Full disclosure: I should have written this review a month ago but couldn't find the time. That…read moresaid, I would be remiss if I didn't sing the praises of the bar staff at this hotel. First, the other stuff:
I didn't love the location because I wasn't going to the trade show my husband was attending. It was the perfect location for events at the Excel Center. For sightseeing, not so much. But I highly recommend it for the Excel. The quality is what I expect from Hilton - the accommodations are quite good, the restaurant food is also quite good, and the service is exceptional. So did it exceed expectations? Not much. But my expectations of Hilton properties are extremely high and they met them in every regard save one. They far exceeded my expectations at the bar. And the bar is the point of my review.
After an exhausting day of travel (I met my husband at the hotel on the second last day of his trade show) I just needed a drink. I went in to the bar wishing I could get my favorite drink but not feeling very hopeful. I love a proper whiskey sour. A proper whiskey sour is made with egg white, bitters, and a cherry (in my case, several cherries.) Hardly anyplace makes them that way. The common fail is the egg white. I assume people don't want to make them that way because it's hard on the arm; you really have to shake it. A lot. But a proper one is outstanding.
So I went over to the bar and inquired. Then I met the staff: Lucas, Marcu, Monika, and Sergio (I must apologize at this point because it took me so long to write this that I can't remember who had which role.) They were all fantastic! When I asked, the manager heard me inquire and immediately interjected. He said he'd be happy to go to the kitchen for an egg so the bartender could make it. When the server brought it to the table it had a cherry but was lacking bitters. So I asked if they had them to add and was immediately assured that she'd take care of it. I also asked for extra cherries. The drink returned a minute later, bitters in a pretty pattern and a pick filled with cherries. It was perfection!!!
For the rest of my stay my cocktails were perfect! I ate every meal in the bar as well. I'm sure the service in the restaurant was great, but the bar staff took such good care of me that I didn't want to go anywhere else. My compliments to these individuals! They go above and beyond, making their guests feel valued. I was about to book this hotel for another trade show in September but it's already booked. I'm not surprised. Anyone who has stayed there once would want to stay again. I recommend the hotel, but the bar is a must!