Elegant, Approachable and Staffed by Personable, Efficient People
Revised
4/2021
Dear
Polite Traveler,
Three
words come to mind as I reflect upon my recent visit to the Hilton Universal:
Wow! Just wow! For me, all hotels will be unfairly
measured by this one. It’s that good.
The
hotel is huge with 24 floors and fantastic city, mountain, and park
views. Our room was on the 21st floor – more on that
later. Each large, airy room on the main floor is breathtaking and
takes advantage of many glass ceilings. Multiple seating areas await
those who wish to sit with a book or simply meditate.
Note:
Follow CDC and county guidelines when visiting.
Always wear your face mask when in public. Also, during the pandemic, some amenities
may not be available. Please remember,
this is only temporary.
Somewhat
in the middle of the main floor are a large bar—the “Atrium Lounge” with various
seating options available—and the Café Sierra restaurant. The bar
provides a generous happy hour price with plenty of beverage and food
options. I enjoyed the house wine, while my hubby chose
beer. Both were reasonably priced
and of excellent quality.
Included
in this hotel are multiple conference rooms, a fully equipped gym, and a pool
worthy of glamorous starlets. I racked up quite a few steps on my
Fitbit just wandering through the hotel.
Best
of all for those visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, this hotel is in walking
distance. I’m well over 60 and had no trouble walking there within
10 minutes. If walking is not your thing, there is a complimentary
shuttle available daily.
What is included in the “free” breakfast?
Typically,
a free hotel breakfast
is limited and lackluster, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this isn’t the
case here. Guests have a choice of free continental breakfast, a
$22 – per person – menu credit, or to pay slightly more for a freshly cooked
option. I perused the buffet and found it to be exactly what I
wanted, but the menu had the standard choices—well under the
credit. Check out the pictures of the breakfast
buffet. Yes, that is a “Donut Wall” in the pictures and the pastries
are as delicious as they look.
I must also add that our waiter, José, was attentive and a special person—very
nice.
Restaurant or belly up to the bar?
Our
original plan was to try the restaurant since the menu looked promising, but
no. Since our days were full of fun and a whole lot of walking, we
tend to arrive at the bar exhausted with just enough energy to order our
happy hour beverages and some downright delicious starters. Yes, we
were tired but one of the biggest reasons for eating at the bar was
the staff. A special shout-out to bartender extraordinaire Robyn and
server Violeta, I miss our conversations and company.
The charcuterie plate ($23) was massive and enough for four people. We nibbled on the leftovers later in the evening each night. Other nights we tried the flatbread with bell peppers and mushrooms and portabella mushroom sliders. The sliders were my fav.
Our corner room on the 21st floor
Did
I say “Wow!” before? Well, that applies here. I was
pleasantly surprised to find such a luxurious room. In fact, I
didn’t want to leave it, even though the draw of a park I dreamt of visiting
was calling my name. The video speaks volumes but doesn’t show
the few items missing. There was no microwave, but it can be
delivered if requested. Other than that, the room had more than I
expected—including a lighted magnifying mirror and makeup table.
Please Read
Hotel Review: Comfort Inn Downtown Morro Bay, CA
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