Address: 300 King St, London, ON N6B 1S2, Canada

Phone: +1 519 439 1661

Price Range: $$$$

Website: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/yxuksdt-doubletree-london-ontario

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London Ontario

The DoubleTree by Hilton in London, Ontario seems to be caught in a time warp. Sitting in downtown London and directly connected to the London Convention Center, its location is top-notch. You have an easy walk to many local attractions such as Victoria Park and nearby restaurants. However, the hotel’s dated condition and inconsistent services make it a tough sell for the price they’re asking.

First, let's talk rooms. Rooms are overall clean but undeniably dated. Many guests have noted wallpaper peeling off, stained carpets, and a general sense of wear and tear. Plumbing issues add to this frustration; showers go cold unpredictably, and toilets often need multiple flushes. Despite the presence of newly renovated rooms, these updates do not seem to be uniformly applied across all accommodations. Additionally, the views from the rooms are unremarkable, mostly overlooking other buildings, so you won't get much in the way of scenic beauty.

One area where the hotel did well was service. The staff are, for the most part, kind and helpful, albeit with some notable lapses. Unfortunately, the booking process can be frustratingly inconsistent, with key cards failing and rooms being double-booked. Expect issues of reception computers 'experiencing glitches', which sometimes leads to long check-in times.

Now on to the amenities: the hotel offers an indoor pool, a fitness center, on-site dining, and complimentary WiFi, which sound appealing but don't always meet expectations. The pool, for instance, has seen better days. Cloudy water, litter on the deck, and general uncleanliness detract from the experience. The limited choices in the breakfast buffet and some service hiccups make paying extra for the breakfast package hardly worth it.

Parking is another sour note. At $27 per day, the covered parking garage feels neither secure nor well-maintained. The garage area is poorly lit and seems to attract undesirable activities, such as people doing drugs. The process for registering your vehicle isn't clear, complicating an already frustrating situation.

Another downside is the surrounding area, which has become increasingly 'sketchy'. Encountering people doing drugs or experiencing various forms of harassment have made several guests feel unsafe walking around, especially at night. And let’s not forget the lock issues: one of the parking lot doors was reportedly padlocked from the outside, making egress challenging.

The on-site dining options get mixed reviews. The ground-floor restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner is clean and presents a decent menu, although the execution sometimes lacks finesse. The iconic DoubleTree chocolate chip cookies are still a sweet touch, but it barely makes up for other culinary shortcomings.

For those attending conferences, the facilities seem more modern than the rooms, but even then, attention to cleanliness and detail could use some work. Housekeeping services are irregular at best, making multi-night stays less comfortable than they should be.