DoubleTree by Hilton Utica

Welcome Rediscovery of a True American Classic This hotel was a gem which will make a real contribution to the continuing rebirth of this classic American city. I have passed through Utica regularly over the past half century. When my wife and I and another couple decided to do a short weekend exploration of the historic Mohawk Valley we were very happy to find this beautifuly renovated retro hotel open and welcoming. Everything was perfect and redone as the true clasic the hotel is. Both couples loved our rooms. The restaurant and lounge area were attractive; we used only the bar, opting for near by Lebanese cuisine. We enjoyed the tributes on the wall to past guests. To quote from the hotel's listing: Future President Franklin Delano Roosevelt would frequent the Hotel Utica on several occasions during the 1920s when he first ran to be Governor of New York. Amelia Earhart arrived at the hotel in 1928 to attend a packed luncheon that was held in her honor. Lionel Hampton and his famous orchestra regaled countless patrons with their musical talents in 1939. And in 1950, the great Judy Garland sang before hundreds of guests atop the mezzanine.

Hotel is a beautifully restored local landmark, but they are severely understaffed. I was in Utica for a funeral & booked Hilton on American Airlines website (AAdvantage Hotels) when I booked my flight. The hotel is a beautiful, historical landmark, meticulously restored & maintained. We stayed in a spacious & quiet suite on the 3rd floor. Our 1st day (a Saturday) we went to happy hour and received FANTASTIC service from Rachel. The wait staff in general were really attentive and helpful, but they are severely understaffed. Sunday morning when we went to breakfast, there was no waitstaff to seat us & since the restaurant was mostly empty, we couldn't tell if it was open. The one couple already eating told us to fill out paper menus on the unmanned Hostess podium & hand it to the cook in the kitchen. When we stood at the entry of the kitchen & got his attention to hand him our order, he was surprised no waitstaff was on duty. So he became our waiter, served us a hot delicious meal, and he also cleared the tables! If I hadn't had a frustrating experience with Jordan (customer service?) I would have given a 4-star rating, because we liked the hotel. However, two days after we checked out, the hotel charged us for breakfast, which we prepaid extra to include. The problem came when I tried to get a copy of my final bill. I had been told by the front desk lady at checkout that it would be emailed, but never received it. So I called Hilton, and had the misfortune of speaking to Jordan. I asked for an itemized copy of the final hotel bill so I could dispute the charges. He said Hilton couldn't give me a final itemized bill because mine was a 3rd party reservation, and I had to contact AAdvantage Hotels for it. He also offered to transfer me to the hotel restaurant so I could dispute the charges...as if there would be anyone to take my call. AAdvantage Hotels then told me to contact Hilton for an itemized bill, because of course why would they know what extras the hotel charged for? In other words, the runaround. But they did call Hilton to question the extra charges, then told me something I was hearing for the very 1st time: my prepaid breakfast only covered $15 per person/day. We were never told this at Hilton. We specifically asked during check-in how breakfast worked & were told to order from the a la carte menu & it would be deducted from our bill. Never did anyone say there was a $15 pp/day limit. So the following day, I spoke to Jordan...again, explaining the booking site said Hilton must provide the final bill. After some back & forth (& me asking why it's so hard to get a final receipt of my bill), he said since I prepaid, he couldn't send a copy of the bill with the prepaid charges, but he could send a copy of what Hilton charged during my stay, which he sent immediately. It answered all of my questions. He further explained that there are 2 invoices: 1. my prepaid amount to AAdvantage Hotels when I booked the reservation 2. what Hilton charged during my stay for extras If he had simply explained this & sent my Hilton receipt when I first called, I would have been a happy customer & this would be the end of the story. Instead...adding insult to injury: Jordan fussed at & chastised me that, to avoid this in the future, don't book through a 3rd party. Then he hung up on me. I didn't book thru some rinky-dink website...it was thru American Airlines! Despite how much we liked this property & most staff being really professional & helpful, I'm not sure I would stay again. Before our stay, another reviewer said they called about something and were told by the man who answered the phone that he was too busy to deal with their complaint, then hung up on the caller. I would bet my last dollar it was Jordan. The staffing shortage most likely factors into his short-temper, so I feel he deserves some grace, but is also in serious need of retraining. I hope Hilton can solve these issues because people read reviews. I chose Hilton because it had the highest rating and it's a beautiful hotel that deserves to be full all the time. While all other staff went above & beyond deserve high praise, there are other beautiful hotels with good staff. All other things being equal, customer service can make or break a business, so I will spend my hard earned money elsewhere.

Business trip Beautiful hotel, very nice rooms, easy to get to and parking. Only complaint is breakfast which is sit down, not buffet as we thought and we did not have time. Cute little coffee place around the corner did the trick though. Would absolutely stay again.

Chandeliers and Whirlpool Jacuzzi Tubs We picked this great hotel to stay in while in town to see a musical. The hotel is in a central downtown location and has a really historic backstory. Hands down my favorite part of the property is the gorgeous lobby that features a quite impressive collection of chandeliers. We stayed in a King Whirlpool Suite. The room was nice but I will be honest. Some of the furniture had stains on it while there were some small areas of breakdown on the bathroom walls. But the room was still fantastic. It just needs a little servicing. The bathroom layout that features separate rooms for the toilet and whirlpool bathtub was perfect. Lastly, the front desk and cleaning staff were all friendly, helpful and attentive. They were even able to check us in almost an hour early which was greatly appreciated. I was going to rate my stay 4 stars but I feel like the staff made up for any other issues to bring it back up to 5 stars.

Lovely building and restaurant/bar staff, let down by poor housekeeping Beautiful old building in Utica, great location. Restaurant and bar staff are super. Housekeeping is a disaster. I stayed for 10 nights and my room was serviced four times. I arrived on the Saturday and my room wasn't serviced till Tuesday by which time I was reusing towels in a Hilton hotel. Let that sink in ! When I spoke to the front desk manager on the Monday at 5pm he assured me he'd send housekeeping up to clean and replenish the room. I went to the restaurant, had food and drink and went up to the room two and a half hours later and nothing done. Phoned down, and in fairness i wasnt happy with being made a fool of, and he told me, and I quote "housekeeping are gone, it'll get done tomorrow and I'm too busy to listen to you complaining". I stayed 37 days with Hilton in January, and then 12 days here this time, but was told I can't accrue my Honors points as my works travel agent booked it for me. Not a good Hilton experience. So location, building, restaurant, bar and staff in bar and restaurnt are great. Not brilliant on the other stuff......