UK2USFlier

I'm now staying in my 5th hotel, 4th Hilton property on my current trip to the US. One night in the DoubleTree Newark, 2 nights at a Garden Inn Savannah, 10 minutes at the DoubleTree Tallahassee (Doubletree Hotel Tallahassee, post #7), 2 nights in the Park Plaza Tallahassee and now, one of the Garden Inns in Tallahassee.

I've stayed in many Garden Inns, some more than once, and I thought I knew what to expect from the chain. Those expectations included a restaurant that offered dinner or evening room service. The property where I'm now staying through Friday is the first Garden Inn I've stayed where the restaurant is breakfast only. To be fair, that's exactly what both HGI property websites state - this hotel's restaurant is open from 6:30am - 10:30am.

In view of my bed-hopping in Tallahassee (not for extra stays, but for other reasons), I didn't even check the website for this hotel and made my reservation by walking in to the property. I just assumed that the facilities would be the same as the other 10 or so HGIs where I've stayed.

Here's question #1 - is this a new trend at Garden Inn's or have I just been lucky in my previous choices?

And on a separate note, I did try to search this forum for more information, using the search terms "Garden Inn Restaurant" and "HGI dining". The words "Inn" and "HGI" are below the four letter minimum search term (yes, I know that both "Inn" and "HGI" are three letters - it's 6:20am and I've was woken at 5:30am by the television from my neighbour - the walls are really thin here!!).

Question #2 - for my general interest - why the four letter minimum in the search facility?

KENNECTED

Here is the search "bible" thread authored by our very own Canarsie.
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ghlight=search

You should also read this thread being new to the Hilton Forum
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=668731

Cheap Elite AKA Search Maniac.

PHLGovFlyer

I think its the other way around... IME all of the HGIs I've stayed at have offered dinner at their restaurants. It seems you've found an exception to the norm.

ssullivan

Most of the HGIs I've stayed in have evening food service, but I have encountered a couple that didn't. I've also seen one or two where the hotel's restaurant wasn't open but they had arrangements with a local restaurant near the hotel for dinner delivery. I think I've only ever stayed in one HGI that had absolutely no dinner service, provided either by the hotel's restaurant or a local restaurant that offered delivery to the hotel.

JDiver

All HGIs offer breakfast service, most offer dinner, and lunch is more of a crap shoot. I am at another HGI (Arcadia/Pasadena) that is breakfast only, fortunately one that is across the street from an Embassy Suites, will soon be near a Doubletree, and has a number of restaurants within an easy three block walk. Metro HGIs without dinner often have a delivery service that will bring food from a number of nearby restaurants for a reasonable fee.

I do quite a few business stays at HGIs - this is nothing new, and I always check the website for the specific property.

And, I agree - Canarsie is a serious FT Search boffin / fundi and knows his beans on search - read his post. (It's a good thing, Canarsie! )

UK2USFlier

Thanks, all - read the search post, used the Google feature, and (to quote Bono) "I still couldn't find what I'm looking for". Maybe it's partially cos next door's TV was still on full volume and after two phone calls and a personal trip to the reception area, it transpired that my neighbour was out but had left the TV on. This HGI has *really* thin walls!!!

And I've found out that the other Hilton Garden Inn in Tallahassee - the one closer to town - has their restaurant open for breakfast service only, but my colleague staying there tells me that it is indeed open for dinner.

I guess you can't trust the websites completely - calling the specific hotel and asking seems to be the only option.

DAL

We stayed at the same HGI on a reward stay in late April and I too was dissapointed in this hotel. It is their standard new HGI in The South. Most HGI's we've been to in The South only serve breakfast. Sometimes they have lunch/dinner delivery thru a local restaurant, or have a restaurant in front/next to hotel.

Just looking at the website I really wanted to use my points at the 'in-town' HGI, but we had to drive 8 hrs down there for a funeral, stay 2 nights and drive back. This HGI was just a few minutes from our relatives home, so that's why I choose this one. If we go back in the future for a visit I will choose the hampton closeby to this HGI

lougord99

I have never understood how HGI's can make it serving dinner. I have never ( admittedly a small sample at uneven times ) seen more than 1 or 2 people eating at dinner, yet they have quite an extensive menu.

MIKESILV

I have seen a number of HGi with all variations on the "theme" regarding dinner and more than a few which serve breakfast only.

In fact there is one the HGI Tampa North at Fletcher/I-75 which serves dinner only on weekday nights probably geared toward the nearby Industrial/Technology Park clientele. It should also be noted that the rates at that property is quite a bit lower on weekend.

mike

cordelli

I've never seen more than a table or two either, I really never know if it's dinner or they brought some food in. I have seen weekend reunion groups though filling every seat for a meal.

One thing that may help if they don't have dinner available, if you search on maps.google.com or just about any other mapping website for nearby restaurants, you can get a map of local restaurants, many offering way better choices.

I forget where I was, I didn't realize there was a street a block away with a huge variety of choices that I never knew was there because I always turned left instead of right.

MisterNice

Most of the larger HGI do serve dinner while the remote smaller ones do not. Also most, if not all HGI will take you to any nearby (approx 5 mile radius) restaurants and pick you up later.

MisterNice

stanj

I've stayed at many HGIs that are breakfast only. In fact, for the longest of times I assumed that was the norm. Lately, however, I've seen more and more that offer dinner service.

I believe all HGIs offer some sort of room service, although often it's from a nearby restaurant.

UK2USFlier

I've taken a look again at where I've stayed in Garden Inns in the past year and I think I detect a theme. Most of my stays have been at airport locations, with the exception of Nanuet, New York. Perhaps in Nanuet I was lucky to get an HGI with dinner service as one of the exceptions and otherwise, it's generally only the airport locations that do provide dinner?

Anyway, right now, I don't really care ... after a nightmare return trip from Newark to Gatwick, I'm just in time to take a two week vacation in Crete ... and I'm NOT taking a computer!

Peace, quiet, sun, sea and sand .... ahhhhh.