed during my stay. The same random dirt at the foot of the bed that was there when I checked in was still there when I left. One lamp didn’t work. The slippers were the cheap unbranded terry cloth adjacent ones, so no extra points there.
Out and about, I briefly talked with a couple who said they were staying at some “fleabag hotel,” which went unnamed, but since I saw them again a few days later near the Hilton, in a place without any other touristic value, I’m going to guess we both having the same housekeeping woes.
It's possible they were out that way to look at the public art-- Sheep on the Road-- but probably not.
The breakfast buffet was good. Specific local offerings included a bottle of Bushmill’s for adding to the porridge (I did not try that), Irish soda bread, and potato farls. I’ve never had potato farls before, but I am a big fan of carbs, so I was satisfied with the bread and potato options available. That said, there are also a few options near the hotel (a Costa Coffee and St. George’s Market on some days).
I should have remained at the Titanic Hotel, or tried the Malmaison or Merchant, according to various locals. Hotel prices in Belfast are really very reasonable, although I walked by an Etap (which is the budget brand below Ibis; I’ve always thought it was about the level of a Red Roof Inn or Motel 6) that was advertising available rooms for £139, which struck me as absurdly high for Belfast, since the Merchant had rooms for £140.
At any rate, the stay ended up being quite a bit cheaper in the end. The staff— aside from Housekeeping! Third verse same as the first!—was great and offered a very fair discount for my woes, so I’m satisfied with the service recovery.
The hotel is apparently being renovated. There were some designs posted in the lobby, which looked quite nice. Even though the staff— aside from housekeeping!— was really nice and helpful, I’d avoid this hotel until the renovations are finished (sometime in 2020?) and hope there’s a new Housekeeping staff then.