Hilton Podgorica Crna Gora

Disappointing First Impressions at Hilton Podgorica

I had high expectations for my stay at Hilton Podgorica, intending to spend my final day in Montenegro in luxury and comfort. Unfortunately, my experience within the first 15 minutes of check-in has been deeply disappointing and far from the hospitality I anticipated.

Upon arriving, I parked in the underground parking and encountered a staff member. I asked him to confirm if it was the hotel parking, but his response was unusually suspicious. He demanded our room number to verify if we were hotel guests, even though we were just about to check in. His attitude made us feel like intruders rather than welcomed guests.

The check-in process itself was another letdown. The lady at the counter commented that my friend's name was "too big" to enter into their system. This was not only offensive but also unprofessional. As a guest, I expect my our name to be treated with respect, not as an inconvenience.

Seeking some comfort, we headed to the restaurant and inquired about vegetarian options. The staff member’s response was shockingly dismissive. Instead of assisting us, she bluntly told us to check the menu ourselves because she didn’t know if there were any vegetarian options available.

Overall, my initial interactions with the staff at Hilton Podgorica have been marred by rudeness and a lack of helpfulness. For a hotel that prides itself on luxury and excellent service, this experience has been nothing short of disappointing. I sincerely hope the rest of my stay improves, but based on these first impressions, I cannot recommend this hotel to others.

Unfortunately it doesn't meet the standards of a Hilton. The hotel and the SPA would be okay, but the service is more reminiscent of socialist times. The executive lounge is sometimes closed, sometimes local guests have parties there and it is used like a restaurant for local meetings. And normal guests are neglected (no tea time, etc.). No check-in for Diamond Members, and no flexibility whatsoever (they could have simply made you wait in the lounge - but of course, if it is needed for other purposes, that's difficult). When this local guests started even smoking, though it is forbidden, I was truly shocked. Incorrect information on parking options on the website. Pool and sauna closed without warning if something wasn't right. Little flexibility, you have to beg for accommodation. My window was broken, apparently for a long time, and it took a lot of skill to repair it. Socialism has survived here. It's a shame about this actually very well renovated and beautiful house. It's a shame, the Hilton in Dubrovnik is the exact opposite - not too far away, but great service, one of the best hotels ever!

Caveat: Written from the perspective of someone who stays at the Hilton frequently.

Not a fan of the hotel. Might have been multiple issues that just coalesced during my stay but that colored my impression of the hotel.

The Good
Location. Hotel is centrally located and close to any place you would want to visit in Podgorica. It also has decent amenities such as a spa.

The Bad
A lot of things were off at the hotel. My main complaint was the cleanliness of the room when I checked in. The room looked like someone had just checked out and it was not cleaned up. I talked to the front desk and they were unhelpful in this regard. Most importantly, the corridor of the 3rd floor area which I stayed in smelt like cigarette smoke. I thought it was a one time thing but the smell persisted for the ~2 days I was there. I have never been in a Hilton where the smell of smoke existed (and persisted). That was not cool. In addition, the customer service was a bit off (but I tend to overlook that because we are all human and I am not going to dock them points for that).

Minor but significant:
Went downstairs to order a nightcap and requested rum. Bartender pointed to a rum whose name I could pronounce and proceeded to pour a double shot. Came out to 30 euros. I was confused cause I expected it to be more in line with a regular shot or at worst for the bartender to give me an idea that it was a "premium rum". Bartender shrugged when I brought it up. Left a bad taste in my mouth (especially after my taxi experiences in Podgorica where the same thing happened)

Overall I would not recommend the hotel.