wizla

Hey many thanks , it's been great.....beer , prosseco and chocolate.....big diet and hit the gym hard when I get home.

wizla

Now off out, it's been a pleasant evening, got chatting to another Diamond out on the terrace, he travels the world staying in hotels , interesting!........lounge remained no more than half full all night, didn't touch the canapés as out for dinner but they looked ok.
Lounge happy hours are 6-8pm weekends and 6-8:30pm during the week......mainly been on prosseco but tried the De konick beer, quite nice.......will report back!

wizla

......great night, got back to hotel 11:15pm, stopped off in bar for a nightcap...... it's a huge bar area and we were the only ones present, two beers @ €8.20.
Slept well again laid in quite late so quick shower and off to breakfast......the shower is good but the cubicle is a little small.
Off home today but Eurostar does not leave until 6pm tonight so going to try for very late check out, ......will report back!

TIP- restaurant across the square " da Giovanni " ...... had an excellent lasagne and my lady had the vegetarian version ( which was excellent too I'm told ) with 2 beers @€ 46 ....... music, laughter , got chatting to an interesting Canadian couple , everyone friendly!......top recommendation!

unusualtravelblog

The pizza in Da Giovanni is very good, so I guess the lasagne is too, so good recommendation.

I booked the lowest price room and received Junior Suite as a diamond. The room is nice but the bathroom is quite simple in my opinion. There is a shower and a bath tub but you'd expect a better shower for a suite.

The lounge is fine, wizla explained everything well. The breakfast is pretty amazing, with so many smoothies to choose from, even with spinach. The chocolate fountain is something I've never seen before on a breakfast buffet so that was pretty cool. Luckily no kids putting their fingers in it, maybe because it is a monday morning and wizla reported during the weekend.

unusualtravelblog

wizla

Yes they gave me late check out until 3pm, im now packing for the long punt home........I should get home late tonight where I will conclude my report, I also have the hangover from hell!

wizla

.....was you in the lounge last.night?

unusualtravelblog

I was there during canapés yes from the early beginning.
I only reminded the carhartt part so I was looking for a shirt with "carhartt" on it or the logo of it.
Me and my girlfriend were the youngest people in the lounge.

I feel a bit mistreated as diamond as you received a late checkout and I just asked for additional lounge access to do some computer work lol.
I am still new to Hilton as I status matched from IHG though so I didn't know what I can expect from my diamond status and what not. Should I send a complaint?

wizla

No I agree, you should have been treated better, late check outs are hit and miss depending on if the room is booked for that night but the lounge access they could have let you have, let's be honest it wasn't exactly busy was it....... I've also been declined a late check out too but always given lounge access until I have to leave for my flight/transportation.
I think I do remember seeing you ( dark hair , glasses? ) , I was over on the sofa by the tv......but obviously wasn't sure.at the time.

wizla

At 3pm I check out, this was done swiftly and I'm on my way, parking is downstairs @€20.

CONCLUSION- it's an unusual hotel but I really like it, everything went nearly perfect ( I did have to get room card re cut once ) but that was it......the lounge offerings was a little lame but everything else was fine, the lifts were fast, the breakfast was one of the best I've had in a Hilton and I actually liked the old fashioned feel to the hotel , dunno why I usually prefer modern ( think Hilton Canary Wharf) but I slept very well.......my hangover turned out to be a flu bug so traveling home was awful so whilst I'm writing this from my sick bed I can conclude I'm very happy with my stay here and will return one day .....Antwerp is great!

ROOM NO - 329

NEXT PLANNED STAY - Hilton tower bridge ( 9-11-18 )

unusualtravelblog

Annoying to get the flu from your birthday weekend. Get well soon!
I think you got it right, dark hair and glasses and not the smallest guy. The breakfast was indeed very nice. I sent a complaint about the lounge access. The old style was a bit too "old-fashioned" looking for me. I think luxury hotels looked like this 50 years ago
Room No 515

wizla

It was horrendous, I dont know how I made it home last night, nearly ended up checking in to Hilton Maidstone as I was not sure I was fit to drive rest of the journey......... I can see your angle on the hotel being a little too old fashioned and totally agree however I find myself liking it, can't explain why I just sleep very well here , maybe the Belgium beer helps !

Delectatio

This is one of those Hiltons where I would like to stay one day... Even though I only live 2 miles away :-))

wizla

Hey you live in a great place, I love the whole vibe there, so laid back...... I guess it's kinda pointless you staying at the hotel but you could do it just as a treat, when I go to London I have many friends and family I can stay with which I occasionally do but yet still can't resist the Hilton's.

NYScot

Small world. I stayed in room 329 a couple of weekends ago.

We also ate at Da Giovanni - in fact it has become a standing joke among my friends on our annual pilgrimage to Antwerp that's it hard to pass their 3(4?) restaurants in that area without getting dragged in by the waitstaff. Good food though.