Hilton Austin

Deeply Disappointing – Poor Service,...

Liked: Close to the conference I attended at the Fairmont hotel down the road.
Disliked: My stay at this hotel was one of the most frustrating travel experiences I’ve had. Breakfast was the exact same every single day – dull, uninspired, and low quality. The staff, with a few exceptions, acted confused, disengaged, and far from professional. It felt less like a hotel and more like a social project meant to provide jobs for people who clearly weren’t suited for customer service.Reception was particularly poor. Slow to respond, awkward in communication, and oddly passive. Some were still wearing face masks in 2025, which didn’t help the atmosphere. But the worst part came at checkout.Despite prepaying for everything – including the room, city tax, and breakfast – I was charged an additional $80 on the day of departure. I was billed again for the breakfast and the city tax. I submitted all invoices and documentation through Booking.com, explaining the issue clearly. Hilton never responded. No explanation, no refund. Nothing.A Booking.com representative confirmed it was Hilton’s mistake and promised a refund within five days. It’s been far longer, and I still haven’t received anything. This level of negligence from both Hilton and Booking is unacceptable and feels like corporate theft. When massive companies fail at basic billing and customer service, it erodes all trust.To make matters worse, I paid $244 per night with a $40 city tax for a hotel located next to a skid row. I was regularly approached by aggressive individuals on the street – some asking for money, others making threats such I spit in your face. This is not the level of safety or service anyone expects from a so-called premium hotel chain. Here’s to hoping this review finally reaches someone at Hilton or Booking.com who still takes accountability seriously – and that my $80 is refunded promptly, as it was fully prepaid before I even set foot in the hotel.