Home2 Suites by Hilton Phoenix Midtown

Brand new property. Location is great with easy walking access to several restaurants and a Starbucks immediately next door. Staff was professional and personable. I book a king room and found it spacious. Decent storage if you're there long enough to unpack. Couch was super comfy. I appreciated lots of lighting options - lamps all over the main room. Blackout blind was essential as my room faced east. If you need quiet to sleep, request an "inside" room facing the parking lot instead of Central Ave as the light rail runs late and early. Breakfast was pretty good considering it's free. Coffee and tea available 24/7 was appreciated.

The good: Aesthetically the hotel has modern decor and is in great condition since it's fairly new. Fast WiFi and included breakfast was sufficient. The bad: I asked to switch rooms because the original King studio I was assigned faced busy Central Ave., and despite the double paned windows there was still audible traffic noise. The manager said there were only Queen rooms available on the quiet side, and that I'd be charged $20 more since 'they are more popular' and the rates are therefore always higher. As a frequent traveler and Hilton Honors Diamond member, I told her I knew this to be patently untrue. Before I checked out, I did a random search on several future dates and found the rates for this property were IDENTICAL for King and Queen rooms. I informed the clerk at check out (who was present when I checked in) but she continued to insist that price differences in King/Queen rates are common, despite my showing her multiple examples in real time that it's not the case. Ultimately I did not pay the additional $20, but it never should have been an 'upsell' situation to begin with. The other knock on this hotel is that I requested late checkout until 2 pm. For Honors Diamond members, a stated benefit of the program is up to a 4 pm checkout, subject to availability. The clerk abruptly told me I needed to check out at noon, since housekeeping leaves for the day at 1:30. ("Everyone needs to be out at noon.") Clearly she could benefit from some customer service training in message delivery. Fortunately there are many good choices for lodging in central and downtown Phoenix, since I won't be returning to this establishment.

The hotel in Phoenix midtown was absolutely wonderful. The staff were always on point and very friendly. My room was always turned over and any requests that I needed were responded to promptly. My stay was for 2 weeks on business. The location was perfect, so many amenities nearby along with a feeling of safety. The front desk was always helpful in suggesting places to eat and sites or events to see. I definitely will book my stay with them anytime I am in Phoenix, regardless of it being for business or personal. P.s. The breakfast was delicious every time and the hours it was available were very generous, especially if you had a late evening the night before. Highly recommend!