I originally was booking another Hilton in St. Augustine (Homewood Suites) but it was expensive so the reservationist suggested Spark. I booked it without looking a reviews, but did look later and some of them were concerning but it was just for a short stay of one night. We came to check in around 9 pm and had to give our license plates for parking. There was a music festival (Sing out Loud) going on, so downtown was busy. I'd booked two rooms for me and my husband and my daughter and her two children. I entered my room and noticed there was a garbage can full of trash and a brown paper bag. I called downstairs to tell them, but then noticed towels crumpled up, wet washcloths and slimy soap, with a hair tie on the floor for good measure. They had given me a room that hadn't been cleaned. I guess the fact the bed was made threw me off. I went downstairs to get a new room. They didn't have one with a King bed, so I got two queens. The front desk worker didn't really apologize, just shook her head and said ”I'm not going to say anything,” like she was used to this kind of problem. The one thing I think she would've said was: ”I'm sorry.” After that, the room was fine, although we could never get the TV to work. The hotel is in a good location, close to the Fort and the historic district. The shampoos, soap and conditioner are in a large dispenser (not minis) and there are no cups in the room, but there are cups downstairs. You can also get tea or coffee 24/7. The breakfast was bagels, cream cheese, Yoplait yogurt and muffins in cellophane (Bran, Blueberry and Banana). It was fine for what it was. My one complaint about Spark, obviously, is the dirty room and lack of acknowledgment of the inconvenience. You need a key to use the restroom in the lobby. I took photos of the first dirty room and then places in the second where there was a split in the door and paint missing. Apparently the hotel was recently redone, but it looks like a little bit of a sloppy job (at least with painting). The gentleman at the front desk the next morning was helpful.
Very Good
102 Reviews