Sunday, May 1, 2022

Mt. Vernon, Illinois: DoubleTree by Hilton

April 2022, Weekend, One-night


View from guestroom 558 in DoubleTree Mt. Vernon, Illinois


Arrival and diamond perks

There were no suites available when I made our reservation or when we arrived. I booked a basic king guestroom. This hotel also has guestrooms with balconies; however, the balconies are not outside. They are on floors 2 and 3 only, and overlook the inside pool or atrium. I checked in on the app, and chose guestroom 558 on the top floor. I received a notification that the room was ready shortly after 1:00 PM. We stopped at the front desk for a DoubleTree cookie and HiltonHonors waters when we arrived that evening. I did not receive the $15 each diamond dining credit at this property. Instead, I was given two vouchers for the buffet breakfast, which did not include the tip.


King guestroom 558 in DoubleTree Mt. Vernon, Illinois 


King guestroom 558

This guestroom is on the top floor at the end of the hall. The window view faces west, and we enjoyed a fabulous sunset. The guestroom was spacious and comfortable, although we would have preferred a sofa, chaise, or loveseat for two, rather than the single soft chair in the guestroom. There was certainly enough room for a larger piece of furniture. The work desk was spacious, and there were several electrical outlets. A single-serve coffeemaker with supplies was provided at the end of the desk. The Internet connection did not work for me when I first arrived (Marriott signal from the Fairfield Inn across the road worked great!), although it did after I restarted my computer later.


King guestroom 558 in DoubleTree Mt. Vernon, Illinois 

A microwave and good size fridge with small freezer were located in the armoire under the large flatscreen TV. The closet near the entrance contained a large safe, iron and board, hangers, and folding luggage rack.

King guestroom 558 in DoubleTree Mt. Vernon, Illinois 

We liked the large walk-in bathroom shower, although it took a while for the water to get hot in the morning.  


HVAC unit in king guestroom 558 in DoubleTree Mt. Vernon, Illinois 

It was quiet during our stay, as there were not many guests around us. The inside walls are not very soundproof, because we could water running in the room next door, and we could hear that guest moving around. The exterior walls were well soundproofed, and we did not hear any traffic noise. There were a few things that needed attention in the guestroom: the HVAC unit was nasty dirty, the safe top was damaged, there were several areas of damage/stains on the carpet and walls, and the telephone in the guestroom did not work.


Food & beverage

There are several restaurants within walking distance of this hotel: Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebees, Arby's, and Cracker Barrel are a few I recall. We had planned to eat dinner at the DoubleTree restaurant; however, after we were given breakfast coupons instead of the $30 credit we should have received, we decided to walk to a nearby restaurant instead. I asked the front desk clerk about the $15 (each) credit when he gave me the breakfast coupons, and he said they don't give that.

Breakfast at Double Overtime Grill in DoubleTree Mt. Vernon, Illinois 

I was even more disappointed with my diamond perks after we went to breakfast the next morning. There was no choice except the buffet, which was worse than most of the breakfasts I have had at Hampton Inn. It included: scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, sausage biscuits and gravy, breads, a couple of fruits, and cold cereals. Also, the person working set a check for $0 on our table at the end of our meal, and I had not even told her we had breakfast coupons. So, the lousy breakfast must be included for all guests; not just diamond guests.

 

Overall and misc. 

This stay was a disappointment, and I would not choose this hotel again. We chose the DoubleTree over Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn Express because we expected superior accommodations and food.


Let me know if you have any questions!


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