For my first time in San Francisco, I wanted to make sure that I stayed relatively close to where I would be spending my days (at work). A quick search showed me that the Hilton Garden Inn was just two minutes away from the building I would be spending a lot of time in. Good. I hate having to drive around to locate places (I get lost easily) and I've stayed at several Hiltons and have been pretty satisfied with their rooms and service.

Where It's Located
The Hilton Garden Inn is located 2.5 miles north of the San Francisco International Airport. There are several large businesses that are within a stone's throw of the hotel (i.e. IBM, Elan Pharmaceuticals, Actuate) and it's location makes it ideal for those traveling for business purposes.

Because they are so close to the airport, shuttles run back and forth 19 hours a day. I drove to the hotel and there was ample parking.

The Room
My room looked like a typical Hilton hotel room. I had a king-sized bed, nice bathroom, nice television, etc...

The most unexpected surprise was the comfort of the bed. I don't think that I've ever slept in a more comfortable bed away from home. The nights I was there, I slept like a baby.

The water in the bathroom could always be adjusted to the right temperature. I loved the fact that the hot water never seemed to run out.

The television had the typical channels (no music tv) and pay per view. Plan on paying anywhere from $9.99 to $12.99 for one of those movies.

The last neat thing about the room is that the walls seemed very thick because I couldn't hear a word. I knew that the hotel was mostly full and in the morning, it was quite a crowd leaving at the same time. Still, I heard not a peep.

Amenities
I had a certain expectation before I checked in. I expected that this Hilton would be just like every other one I had stayed at. This wasn't so. Within my room was a mini-frig, microwave, and general serving area. In addition, the high-speed internet connection was included in the price of the room. What a deal! :)

On the flip side, I was disappointed by room service, the fitness facility, and the "gift" shop.

Room service was only available after 5 p.m. Breakfast and lunch were served in the main restaurant, down near the lobby. That bothered me because usually, I like to eat my breakfast while I'm getting ready in the morning. I did have the opportunity to eat in the restaurant and the food was pretty average.

The fitness facility - specifically the swimming pool - was very disappointing. I expected a pool that was normal sized. You know, so I can swim laps :). It was only half the normal size. Not good.

The "gift" shop was a wall of stuff - not a shop.

Overall
It's really difficult to give this hotel a fair rating. On one hand, it's one of the best night's sleep I've ever gotten away from home. On the other hand, the amenities - things I've grown to appreciate when I'm away from home - were meager. I give the "important" stuff an excellent rating and the extras a below average rating. If you're a business traveler who is only looking for a comfortable place to sleep, you'll find the Hilton Garden Inn to be right up your alley. For those who want the entire experience, look elsewhere.

Official Site
http://www.hilton.com

Part of Sleeper54's Lean-n-Mean experience

Recommended: Yes