Hilton Garden Inn Columbia Northeast

Check In was great, staff was ok, wasn't greeted as a Diamond Member, was not offered water or snack. Room was clean and comfortable. Fitness Center was being remodeled and was not informed. Business Center did not exist even thought they listed it as an amentity and had photos on their web site.

The hotel overall was okay despite some worn finishes. It was clean. However, there was an overwhelming smell of air freshener or cleaner on the 4th floor and in our room it was unbearable. We thought we'd get used to it but we did not. It was sickening. We were too tired to move rooms and guessing by the smell down the hall - a move wouldn't have helped. Really over the top. Also, no coffee at 10:30 am. Cleaned up. Doneso.

The STAFF was amazing! We have stayed at a lot of Hiltons and this one has a great vibe from the people who work there and create a friendly and helpful feeling...taking the edge off of the austere nature of chain hotels. It is great to know what to expect from Hilton amenity and then to have it delivered so personally made it truly outstanding.

The hotel itself is standard for the Hilton Garden Inn Chain. It is a popular hotel and as such shows some signs of wear and tear but as a bonus there is a Tesla charging station in the back for those driving one of Elon's cars. It has easy access to the highway, close to downtown Columbia [15 minutes] and at the intersection of the highway to Charlotte NC and Charleston SC. [note the pool is currently under renovation so it will be updated when this is complete]. However, the staff are uniformly excellent, among the best I have had the pleasure to interact with in 40 years of business and leisure travel. Whoever is in charge of hiring and training knows what they are doing for literally every staff member we had contact with [front desk, restaurant, housekeeping] was outstanding. Special shout out to Jevon and Alyssa. I would say thank you to all the staff for going out of their way to make our stay feel special but I think they treat everyone in this way - but thank you anyway!! One last note, the computers in the business section weren't connecting to the internet so the front desk took the time to print my boarding passes for me to save me time at the airport - everyone was great!

My stay was overall pleasant. The room and the bathroom were clean, and the water pressure was adequate. However, the hair dryer needs cleaning as the handle was very sticky. The lady who checked me in lacked friendliness, which made me feel unwelcome. Her supervisor may need to help her recognize the significance of her role as the first point of contact for arriving guests. On the bright side, Alyssa at the breakfast bar was exceptionally courteous, welcoming, and professional, brightening my mornings. Additionally, the male front desk agent was gentle and professional, particularly when I requested a folio for review. Regarding breakfast, while the side menu items were overly greasy and oily, indicating a need for improvement, the grits and oatmeal were very delicious.