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The Disappointment & Reward of Hilton Garden Inn, Olympia, WA

 man; happy man; hotel front desk

My dear polite travelers,

Arg!  This property was incredibly difficult to find on this road trip through Northern California, Oregon, and Washington State, even with navigational assistance.  Whew!  So, after going in circles—multiple times—we finally found this haven.  Still, read on for a caveat.

Room #518

I love this room!  It is smartly designed for comfort and yet offers those who travel for work everything they will need, such as ample outlets, extra storage, and a workable desk and chair.  For those of us who would rather shower, open a bottle of our favorite wine, and veg, it’s all that too.  I appreciated the comfortable seating, comfortable bed, updated bath, fridge, and microwave.

The Hotel

Upon entering, we found this Hilton Garden Inn to be beautifully appointed, and just plain ‘Wow!’  We don’t typically find this type of contemporary gem in a non-resort setting.  It was a real find, especially considering the onsite restaurant and bar.

But hold on a minute.  According to our online search and by the assurance of staff, the bar opens at 4 pm with the restaurant opening at 5 pm.  We were assured the restaurant would be available for dinner.  Nope, the bartender was told there was no cook for the kitchen that night.  This unfortunate event temporarily sank all the good the hotel projects. 

After all, we vehemently did NOT want to leave for dinner since it was difficult to find this hotel with all the freeway entrances nearby.  For visitors, it’s like a different, extremely confusing world.  Worse, since this was a Monday, which is a traditional day for restaurants to be closed.  So, we ended up going to a sandwich shop.  Not the best.  Grrr...

Pro Tip

When there is an issue with the hotel or any establishment, speak up!  The next morning, we discussed the restaurant issue with Sarah at the front desk.  She forwarded the issue to the manager, and we received ample compensation.  

Note

The hotel also provides an accessible indoor pool and gym.

A list of hotels and a map of our journey.  

The Free Breakfast

Unfortunately, we were not able to partake in the breakfast.  Nevertheless, I noted several guests who did and appeared to be quite satisfied.  The aromas were tempting. 

Will I Return?

Before speaking with the manager, I would have said, “No!  Absolutely not!”  However, management made things right with us.  If we travel through the area again, we’ll stay here if they promise there will be a cook.  

Until next time, my polite travelers: Happy Travels!

For More Information on this Hotel

Hilton Garden Inn Olympia, WA Hotel

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