Maybe I'm used to HIltons in less urban areas, but this HIlton wasn't cookie-cutter, boring. It was very chic and trendy. I liked it

The location was great for us. We were there for a convention. And our convention happened to be in the end of the center right across the street from the hotel. The anchor hotel for the convention was about twice as far. So that worked out in our favor. Its also right at the start of blocks upon blocks of restaurants, shops, bars, etc. We couldn't have asked for a better location.

The room was good. We stayed on the side overlooking the lofts. We looked down onto a cement courtyard. Not very interesting. Noise was never a problem for us, and we stayed through the weekend. We were also in the room right next to the elevator shaft, and we never heard that either.

My only complaint is the shower. The first couple of days the drain was slow, but the water did go down. Then one day, the drain wasn't working, or it was very slow. I played with plug in the shower drain, but didn't really want to touch it because it was rusty around the edges. By the end of my shower, I was standing in 2 inches of water. The next day, the drain was back to what it had been. Never enough to complain, but annoying.

And with how nice the rest of the hotel and room were, I wasn't impressed with the shower. Like I said, it was rusty around the drain, and the metal disk between the shower head and shower wall had fallen off so that it was hanging around the neck of the shower head. And it seems like a lot of hotel bathrooms, there wasn't a fan in there. So we dealt with steamy mirrors every morning. And the lighting wasn't great. Hard to put make up on in the morning.

Overall, nice hotel. Maybe a few annoyances, but never enough to complain. I guess we didn't spend enough time in the hotel for it to be too bothersome.

If you are looking for a typical Hilton property, this is it. The staff was helpful and pleasant (room service was extremely quick), rooms were comfortable and clean, and the location was perfect if you are going to the convention center. It is also right outside the gaslamp district, which is great when looking for a place to eat after a long day. All in all, no problems dealing with anything at the hotel, but it is not the type of hotel that is exactly going to wow you, either. I was staying on a business trip, and for that, it was perfect.

A note on the trains/trolleys however. Yes, you are going to hear them. I dont really know if there is a way around hearing them if your staying anywhere near the tracks. That being said, I got used to them after the second night.

Also, ask to be located on the 12th floor (which is the top floor), as you will have a balcony. Not needed per se, however, I really enjoyed being able to wake up in the morning and have coffee on my balcony!

nice contemporary look- great artwork all over the hotel. Gym is fresh and new- free weights, new machines, roomy. Right across the street is the convention center and there are a great set of stadium steps people are doing their workouts on. as well as the waterfront parks on the otherside.
Bedrooms were decent sized , the usual comfy hilton beds, well equipped, we liked the little touches like milano cookies at the turndown service-
Internet service was great and free, wired in the room and wireless in the lounge/lobby area. careful if you are a light sleeper- the hotel is built right on the train tracks and the trolley/train blows its horn at exactly 4am so depending on the side of the hotel you are staying.... Also- friday and saturday gets crazy at the hard rock hotel next door- avoid that side as well on the weekend. restaurant/ bar area is small but comfortable- the breakfast buffett was amazing (frsh squeezed orange juice) but overpriced at $19- Very helpful and friendly staff in the restaurant and throughout. We enjoyed people watching from our breakfast table every morningwith all the walkers, joggers and dog walkers right outside on the bike path in front of the hotel. The location was wonderful with access to the trolley which we used to go everywhere including seaworld and the beaches- so easy we cancelled our car rental! The Gaslamp district is right out the door and we had a ball going to restaurants, movies etc every night. The consierge was very professional and you can buy tickets to the zoo, seaworld etc. from him at a slight discount and charged to the room. - All and All our family had a wonderful stay and would come back again... Good restaurants we ate at RA- great sushi bar in a lively settig - young crowd, al aqua 2, florence style italian. Yardhouse- 200 beers on tap- decent food, Gaslamp tavern- decent pub stle lunch, Freds Mexican- decent- family friendly- the food court at Horton Plaza is an amazing selection- with some healthy options- we had the mongolian grill- pick your own meats and veggies and they wok it up with no oil. good lunch Movie theatre in the horton plaza had better selection, but the one on 5th is a cool old classic place and comfy seats... gotta go through the new hard rock and the bar on the fourth floor- california outdoor living at its best- firepits, city view, cabanas..

After some careful searching, we decided to book our hotel through Hotwire, knowing there was a possibility of staying at the Hilton. What a mistake!

We were ready to be gouged for parking ($32/day plus the obligatory tips). We were NOT ready for an indifferent (bordering on "rude") staff; notably the front desk personnel. Arriving in the mid-afternoon, there was no crowded counter. Just a young woman who either did not like her job or her customers (who largely contribute to her salary ... right?).

The room was tiny. Well decorated. Tiny. An alley view. Tiny. Not well ventilated. Tiny. Loud. Did I mention it was small? The bathroom had not been cleaned well (was the family giving Paris an internship?). The noise between the rooms were excessive. On one of our four days our room was not cleaned (did Paris walk out?).

Compared to everything else, checking out was a treat: they simply left us alone with our final bill that included the tab for parking and the over priced movies. We will definately be avoiding any and all Hiltons in the future.