mstan

I'm staying at one after many many years, and it has not changed a single bit. This brand desperately needs a major remodel / gutting / update of the rooms to bring them up to date. It used to be nice but feels so tired now.

Sisosig

Same opinion for the past 20 years, but some of the newly opened HGIs have a new look. I assume you haven't been to any of those. This forum has a thread listing newly opened Hiltons in its wiki. Some looking more modern than others, like:

Chandler, AZ: Hilton Garden Inn Chandler Downtown (May)
Miramar Beach, FL: Hilton Garden Inn Destin Miramar Beach - Panhandle Beach hotel (June)
Summervile, SC: Summerville: Hilton Garden Inn Summerville (April)
Memphis, GA: Hilton Garden Inn Memphis Downtown (January), new prototype
etc.

writerguyfl

The highlighted part above is an example of why the highlighted part below is wildly subjective.

Personally, I appreciate hotels like Hilton Garden Inns. You tend to know exactly what you're getting even if you've never stayed at the reserved property.

craigthemif

The Hilton Garden Inn in [city, state, country] could use a refresh.

There are new HGIs and there are older HGIs, just like there are new and old hotels of all brands. Nobody builds a brand new hotel and puts in 20-year old fixtures, furniture, etc. But equally... no hotel owner is forced to tear down and rebuild a perfectly useful hotel just because somebody thinks it's getting a bit old. They simply accept a deterioration in the rate they can charge.

The brand is basically irrelevant, except occasionally where it reveals a hotel chain that can't be bothered to hold its franchisees to brand standards.

eric_o

Kind of like the Doubletree? Requirements: Hang signs, offer cookies.

wizla

Gotta say Hilton garden inn Seville is better than many full service Hilton’s I’ve stayed in.

aww3583

HGI Spartanburg is one of my favorite hotels in the country. I've stayed at over 170 different properties in the Hilton chain and this one is in the top 10. The closets have tons of shelving on sliders, the TVs are enormous, walk-in showers with high-end shower heads, etc. The restaurant is above average compared to nearby eateries.

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/gsp...n-spartanburg/

I'll agree, there are some extremely dated HGIs. However, the newer properties exceed most middle-age Hiltons in terms of design, amenities, value, etc.

N965VJ

The newer HGIs are a reflection of where the brand is going, but that doesn't make the older ones unattractive to me. They'll start dropping out of the Hilton brand just like HI have been doing for a while.

The same thing is happening to Marriott brands, just with added Bonvoyances® like new properties not having hot tubs, a real first world problem.

LarryJ

How often do good hotels remodel?

Smaug

Most of the HGI remodels I have seen have the sliding doors on the bathrooms. If I am not traveling alone, I will avoid those properties if possible.

bitterproffit

I stayed at one in Columbus OH (University) that I have stayed at for years. The interior of the room was completely remodeled. It was a great remodel. More modern, a little bit lighter, a more comfortable arm chair. Instead of dresser drawers there were stainless steel basket pull outs which I think are cleaner and more sanitary. Decor was more modern, lighting improved, barn door bathroom door, no more stodgy dark wood armoir. Updated bed. I was a big fan. It was about $10 cheaper than the Hampton next door.

GateGuardian

I've stayed at one in Fredericton and it gives me more of a Hampton Inn & Suites feel sans the free breakfast.

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/yfc...n-fredericton/

Stripe

What specifically is the problem with the rooms? Worn furniture, lumpy beds, chipped paint, stained carpets, and moldy bathrooms? That sort of stuff does not require a major renovation. It's regular maintenance . If the hotel isn't doing that the problem is with that property's management. It's not a reasonable indictment of the brand, unless the brand isn't enforcing standards.

Is the problem old, crappy wifi and too few power plugs? Those to me are the main things that signal "outdated" but they are directly correlated with the age of the property. Even a 5-10 year old hotel can fall short in tech.

Otherwise, I think the the basic HGI concept still works -- clean room with a good desk, chair, fridge, and microwave, modest but full service bar and restaurant, and a nice breakfast setup that lets you do buffet if you're in a hurry but also cooked to order. Perhaps this appeals to an older clientele like me, but I think Hilton has enough new brands that offer minimalist rooms and open plan common areas for trendy people to meet up and hang out. No reason to turn HGI into Tru.

writerguyfl

Typically, it's every 6 or 7 years for a full renovation. Full renovations for rooms would be furniture, mattresses, wall coverings, flooring, and the bathroom (if necessary). Additionally, soft-goods in rooms (bedspreads/duvets, bed skirts, curtains) would be replaced.

Many hotels will schedule a soft-goods renovation (or even two) in between full renovations.

A full renovation for public areas tends to happen less frequently than full renovations of guest rooms because they tend to get less use. Since they typically require closing important sections of the hotel, public area renovations are avoided until absolutely necessary. (Closing off X number of rooms to renovate is easier that closing a restaurant or the pool area, for example.)

Of course, busy hotels will get renovated more often than struggling hotels with low occupancy. That fact can cause problems for struggling hotels. Many times, they can't afford to renovate because they're not making money...but one reason they have low occupancy might be the poor quality of their rooms.

DiverDave

I like the exterior - very modern compared to the classic HGI.

The new HGI in Lompoc, CA has very nice modern rooms and lobby, but the classic HGI exterior. Their rooms are also a bit larger than the standard HGI, as they tend to have a lot of long term stay customers.

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/lpc...en-inn-lompoc/