I was in Anchorage on business and I figured the Hilton would be a safe bet. There aren't many nice hotel choices in the downtown area. My pros for the hotel are comfy beds, cool stuffed polar bear and brown bear display in the lobby. Cons are tiny bathroom, REALLY noisy radiator, shower didn't get hot, and the food wasn't that great. So judging from that, I think nextime I will try a different hotel.

We were quite disappointed with our stay at the Hilton Anchorage several months ago. We have stayed at several Hiltons around the country and this was probably the worst one. Here's our rundown...

Rooms: Did not meet our expectations. Size was good, and beds and bedding were very nice. However, the carpet was dirty, the bathrooms were gross, the shower was small, and the tiles were moldy. The curtains were falling off the wall and the room was poorly lit. The only good thing in the room (besides the bedding) was the view of Anchorage, which was quite nice.

Hotel features: The entire business center was out of order during our stay there. The hallways on each floor left a lot to be desired; not only were they very plain, but there were old dishes from room service left out for hours. The elevators were somewhat scary - the trip down in the elevator felt like a roller-coaster because of how fast the car moved and then how suddenly it stopped. There was a Starbucks and a small breakfast place in the lobby that we did not try, and there was a small general store off the lobby that had daily newspapers from around the country and was overall very helpful.

Service: We did not see many employees during our stay; however, everyone we encountered was courteous and friendly.

Location: Perhaps the best part of this Hilton. The hotel is located in the middle of downtown Anchorage and there are great views from some rooms.

Overall, on a trip back to Anchorage I would not stay at the Hilton again. The hotel needs a complete renovation - it would have been nice 25 or 30 years ago but not so much these days. I'd recommend some of the newer hotels in the city instead.

This is the 2nd time I have been to Anchorage in the last month on business. I decided to stay at the Hilton this time so I could get my Hilton Honors points. Big mistake! This hotel is really old and the decor is totally stuck in the 80's!

The good things...beds were comfy, nice bedding, room was clean (but old), valet and bell staff were nice and friendly, room service deliverer was very friendly, great location centrally located downtown.

The bad...the room is not set up for a business traveler - the desks are super small, very little lighting (one side of the room only has a desk lamp, that's it!), the shower head is super low and I had to duck down to rinse my hair (and I'm only 5'4 feet!)

WiFi in the lobby is a rip off! It's $2.49 for the first 15 minutes, then .59 cents a minute afterwards! Internet in the rooms is $8.95 per day (average).

Very run down hotel...I was tempted to check out and check into the Marriott down the street, but decided to stick it out so I can get my Hilton points.

The Marriott or Captain Cook hotels are MUCH nicer than this, and cheaper as well.

I hadn't stayed in this hotel for years - it does not live up to Hilton standards, nor does it meet those of more moderately priced hotels in Anchorage (I stay at Microtel and Long House from time to time). The plumbing is bad. We couldn't get water above warm tepid in shower, but in sink the water at cold was almost scalding, with a periodic hiccup of fresh cold to tell you it wasn't just that the water in the pipe had been warmed. Towels were a riot - the first day of servicing room used towels and mat were taken, but not replaced. Then the two towels we had left and used the next day were replaced, but still no mat. The last morning of service we were down to one hand towel as well. A bit bizarre. The room just seemed run down (except new bedding with quilts) and not even enough room for a water glass, alarm and glasses on the bedside table.

But, my one try with room service was good - food and service. And the views are great and location good. Compared with my last stay at the Captain Cook a couple of years ago, I would pick the Cook for somewhat comparable location/pricing. Haven't yet tried newer Marriott and others in town.