As any frequent traveler knows, not all hotel room views are created equal. Sometimes you’re charmed with a view that makes you not want to leave the room, while other times you get a room with a view that makes you want to leave the room immediately. My stay last night fit in the latter category.
In this post:
Swing & a miss on a Hilton Diamond upgrade
I spent last night at the Hilton Mexico City Airport. The hotel is located within Terminal 1, so you can’t beat the convenience of that (assuming you’re flying out of Terminal 1, which I wasn’t, but that’s a whole different story). The property recently underwent a full renovation, and is actually quite nice, all things considered.
As I arrived at the hotel, I admired the gorgeous views, as the check-in area looks out right over the apron and runway.
I don’t expect much as a Hilton Honors Diamond member when it comes to upgrades. However, as a Diamond member, you are are supposed to get a space available upgrade, at least in theory.
I saw online that some rooms had runway views, but I wasn’t about to pay an extra ~$40 for that, so I figured I’d try my luck at check-in. I explained to the associate that I really love airplanes, and politely asked if there’s any chance to get a room with a view of the runway, on account of my status.
The response was a simple “no.” “Okay, no problem, I like terminal views as well.” Well, those were famous last words, and now I know why the hotel has no description of the view for its base rooms.
What is my hotel room even looking at?
I got to my room, and first appreciated that the room was pretty nice (especially compared to what the rooms looked like pre-renovation).
Then I pulled back the curtains, expecting that I’d be looking at the interior of the terminal. Instead, my room looked at… I don’t even know what’s going on here? At first I mistook that HVAC duct thing for some sort of ancient ruins that had collapsed, but then I realized what it was.
What’s that dilapidated structure in the background? An abandoned airport Macaroni Grill? This is a genuine question, so if anyone has any insights, I’d be very grateful.
What is this part of the airport even, and… why is it part of the airport?
Upon arriving in the room, I decided to grab my laptop and head to the lobby to get some work done. I’m solar powered, so I struggle to stay awake without natural light (especially when I’m on a trip where I’m really exhausted). In this case, I couldn’t bring myself to keep the curtains open, so the lobby was the place to be. For that matter, I could enjoy the plane views from there!
Next time I’m just gonna shell out the extra dough for a runway view room. Or maybe I’ll just take the same strategy, and spend the money on food and drinks in the lobby lounge.
Bottom line
As any frequent hotel guest can attest to, sometimes you win the room view lottery, and sometimes you lose the room view lottery. I’ve stayed in hotel rooms with no windows, and I’ve stayed in hotel rooms just looking at a wall. However, I’ve never stayed in a hotel with a view quite like what I had at the Hilton Mexico City Airport.
What’s the worst hotel room view you’ve ever had?
You might have come across as being a little pushy to the agent - even though you were trying to be nice. Most people would not "hint" at the upgrade like you did. In a foreign country - you are likely best to be humble.
So once you saw the view was not to your liking, you could have paid the $40 for the view you wanted as you were aware that was an option. This situation does not remotely qualify as the worst anything at a hotel.
Yup, just back from Hampton in Glasgow city. Room with no windows. Only glass in the hallway overlooking a dilapidated building and, of course, the ubiquitous air con vents!!! I’m Diamond !!
When you get a room with a view of the runway at the Hilton Mexico City airport, the windows have these white squares all over them. I guess to help keep some of the sunlight out?
This means that if you really want to see anything out the window, you have to stand with your nose almost pressed up against it to try to see between the squares.
So…you really didn’t miss much.
I’m...
When you get a room with a view of the runway at the Hilton Mexico City airport, the windows have these white squares all over them. I guess to help keep some of the sunlight out?
This means that if you really want to see anything out the window, you have to stand with your nose almost pressed up against it to try to see between the squares.
So…you really didn’t miss much.
I’m guessing getting to terminal 2 was a production, huh? I always have the front desk arrange a private car to take me over. We go out a back door, into a garage, and like magic, I’m there in <10 minutes.
And the Aeromexico lounge blows.
Eh, it's not *that* bad. I'd honestly rather have that view than a view of a parking lot or a view of a wall of an alley, which I've had my fair share of. I'm sure you as well.
I agree, the post sounds a bit overdramatic.
Can't even start to count how many times I got close-up views of air conditioners, walls across narrow dirty alley - or in less urban areas semi parking lot with some of them idling or running generator/AC through the night.
At least you got a bad view in the basic room without any upgrade. The scenario that seriously annoys me is when you get "upgraded" from a room with a view, eg high floor, sea view or whatever, to a suite on the lower floors on the opposite side of the hotel overlooking an alleyway or a parking lot. Accor hotels seem to be particularly bad for this in my experiences
This is a real issue. This (among other issues that can occur) are why we always have the hotel ask us first before upgrading a client.
LOL. Should we commiserate about this? Probably should've stayed at that sumptuous Hyatt Regency Mexico City Airport, instead, where, as a Globalist --the best top elite status of any program -- you would've received a 'confirmed' suite upgrade with the best view of the runways, ever, and a free and full restaurant breakfast as the icing on the cake, even though you were there for, what, just a couple of hours? Oh, wait, my bad!...
LOL. Should we commiserate about this? Probably should've stayed at that sumptuous Hyatt Regency Mexico City Airport, instead, where, as a Globalist --the best top elite status of any program -- you would've received a 'confirmed' suite upgrade with the best view of the runways, ever, and a free and full restaurant breakfast as the icing on the cake, even though you were there for, what, just a couple of hours? Oh, wait, my bad! There are only 4 Hyatt hotels in all of Mexico City and none at the airport ;-)
the Hyatts in Mexico City are definitely a step above the Hilton props. The way you write this - are you a Hilton influencer or something? You should be upfront about that.
That is a dubious claim, especially given the paucity of Hyatt properties in Mexico City and Hilton's partnership with SLH, all of which just confirm the complaint in the post as nonsensical.
@Kelv you must be new here.
Looks like a shed for the terminally ill.
You have an interesting sense of humor.
“As any frequent hotel guest can attest to, sometimes you win the room view lottery, and sometimes you lose the room view lottery…”
Winner! Winner! Macaroni (Grill) dinner! ;-)
I was very surprised to see this! The structure used to be one of the most iconic restaurants of the airport, or at least one of the one that had been there for 20+ years. The name of it was the Cucara Macara, and it used to serve very decent typical Mexican food, one of those places you always go before a long flight. Unfortunately it seems it closed about a year ago, which was quite sad. But pretty funny to see how it looks now, thanks for that Ben!
Mexican food before a long flight doesn't sound like the best idea.
Yup, I've eaten there many times. Because you never know with Mexico City traffic you have to plan to arrive real early and that was a good place to spend time Shame to see it closed.
Inotelli in Helsinki. Our room overlooked a loading dock where vegetables and fruits were piled up and loaded on or off trucks. When my wife started to take pictures of it to "document things", I knew I made the wrong choice when I booked it.......
Worst room view: In Venice. The room had a view of the Hotel Danieli. That was the blank side wall of the hotel, so close that I could touch the Danieli by leaning out my window. So close to luxury, yet so far away.
Is it really worse than that hotel in Greece Ben?
The title of the article is "My Worse Hotel Room View Ever." Surely the experience with the hotel management made the hotel experience worse in Mykonos, but the view was at least better even if a wire was edited out of the hotel's official photos.
It’s interesting to see how people have very different experiences with Diamond status. I consistently get suite upgrades in Europe, middle east and Asia. In North America I got a junior suite at the Hilton Toronto Airport and even some very nice upgrades at Waldorf’s and LXR’s in the US (although never suites).
Worse view was a hotel in Allentown, Pennsylvania. No window. National brand.
2nd worse view. Hotel in London. Brick wall a few feet from the window, may 4 feet. Tiny view of the sky if looked up from the bottom of the window.
3rd worse view. Chicago. Brick wall but it was maybe 8 feet away.
The Miami International Airport Hotel really gives this a run for its money. "King" sided bed that absolutely isn't, run down rooms, TV service have been broken for years, view was of HVAC ventilation lines, extremely extremely dated and worn out. Miserable experience.