beachmouse

I've got a little bit of neck stiffness and find that pretty much all hotel pillows are awful. And have deep gratitude for whoever it was on FT that turned me on to Therm-a-rest memory foam travel pillows because they have so very much improved the quality of my hotel sleep.

wizla

Back in 2007 I met US singer Neil Diamond, he told me that he has lived in hotels pretty much all his life and has yet to find a comfy hotel pillow!.....I concluded from this that they don't actually exist.

timfountain

This I agree with 100% and that's one of the main reasons I don't stay at HI. The pillows are just horrible. Worldwide.

Points Scrounger

I thought it was the Hampton duvets that people hate so much?

wizla

MY lady does the same, always travels with her pillow .

chrism20

I'd have to agree re the pillows, it's probably one of the only things I dislike about Hamptons. It's like sleeping on a giant ball of cotton wool.

Doubletree ones are also pretty soft I think.

wizla

That's my issue too, never firm enough at any hotel regardless of brand....I've contemplated taking my home one many times on road trips but takes up to much room in suitcase.

zeer0

I would agree there. Probably the only negative I can think of at both of the recent HI starts I've had. The pillows on the other hand were very comfortable, and not overwhelmingly hard like at other chains.

Miesque

I agree about the pillows and sadly I have seen those pillows pop up at some HGIs (like the Richmond Airport HGI) which is unfortunate. On the other hand, the traditional Hilton Touch of Down pillow made by Pacific Coast Pillows I like so much I actually bought a few online from the manufacturer.

Super Mario

Most of my stays used to be at Hampton. I could many times find rooms under $99 that were pretty well kept, with free breakfast. I grew tired of their reward program though.

evergrn

I used to stay almost exclusively at Hampton before abruptly swearing off the brand ~10yrs.
Been avoiding Hampton, HGI, Homewood, etc.
Since then, I have done a few HGI stays, but I hadn't done Hampton or Homewood ever since.
However, I just had to stay at a Hampton cuz I had to stay in a town where the only choices were motels.
Pre-stay anticipation was worse than before dentist visit (maybe an exaggeration).

Turns out I was pleasantly surprised by a lot of things:
1. Bed linen sucked just as I'd remembered from 10yrs ago, but bath towels were much better quality than before.
2. Toiletries (shampoo, soap) now same as HGI (Neutrogena). Prior Hampton shampoo was garbage.
3. Room felt cleaner and better kept than many Doubletrees.
4. Upon check-in, I was handed welcome snacks including a few bars of espresso chocolate bars that had Hilton Honors label and actually tasted like expensive chocolates. I'd never seen these 'Hilton Honors' chocolates before. I inspected the wrapper and it said Astor chocolate, which is the same brand that makes the chocolate you get at WA's turndown service. Only difference is Hampton gave me 3x large bars, whereas WA just gave me 2x small bite-size ones.
5. Breakfast featured different kinds of Chobani greek yogurt, as well as homemade smoothies.

This is very different than the Hamptons I remember from circa 2010.

KathyWdrf

"Hidden Gem?" Hampton Inns are neither hidden nor (necessarily) gems. I've stayed at plenty, and they're generally OK, sometimes very good, usually decent value for the price, but generally no better than most Holiday Inn Express or comparable brands. Mediocre breakfast, at least in the U.S. The OP called it a "free" breakfast. Nope, it's included with the rate, for all guests. If it were truly free, then the whole world could walk in off the street and partake for no charge. (And rewards stays aren't "free," either. You had to do something to earn the points to redeem for those "free" stays.)

Haarlem Globetrotter

For some unknown reason Hamptons are usually where I get my best sleep. Because of this my Hilton brand ranking in order is generally: Conrad, Hilton. Hampton, HGI for top tier ... and then far below: Doubletree, Embassy suites, Homewood, and of course the Curio Maldives dump. This just my experience and travel pattern.

bearkatt

stayed at the Edinburgh, Scotland HI last may for 5 nights. I would definitely call it a hidden gem. on a bus route but walkable into town. hotel prices are high in that city, so the 5 nights for price of 4 points was a no brainer for me.

KathyWdrf

Could it be that the Hampton Inns outside the U.S. are generally better? The only non-U.S. one that I can remember staying at was in Krakow, Poland several years ago. It was nicer, décor-wise and breakfast-wise, than the U.S. Hamptons I've stayed at.