DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Raleigh-Durham on Meridian Parkway is currently in the middle of a remodel, and based on my stay, the rooms that have already been completed are excellent.
I stayed on the 6th floor, where half the floor still appeared to be under renovation and the other half had already been remodeled. My room felt almost brand new. The sheets, towels, shower curtain, fixtures, mirrors, lamps, and overall room setup all felt fresh, crisp, and new. You could tell they reused the granite during the remodel, but honestly, I would not have replaced it either. It still looks lovely and fits the room well.
The suite itself is exactly what a proper hotel suite should be. When you walk in, there is a kitchenette area with a refrigerator, Keurig coffee maker, microwave, and an actual sink. There is also a table with four chairs, a sofa, side tables, a coffee table, a TV, and a huge window that lets in beautiful natural light.
The bedroom is large, about the same size as the living room and kitchenette area, with two queen beds and a bench. There is also a vanity area with a countertop and mirror, a closet, a safe, and a hair dryer. There is plenty of room to spread out, which made a big difference during a weeklong stay. After work each day, it felt like I had a real space to relax on one side and sleep on the other, instead of feeling shut up in a small hotel room.
The room was clean, everything worked, the water pressure was good, and there was plenty of hot water. It was also very quiet. I did not hear much hallway noise or outside noise, and having the living room area separated from the bedroom really helped buffer sound. The curtains were new and worked well, making the room nice and dark when needed. There was plenty of lighting and convenient plugs throughout the room.
Because the hotel is remodeling, there were a few construction-related things here and there, like plastic in some areas, but it caused zero inconvenience for me.
The biggest area that needs attention is the front desk hospitality. At check-in, the young man who checked me in did not give me the DoubleTree cookie and did not really interact in a welcoming hospitality way. He seemed distracted and more interested in talking to someone else than completing a normal guest check-in experience.
Throughout the rest of my stay, I purposely walked by the front desk many times to see if anyone would acknowledge me, say good morning, good afternoon, or welcome back. Most of the time, I was not acknowledged at all. One gentleman with very colorful contact lenses did greet me one evening when I returned, and that stood out because it was the only spontaneous front desk greeting I received. He did it right, and that kind of welcome should be the standard.
On checkout day, some people who may have been engineers or management did speak to me, thanked me for being there, and wished me a nice day, which was appreciated. But when I came back down for a physical checkout, both people at the front desk were on the phone and neither acknowledged my existence. I stood there, got my wallet out, placed my key card in the basket, and lingered a moment trying to make eye contact, but no one said anything--not even "I'll be with you in just a moment." That was disappointing and fit the pattern of feeling invisible at the front desk during the stay.
The lobby coffee was also extremely weak, and on checkout morning the coffee urn was empty a few hours before checkout time. Also, be aware that the back of the room door lists checkout as 12:00 p.m., while the app lists checkout as 11:00 a.m. That is something the hotel should correct, because conflicting checkout times can create confusion for guests.
Overall, the remodeled suite was excellent. The room was spacious, clean, quiet, comfortable, and exactly what I would want from a true suite hotel. The remodel appears to be a success. The front desk, however, needs a refresher course in basic hospitality from check-in through checkout. Maybe I am old-fashioned, but I still believe guests should be greeted and acknowledged.
Would have been a five-star review if the front desk had been five star! read more