“Clean, comfortable, accommodating, just right for meetings, conventions, and overnights!”
This wonderful hotel has been the site for the Youth Leadership Forum (organized by Rick, Josue & volunteers), held every fall, usually late October/Early November, this time 02-04NOV2012. I have never seen this hotel when it wasn't super clean, sanitary, friendly, and ready for guests. Sometimes I have motored here, but on other occasions, my Doublevision has been my mode of transport, pedaling early on the morning of Saturday, 03NOV2012. My specific task was bringing 'the rope', a 50-foot long, inch-diameter hawser, loaned by Coach Sales, Desert Aire Elementary School. It is a critical part of a team building exercise: after being tied to the bumper of State Representative Joe Pickett's firetruck in the lower parking lot, a few individuals are challenged to grasp the rope and pull. Of course, those few are unable to do so. But when all of the young women & men (60) join in, their effort pays off when the firetruck easily moves forward. That tremendous success is followed with a photo op of broadly smiling individuals who have learned the value of teamwork, all crowding around the huge machine. Numerous other activities are conducted inside the hotel ballroom, a large space made possible when several of the meeting rooms are connected by sliding partitions to the side. Above the main floor are the guest rooms, each meeting the requisite needs for two individuals: beds, HDTV, drawers, desk, easy chairs, complete bathrooms, and, certainly, secure access with cardkeys. The two elevators are maintained in superb condition, are fast and reliable. On each floor, ice machines are close by, also reliably churning out great quantities of high-quality ice cubes. If there are numerous people descending & ascending, it is sometimes easier & faster to use the stairwells at either end of the hallways. The exercise room is as expected, and the outdoor pool/spa is a pleasure, especially on a hot day/night! This fine hotel has a prime location: on the NW corner of Oregon & University Avenue-the main Eastern entrance to the University of Texas-El Paso campus; a block North of several hospitals/clinics; a block West of Mesa Street/TX20 (main connector for the Westside of El Paso); several blocks South of the Cincinnati entertainment district/Don Haskins Center (basketball)/Sun Bowl Stadium; several blocks West of Scenic Drive/overlook; several blocks North of downtown/main library/art, history, transportation & tolerance museums, convention center, Union Station Historic District/Sunset Heights Historic District, Chihuahita, and the great country of Mexico (crossover into Ciudad Juarez for true internationalism!); several blocks SE of historic Boundary Marker #1/Parque Madero/RIo Grande-Rio Bravo American Dam/the World famous ASARCO tower. With all of the attractions so close (the day-trip attractions are too numerous to mention!), you'll be glad to have the warmth & comfort of the Hilton Garden Inn for a place to rest and recuperate! I highly recommend it to all travellers who want above-average overnights that would cost much more anywhere else!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.