Hilton Gdansk, Poland – Nice Hotel, but Inhospitable Treatment by Front Desk Staff

You can’t ask for a prettier or more scenic place than Gdansk, Poland. The Gdansk Hilton is located in the center of Gdansk’s charming and picturesque Old Town, directly on the Motlawa River. The hotel overlooks the red roofs of the Old Town and is within walking distance of Gdansk’s most popular sights. All of these features, including the proximity of the hotel to the sights of the Old Town, were of particular interest to me especially since I was visiting Gdansk in the heart of the winter (and Poland is not particularly known for gentle winters).

I was traveling with a friend who is a Diamond Hilton Honors member. I am a Gold Hilton Honors member.

Related posts:

Trip Report: Three Winter Days in G’dansk, Poland 

Hotel Review: Hampton by Hilton Gdansk Airport

The Gdansk Hilton was very nice. I have no complaints about the hotel itself.

However, the unpleasantries of the front office left me with a sour note for the hotel. I didn’t appreciate being bullied by some of the front office staff. I can count at least three incidents – so I can’t just ‘chalk it up’ to an innocent misunderstanding.

First, an employee (trainee) assigned me to a very dark small winding room. When I asked for another room, he repeatedly said he could only do so with an additional 300 PLN ($72) per night. When I asked to speak to a manager, she said that the trainee was in error, and switched me to a very nice room facing the river.

Second, on checkout day (we were moving over to the Hampton at Gdansk Airport for our final evening) I asked for a late checkout. The hotel was not busy at the time.  After way too much discussion, I was finally told 2 pm. At 1:30 one of the front office guys (who wasn’t there when I was told 2pm) came knocking at my door telling me I was lying – that my checkout was 1pm not 2 pm. He was speaking very forcefully and I feared he was going to use physical force. Thankfully, he didn’t.

Third, at checkout, extra charges were added to my bill. Specifically, at check-in, as a Gold member, I was given a voucher for 50 PLN to use at the bar or restaurant. My friend, a Diamond member, also received a 50 PLN voucher. She and I used the vouchers for drinks one evening, and the bill said 97 PLN. We handed in our vouchers, and were told we were fully squared away. Nevertheless, the front desk tried to charge us extra. The battle went on way too long – he was gruff and kept insisting that I must pay this extra charge. After I finally told him that I wouldn’t leave until he removed the charge, he begrudgingly did so, saying it was “his gift” to me. UCH.

As I mentioned above, the hotel itself is nice.

business center

hotel restaurant/bar.

hotel atrium

hotel decorations

Although I was unhappy with the initial room I was assigned, I was happy with this room facing the river.

The bathroom.

This were some of the lovely views of Old Town Gdansk that I could see from my hotel room.

Breakfast was delightful. The buffet offered many choices and the food was very good.

On the Fifth floor of the hotel, there is a spa and an indoor pool and also a cute, small bar.

The fitness center is on the fourth floor. In my opinion, it is rather cramped. It would be better if the treadmills and stationary bike face the window to the courtyard, or if the walls are mirrored.

Also, there were no towels to be found.

In review, the Hilton Gdansk is a nice hotel. The rooms were clean and nicely decorated and the breakfast was quite good. I was unhappy though with the lack of hospitable treatment I received from the front desk of the hotel.