Bathroom[divider]

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The bathroom is accessible through a door made of painted wood and frosted glass and this door looks pretty much like it is from the 1980s. Its almost antique look does not help make the executive room look any more modern or beautiful in any way. However, open the bathroom door and you will be greeted with a marble clad bathroom that looks better than most of the other parts of the room, especially when it is lit up.

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The sink has a granite clad top and contains all the basic toiletries the Hilton Adelaide has provided for guests. The granite has clearly lost its shine and turns out to look rather dull, but thankfully, it is pretty much clean in general, with no grime or slime in the corners. What I really like is that Hilton Adelaide provides branded toiletries by Peter Thomas Roth, a manufacturer of clinical skincare products. The brand’s products are not cheap and are by no means budget products like those commonly found in budget hotels. Furthermore, on top of just providing the basics like shampoo, conditioner and bath gel, the hotel pampers guests even more by providing body lotion and a facial bar! This really gives us a glimpse of how thoughtful the management of the hotel is and how much detail they go into to take care of guests every need. The mirror at the sink area is also large in size and has a warm lighting fixed on it. The lighting helps to brighten up the bathroom, giving the area a nice warm glow and guests will surely appreciate the size of the mirror. The only lacking equipment is probably a multi-jointed vanity mirror with a magnifying function that is increasingly common in modern hotels.

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There is a decently sized bathtub, that at first sight, seems able to fit one comfortably. This is perfect for for guests to take a relaxing bath after a long day of exploring nearby hot attractions that require lots of walking, such as Adelaide Central Market. There is also a uniquely designed soap holder by the bathtub, and I was surprised to find a bath tablet placed there! It is indeed very rare for a bath tablet to be provided by hotels and furthermore, the bath tablet is also from the Peter Thomas Roth toiletry line. The bath tablet works incredible well, turning the water into a bubbly tub of goodness. Overall, I really enjoyed the use of the bathtub and I am sure that most guests will too. The only minor issues was that the water from the miserable looking tap was not as strong as I hoped it to be and so, some patience is needed when waiting for the bath to be ready. Also, there is no non-slip mat available so there is a potential risk of falling for guests when getting in or out of the tub.

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Guests also have the option of using a shower, as there is no shower head attached to the bathtub. The shower is locate right by the bathroom entrance and is encapsulated by a large glass door. The shower dispenses water of a nice and controllable temperature under a good amount of pressure, making it a nice preclude to taking a warm bath in the tub. It is also here where guests can fully utilise the Peter Thomas Roth amenities. Though the shower area is not tiny and claustrophobic as some of those in cramped cities like Hong Kong, it is not a large one as well. Most guests will still find it very usable and comfortable, but plus sized guests might find themselves bumping into the glass door and the walls more frequently.

There are however a few issues about the shower that I think can be improved. First off, the shelve for placing your toiletries is attached pretty high up and young children might have a problem reaching for toiletries. Also, the height of the shelve somehow makes it easy for guests to hit their heads when bending down. Finally, the glass door that separates the shower from the rest of the toilet does not close fully, leaving a tiny gap all the time. Since the shower is aimed directly at that gap much of the water drips out, turning the bathroom floor into a wet mess. Even placing a floor mat does little to help and it just turns uncomfortably squishy. This is probably the largest problem the bathroom has but otherwise, it is still a pretty nice place that can cater to the needs of guests albeit being a little aged.

[divider]Executive Lounge

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The Executive Lounge is an exclusive place for executive room guests to dine, wine, relax and even work at. Being situated on a high floor, it boasts an expansive view of Victoria Square and much further on making the lounge a place with a view. It has lots of wooden furnishings, giving it a rustic and somewhat cosy feel. Guests staying in Executive rooms can have their needs and requests met at the Executive Lounge without having to take the trouble to approach the front desk staff at the ground floor reception.

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Besides getting to check in and check out at the lounge, executive room guests also have the option of consuming a continental breakfast there. The continental breakfast offered at the Executive Lounge does pale in comparison with the hotel’s main dining room in terms of variety of food as the main restaurant serves a sumptuous international buffet spread, while the Executive Lounge offers just a continental selection. However, it is a clear trade off between variety and exclusivity as taking breakfast at the Executive Lounge is a peaceful and tranquil affair. There will be no throngs of guests and securing a seat of your preference will be without competition. The food offered is also decent,and guests get to choose from salads to toast to eggs cooked as you wish. A tip would be for busy guests in a rush to head to the Executive Lounge for breakfast in order to have a filling meal quickly while those who have time to spare can dine at the lounge when the main restaurant is packed and then proceed to the main restaurant when the crowd as dispersed. That way, guests get to enjoy a peaceful breakfast at the lounge and yet are not denied of variety and cuisine options.

The Executive Lounge also offers all day refreshments, serving simple food items like cookies and canned drinks. Plenty of beer is stocked in the bar area together with a small selection of wines and guests looking for a mid day break can enjoy themselves at the lounge. Evening canapé in served daily between 6pm and 8pm, and guests are offered a surprisingly large selection of food options. Unlike the canapés served in many other 5 star hotels (usully comprising sandwiches cookies, cakes and other light bites), the one at Hilton Adelaide impresses guests with a range of hot foods, smoked salmon, Mexican food and sandwiches. This shows a no holds barred attitude that the management has, as they try their best to take excellent care of guests without scrimping.

The lounge offers various seating configurations for different purpose. Most of the space in the lounge is arranged with a casual dining setting, with wooden cushioned chairs placed around wooden hard top or clear glass tables. This setting caters to the the crowd that fills the lounge at certain times, such as during breakfast or evening canapés. However, I must say that the wooden chairs are still rather hard even with cushioning and many of the wooden furniture seems to have lost their original beautiful colour. This makes the general image of the Executive Lounge seem old and dated, like a gentlemen’s club from the 80s. A small lounging area is also present and guests can make us of the relaxed seating position to do some reading or chatting while sipping on drinks.

There is also a wooden shelf filled with a plethora of reading materials, with various newspapers and numerous magazines and books for browsing. This is definitely the hotel with the most reading materials provided I have ever seen, though I doubt the usefulness of such a quantity of books. After all, the basic reading materials that most guests utilize are newspapers an magazines and having such a huge quantity of books ends up making the shelf look a little messy and disorganized, although it is a thoughtful addition.

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The Executive Lounge also boasts a small business centre with functional desktops, internet access and some office stationery for use. Executive room guests get to use these amenities for their convenience which is a huge benefit for business travellers. The office supplies also include lesser seen items such as a hole puncher and paper clips which can be exceptionally useful. However, this business centre is not a complete as it also lacks several quintessential office equipment such as a faxing machine and a printer and guests who require such services should use the more complete business centre instead of the one at the Executive Lounge.

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While most of the furnishings in the Executive Lounge are dated, they are still of acceptable quality and their antiqued looks are positively offset by the rustic feel they add. However, some furniture such as a lounging area with an old fabric sofa and fabric chairs is pretty uncomfortable, with the fabric seats trapping lots of heat quickly. That entire seating area also seems hastily put together and definitely does some disservice to the impression left on guests.

The Executive Lounge of Hilton Adelaide does do well in terms of service and provisions. It is indubitably one of the most generous lounges as compared to its rival hotel groups and I believe this is part of the Hilton Worldwide group’s goal to offer their guests the best that they can conceive. Without question, executive room guests can be assured that they will be well taken care of and very well fed at the Executive Lounge. However, what it falls behind at is its dated furnishings and décor. The current interior of the lounge does not complement its high service standards and should be revamped in order to showcase the luxury that Hilton hotels are well known for.

Facilities

Hilton Adelaide is a fully equipped hotel with even more facilities than you would expect from a normal 5 star luxury hotel. The facilities all offer a good amount of space those that are outdoors offer a nice view of the city square and a healthy amount of wind.

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An unique feature of Hilton Adelaide is that they have a tennis court for guests to freely use and this really creates a whole new level of recreational activities for guests. Though not all guests know how to play tennis, it still caters to a different group of guests, especially for long term guests who enjoy the sport. The tennis court is also a very nice and quiet area and it serves well for those who wish for a quiet place to relax. The open area is also windy during summer, providing a nice escape to the sweltering Australian heat. The tennis court is often unoccupied perhaps because most guests do not have the time or passion fro tennis but this serves tennis enthusiasts well as availability of the court is almost guaranteed. One of the things that most guests will enjoy is also the panoramic view of the city from the tennis court. After all, it is always good to be breathing in fresh air while playing sports and the view makes the experience much better. The only one downside is that because the tennis court is located outdoors, there is a chance for tennis balls to be lobbed way out of the court and perhaps even down the building, creating a hazardous situation for anyone down below. Nonetheless, the tennis court is without a doubt a nice addition to the hotel and though it is not a game changer, it sets Hilton Adelaide apart from its neighbouring competitors and perhaps you wouldn’t think that the Burj Al Arab is the only hotel in the world with a tennis court.

The area around the tennis court also has an abundance of seats for guests to view any ongoing matches or to just lounge, relax and get a breath of fresh air.

The hotel also has the standard facilities such as a gym. The gym at Hilton Adelaide is not large by any means, but it is sufficient and should be able to cater to most guests. There are various cardio equipment such as treadmills and ellipticals for use and with a decent variety, there is not queue to use the equipment. The weight machines are also adequate and though they will not be able to satisfy hardcore gym goers, they would be more than enough for the average guest to get a decent workout. There are even some less-conventional equipment, such as a gym ball and yoga mats that guests might find useful. The only unsatisfactory thing to me about the gym is the layout and arrangement of the equipment. One example would be the treadmills, which are placed right by some large windows with a view out of the hotel with the backs of the treadmills facing the windows. Wouldn’t it be more intelligent and practical to place the treadmills with the front facing the windows so that guests get to take in the view while jogging? Though Hilton Adelaide has demonstrated attention to detail and commitment to making guests comfortable, this specific flaw in the gym makes it seem that they have forgotten the aforementioned values.

Besides the gym, the Hilton Adelaide also gives guests the privilege of having an outdoor jogging track and walking track – things that are extremely rare in modern hotels. It is surprising that though the hotel isn’t the largest one around, it is able to squeeze in so many facilities. Having a jogging track might not be the most pampering thing to have in a hotel, it is indeed beneficial to many guests, especially for businessmen who might want to do some jogging to de-stress and  maintain their health while on business trips. It also eliminates the need for health conscious guests to head out of the hotel for a jog and risk getting lost in an unfamiliar area.

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Hilton Adelaide also offers a 20 metre lap pool for guests’ use. The pool is located outdoors with its own pros and cons. First of all, being outdoors, guests can make use of the sunbeds by the pool to do some tanning and take in the Australian sun. On the downside, this makes the pool unusable during rainy days and during the winter season. Occasionally, that outdoor area experiences pretty strong winds and guests in their swimming attire but out of the water can feel chilly.

The pool itself is not sufficient for guests who wish to get a thorough workout due to its relatively small size. However, for those who just want to maintain a level of health or just take a relaxing dip, it is indeed sufficient. However, for a 5 star hotel, I actually expect much more, such as the provision of a jacuzzi or sauna. Also, what left me a little disappointed was that I was greeted by a rather dated and slightly run down pool area. The tiles there are outdated and get quite slippery when wet, making the pool area a less than ideal place for young children to play and parental supervision is encouraged. The entire area also looks a little bare with little décor whatsoever, and only a couple of miserable looking potted plants placed as decoration and without the city view, the pool area will probably be pretty ugly looking.

Dining[divider] 

Hilton Adelaide houses a selection of dining options that will be able to cater to various palates. The Lobby Lounge is the go to place fr your daily international buffet breakfast, serving a wide variety of delicious food. It is also a rather nice place with a warm environment for afternoon tea or an evening cocktail and it opens till midnight daily, making it easy for guests to grab a pre-bedtime glass of red wine.

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For a slightly more formal setting and to taste Southern Australian cuisine, head over to Coal Cellar + Grill, where the kitchen uses fresh ingredients sourced from Southern Australian farms and companies. Over there, you can truly taste what local food is like and have a nice glass of wine to help wash your food down. With their own wine cellar what boasts over 500 labels of wine from all over the globe, you really are spoilt for choice. Do note that Coal Cellar + Grill is not open round the clock, but has specific opening hours that coincides with meal times so do check with the hotel staff should you wish to dine there during non-meal time hours.

Hilton Adelaide also has a rustic bar called The Collins Bar. It is a classic bar with counter and table seating configurations and you can order hand crafted cocktails from the friendly bartenders. The bar opens only from the late afternoon all the way till midnight and on Friday and Saturday nights, a DJ spins up some groovy tunes to entertain guests. It is indeed a rather nice place for friends to mingle, for solo travellers to meet others and the rustic charm makes it a slightly romantic place for couples as well.

[divider]Our Take

Hilton Adelaide meets expectations when it comes to service quality and facilities provision. The staff are all well trained and exhibit care and sincerity that reflects the quality that Hilton Worldwide tries to give to its guests. I was pleased with all that I had received and I thought that my stay at Hilton Adelaide was satisfying and enjoyable. However, there is one huge area for improvement that Hilton Adelaide has to rectify and that is the signs of age of the hotel. Most of the hotel’s furnishings are dated and old and the signs are obvious, not just subtle. This does not leave a strong first impression on guests and perhaps first time customers of Hilton Hotels might take this as a bad sign of the hotel chain. To end off, there is plenty of goodness to be discovered in Hilton Adelaide. The hotel has a superior address and provides guests with superior service and facilities, but is it unfortunate that these are clouded by its age. I am sure that given a thorough renovation, Hilton Adelaide will shine like a gem on Victoria Square.

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Hilton Adelaide
Room6.5
Location9
Amenities and Facilities8
Service8.5
8Overall Score
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