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Hilton Garden Inn San Mateo
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5 reviews for Hilton Garden Inn San Mateo
IT'S NOT PARIS. When I am visiting family in Foster City, I don't normally stay at their houses. I like the independence of being in a hotel. I've tried other hotels in the area like the Crown Plaza or the Marriott but somehow the Hilton Garden Inn feels like the best fit.
The moment you walk in the place it feels inviting. There is a fireplace and comfortable couches. The lobby has no waterfalls, no atriums, no Koi ponds, just a classy country estate ambiance. It is bright, airy and the decorations are very understated! Guests must walk all the way in as the registration desk is discreetly located to the left pass the sitting area and so is the gift shop. The check in process is a breeze. The people are friendly and they always try to deliver every request you make. I always get a room on the top floor.
The rooms are very spacious and the room appointments are very generous. The biggest thing for me is that the rooms are very clean (I did the walking around with my white socks test). The rooms are well maintained and well equipped with all the standard features you will find in a mid-range hotel ... an ultra comfortable king bed, microwave oven, refrigerator, iron, ironing board, coffee maker, ample supply of coffee, color television with cable channels, pay-per-view movies, video games, a spacious working desk with lamp, two two-line phones, and free Wi-Fi.
The bathroom has Neutrogena toiletries, ample supply of thick fluffy towels (shhh, I took some home), a three-setting Moen showerhead and a tub. The room even has a full-length mirror. The crème de la crème in all these, the in-room window view is always the San Mateo Bridge to the right and at a distance to the left, the San Francisco City Skyline and the Bay Bridge (this is the view you will wake up to every morning).
The Hilton Garden Inn is a no frills hotel. It only has the amenities that you will need. It has a coin laundry room, a complimentary 24-hour fitness center with minimal number of fitness equipments, a small Jacuzzi and pool. It has a hotel restaurant (The American Grill) but no noisy clubs or ballrooms on the premises. It is very quiet and very relaxing.
The prices for room service are not bad at all. I compared the prices and it is comparable to what you will spend eating at any family dinning restaurants. Since good restaurants are walking distance from the hotel, I think the room service menu is just something to tie you over.
There are lots of parking spaces for hotel guest and as for security, always carry your room key card as you will need them to access some amenities and to enter through secondary entrances and at the lobby door after 11:00 p.m.
If you are not driving, the Hilton Garden Inn will provide a complimentary shuttle pick up and drop off for you from and to the airport in San Francisco, which is 6 miles away.
I have to admit I was apprehensive the first time I made reservations to this hotel. The address is in San Mateo there were no reviews on the internet then. After much thought I decided to take the risk. I convinced myself that I can always check out and register at the Crowne Plaza (down the street) if I get a dumpy room on the first floor next to the kitchen or the laundry. I have to tell you, this is a Hilton you can live with.
As usual,there are no disappointments here. I was able to spread out all my books for my homework with a good wifi connection. Later, I could relax in front of the nice flat screen on the couch or bed to unwind. This place is aesthetically pleasing, clean and comfortable. It's got modern country style interiors which makes it more homely and cozy. Apparently, you get a microwave and fridge in a regular room king size room too.
This hotel is wonderful, and I managed to book early enough and use AAA so it was also affordable. Wonderful staff, clean space, awesome bed and this cool like convenience mart downstairs. All in all a great time in a great city
arrived for my guaranteed room - had a non-smoking king reserved - and they informed me they were sold out and tried to put me in a double. I resisted and had to ask a few times, and finally they offered me a smoking king. I resisted that too, but that's all they had, so I tried it. It really didn't smell, so it was ok. They were firm but polite about it.
The hall was hot and stinky - my only complaint.
Room was pretty nice. good desk, great chair. Traveling on business, the internet was reliable, and the business center for printing was excellent. Very good chair at the desk.
They promote the adjustable bed as a big deal. I didn't really feel any difference after I adjusted it - even waiting the 15-minutes they advised me at the front desk. It was comfortable, good linens, and the wool mattress pad made it even nicer.
Very big flat screen TV, but not HiDef, so fuzzy reception. My remote didn't work right the night of my stay, but oddly worked the morning I checked out.
Nice amenities in the bathroom.
Entire room was clean, well appointed, all furniture in good repair, bathroom was well lit, tub clean, etc. I like that they advertise that they change all the bed linen with each guest. Many hotels only change sheets and pillowcases, and the blankets and bedspreads are the same from guest to guest.
Dinner in the little restaurant - a burger - was pretty good and well-priced for a hotel. Good service. Didn't try their $11 breakfast buffet.
Overall, for a mid-scale, mid-priced (I was on a deal for $90+) hotel, HGI represents a great deal. I'd expect this level of property in this location to be $150 on business weeknight. I've been in other hotels catering to the same target market, and had far worse. I'd go again if business requires me to spend the night in the area.
The husband and I are here to attend a friend's wedding just a short hop from San Mateo. My friend booked a block of rooms, so she got us a deal of $99 per night. The front desk staff was extremely friendly and helpful when we checked in, and they handed us a goodie bag provided by my friend, the bride-to-be. It was filled with bottled water, snacks, and local maps, which were very much appreciated. I'll have to remember to thank my friend for such a thoughtful gesture.
The room itself is nice. We got a king-size bed, and the room came with standard amenities (iron, hair dryer, coffee maker, etc) and some nicer ones we didn't expect but are always appreciated, like the empty mini-fridge and microwave oven. Oh yes, and free wifi. I really like the bedspread, which is white instead of the tacky tropical colors and patterns that are standard in most hotel rooms. There is also a nice lounge chair in the room, along with your standard writing desk. The room is clean and comfortable.
Things that could make this room/hotel a lot nicer: drapes that actually close (they are there just for decoration, and the room only comes with a thin, somewhat see-through curtain; a fan in the bathroom; and a vending machine with snacks (they do have soda machines).
Overall, we're pretty happy with this place.
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