I've stayed at the DT Guest Suites in Austin quite a bit. It's fantastic and, even for a Silver like me, they're fantastic about upgrades. Last year, at Christmas, we got bumped up to a massive corner suite.

The Hilton Palacio del Rio in San Antonio is also really hard to beat. It's a great location, a nice hotel with terrific service, and just the perfect spot for a fun weekend -- particularly if you scout ahead a little and find a right price.

Short Review: Midland and El Paso
 

Here`s my recent experience with family hotels in these 2 cities:
1. MAF: The Hilton is the nicest hotel in town. It has 2 nice perks that very few other full service hotels have: free local phone calls and free computer use in their business center. Also, their executive lounge is now open on the weekends, which is a recent development. It is under a very long renovation, and the lounge is temporarily in the north tower rather than the south. It is a fine hotel. The Hampton is also nice, mainly because it has been built in the past couple years; it also has free computer use,
2. ELP: The Embassy Suites is lousy. The pool area was trashy, with cigarette butts all over the place. The evening reception and breakfast were disappointing. The only fruit at breakfast was canned fruit coktail, and the hot items were greasy. For the evening, only greasy popcorn was served, the booze was cheap and poor, and the red wine tasted like grape juice with alcohol added. I`d rather they served decent stuff and limited people to 2 drinks, rather than serve the lowest quality items imaginable. They charge about $12.50/hr for their computer, in sharp contrast to the free access at most Hamptons. I haven`t stayed at the Hilton in awhile, but I found it unimpressive. The Hampton Inn & Suites is the best local property; in fact, one of the best Hamptons I`ve stayed at. You can normally get an upgrade on weekends (they`re usually booked during the week), and on Monday-Thursday, they have a reception that is far superior to ES.

I'm glad to see upgrade report on MAF. I was there maybe 2 years ago on the concierge floor (on a fairly vacant night) and it was a dingy, shabby place. Cracked marble in the bathroom, rusted sink, and smoky hallways. I do remember their breakfast buffet was amazingly good after such a disappointing night.

I stayed at the ELP Airport Hilton once and was very queezy about it. Visited the Downtown Hilton during the same stay and wished I would have stayed there and even inquired at the desk what I would have received as a DIA and they let me tour a suite room, and I thought it was most impressive.

The downtown hotel is now a Camino Real, no longer a Hilton

I would avoid the Embassy Suites in ELP at all cost, it has become a dump.

The new Hampton Inn is much better ;)

ELP Airport Hilton
 

I don't know what made you queezy about this location, but I've stayed there 3 times recently. Last week was the most recent. The pool area is nice, and if you have the kids along (had my nephew, niece and brother-in-la along on this trip) the waterslide will keep them busy for hours. The rooms that I've had have been clean enough, and the noise from the airport isn't bad if you stay on the lower floors. I haven't been on the top floors or on the airport side of the hotel to know whether noise is an issue over there.

Proximity to the airport is great, and its only a 3-4 minute drive to the Interstate.

I had read online that they were going to build a new Hilton (Garden Inn?) near the airport on Airway.


Any one know when this is expected to be open?

ELP Hilton
 

I have stayed at that Hilton numerous times using points...it is a good stopping place between tucson and houston, and since the hampton inn is never available when i am passing through, and I just can't seem to make it all the way to Kerrville or SAT, it is where i stop...It is difficult to find the hotel at night the first couple of times. I have driven through the airport a couple of times, having missed the turn...It isn't much easier in the day time.....I have never felt "nervous" really, even checking in late at night, but it definitely has an "interesting" vibe...Staff have always been nice to me (one lady has worked there for as long as I have been going there and she remembers me every time). The oreos and bottle water next to the bed with a welcome note is a nice touch

Glad to hear the Midland Hilton is under renovation. I stayed there four years ago, and had an upgrade to a large suite. However, not only was much of the hotel looking dingy and worn out, but the suite I was in looked like it hadn't been touched since about 1975. The large, console TV in the living room did have a remote control, but if you wished to change channels directly on the TV, you would have to dial to the right number on a turn knob. There was also a rotary dial phone in the room. Fortunately the other phone, and the TV in the bedroom, were newer, dating from the late 1980s. Still not new, but at least not almost as old as I am.

This looks like the Hilton family hotel in town:

Hampton Inn Laredo (Reward Category 3: 25,000 pts. per night)
7903 San Dario, Laredo, Texas, United States 78045
Tel: +1-956-717-8888 Fax: +1-956-717-8391

If you're going across the Rio Grande, there is also this choice:

Hilton Garden Inn Nuevo Laredo (Reward Category 2: 20,000 pts. per night)
Av. Reforma 5102 Col. Lagos, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico 88290
Tel: +52-867-7114600 Fax: +52-867-7114601

Has anyone stayed at the Laredo, Texas (LRD) property? Any comments?

See Hampton Inn Laredo (duplicate thread started 27 Aug 05)
http://64.78.185.85/forum/showthread.php?t=466810

What was wrong with it?

Amarillo Hilton Properties - A Report
 

Just recently concluded a 'swing' thru Amarillo, TX and stayed at three of the only Hilton porperties in the area:

1. Hampton Inn - East -> This property was closest to the airport. The staff were very nice and cordial, but the property was a dump, even at Hampton standards. The property is two-stories - BUT NO ELEVATOR! Had to lug suitcases up two-fights of stairs. The room was BASIC in every way. There was a noticeble 'stinch' of cigarette smoke throughout the property. The only redeeming thing about the property was the courteous staff.

2. Hampton Inn & Suites - West -> This property is on the west end of town off of I-40. Relatively new property, indoor pool. Was placed in a 'suite' room. Nothing really special - accepting for Hampton standards. Nothing really stood out about this property. Staff not as friendly as Hampton East.

3. Homewood Suites - This is a relatively new property, about 1/2 mile from the Hampton East. This property was GREAT! The staff were friendly, and the accomadations were first-rate. This one one of the nicer Homewood Suites I have stayed at. The common areas were very clean, and the complimentry breakfast was excellant. Rooms were very roomy, and furniture was comfortable. The upgraded room was a two-room suite, while standard rooms were one-room suites - both with separate kitchen areas. They are also the only Hilton property to offer a complimentry shuttle to the airport - even though they were located the farthest from the airport!

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend the Homewood Suites if your travels take you to Amarillo. The two Hampton's had no Diamond amenity offered (I didn't request it because a couple bottles of water and a bag of pretzels don't excite me), but the Homewood Suites did have two bottles of water and a Hershey's chocolate bar waiting for me in my room at check-in :-)

Thanks for the report, acalispice! Just a quick clarification. The Homewood Suites is actually 1/2 mile from the Hampton West.

As an Amarillo native, I hope you enjoyed your trip!

Cheers,
LBBZman

acalispice, you've hit the nail on the head with your descriptions of all three Hilton family properties in Amarillo. I've stayed at all three and when I was there a couple of weeks ago stayed at the Homewood Suites. I will stay there from now on. It's odd that the Hampton Inn is pretty much the same price as the Hampton Inn and Suites. The cigarette smell in the former property is unbearable.

Any update on the rennovation at the Hilton in Midland? I have some trips coming up to Midland and it looks to be the nicest hotel in town from the choices I see online.