Spark by Hilton Sarasota Siesta Key Gateway

“Disappointed”

During our recent stay at Spark by Hilton, we noticed several changes from our previous experience at Best Western Plus, which left us somewhat disappointed. The updated rooms at Spark were nicely renovated, but we found them to be lacking in space compared to our prior stay. The removal of amen... more

During our recent stay at Spark by Hilton, we noticed several changes from our previous experience at Best Western Plus, which left us somewhat disappointed. The updated rooms at Spark were nicely renovated, but we found them to be lacking in space compared to our prior stay. The removal of amenities such as drawers, a microwave, coffee maker, and a safebox was particularly noticeable and inconvenient. Additionally, the pillows provided were not as comfortable as expected. One of the challenges we encountered was with the housekeeping service. While the staff was friendly and changed towels daily, we were surprised to learn from the reception that we were limited to only two large towels despite booking a king bed room. The breakfast offering was another point of concern. When we made our reservation, we were under the impression of a full breakfast service, but upon arrival, it was reduced to a limited selection of bagels (plain, everything, and cinnamon). Fresh fruit was notably absent for the majority of our stay, which was disappointing considering our previous experience with a more varied breakfast menu. Overall, while Spark by Hilton is suitable for short stays, it may not be ideal for extended vacation stays based on our recent experience. We appreciate the efforts of the housekeeping staff and the courteous service received but believe there are areas where improvement is needed to better meet guest expectations. We recommend that management consider reinstating some of the removed amenities and revisiting the breakfast offering to provide a more comprehensive and consistent experience for all guests.

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“Budget Hotel Not Up to Hilton Quality”

Last minute plans over holiday weekend left us without options on Siesta Key itself, but we were Hilton Honors members and this was available. It is a basic '80s era budget hotel on the mainland side of the drawbridge to the Key. Outside elevators and walkways to rooms .Attractive clean pool area... more

Last minute plans over holiday weekend left us without options on Siesta Key itself, but we were Hilton Honors members and this was available. It is a basic '80s era budget hotel on the mainland side of the drawbridge to the Key. Outside elevators and walkways to rooms .Attractive clean pool area. Basic bkfst. but no cooked foods such as oatmeal or eggs, just prepackaged processed stuff. Companion doors between rooms amplify adjacent noise, and we had loud neighbors who partied 'til after 1:00 AM. Room was smallish but clean and included fridge and basic amenities, but no room safe or toiletries except for shampoo and bath gel dispensers on the shower wall. Management and front desk staff were very pleasant and professional. For basic accommodation this is convenient and acceptable, but given a choice I would have preferred a Hampton Inn or better.

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“Mediocre”

So this is actually a motel and for the incredibly high Siesta Key adjacent prices it is not worth it. Rooms are very small and so are the bathrooms. The curtains don't quite meet so you have a gap where anyone walking down the corridor would see in if they tried. The bed linens also had some d... more

So this is actually a motel and for the incredibly high Siesta Key adjacent prices it is not worth it. Rooms are very small and so are the bathrooms. The curtains don't quite meet so you have a gap where anyone walking down the corridor would see in if they tried. The bed linens also had some dark black spots on them as pictured. It also allows animals and the 1st floor resident had two enormous dogs that launched themselves with great force at the window every time someone walked by while barking very loudly. Breakfast buffet was fine and staff was nice but this isn't worth the high hilton price tag.

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“Good location but definitely not Hilton quality”

This hotel boasts a Hilton but it’s actually an old Best Western. The beds aren’t really that comfortable and my back hurts from last nights sleep. The shower drain was clogged and likely so for a long time. Like showering in a puddle of water. There were no vending machines and a very small sele... more

This hotel boasts a Hilton but it’s actually an old Best Western. The beds aren’t really that comfortable and my back hurts from last nights sleep. The shower drain was clogged and likely so for a long time. Like showering in a puddle of water. There were no vending machines and a very small selection of snacks and drinks at the front lobby for purchase. I needed to do laundry and 1 of 4 machines were broken. The laundry room smelled like sour milk. I guess since there’s no change machine, have to go all the way back down to front desk for change. No detergent machine either so bring your own. In the room, the bulb for bathroom nightlight was burnt out. The do not disturb sign in the door was flimsy plastic that kept falling off the door. Spent more time on the ground than on the door. Cheap plastic cups with ice bucket not your normal glass cups in nice hotels. Staff arrived diligently to unclog the drain and replace the burnt out nightlight bulb. The continental breakfast was a joke. I’ve seen a better selection at a motel 6. Just cereal in those plastic spindles, bagels, packs of oatmeal. Really?! Pictures of the website I booked through showed a fitness center gym but they don’t have one here. The front desk said the hotel didn’t have one and it was a picture when it was a Best Western. Very disappointed in the quality as the rates were exceptionally high and you’d think Hilton holds themself to a high standard in quality, amenities, and features but this is far from the case at this location. The rooms are small and offer nothing special. Just a bed, tv, towels. Nothing special. The location is phenomenal and it’s located really close to everything including stores, restaurants, and about 1 1/2 miles to Siesta public beach. The pool was clean and warm. There’s a small hot tub but the bubbles didn’t work and it was just an extremely hot bathtub. I don’t think the water was even filtering. There was a good seating area at the pool but the pool lounge chairs were so uncomfortable I could barely lay back for 30 min. Cheap pool furniture. The bartender at the pool bar was very nice, friendly, and made good drinks. No pen or pad on the desk in the room. Even a budget Inn hotel offers that. This is a no frills hotel. Don’t get caught up in the Hilton name, it’s deceptive at best to have Hilton stamped here. Anybody at Hilton’s home office should stay here and see for yourself. Either renovate to Hilton standards or remove the Hilton brand altogether but you can’t have it both ways. Especially charging Hilton prices but delivering low budget hotel quality is wrong.

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