As a Hilton Honors Diamond member I like to stay at different properties across the portfolio in the places I visit. Having stayed downtown before and with a rail stopover in the Albany area, I chose this hotel for my recent stay.

My usual routine is to do online check-in and room selection the day before my arrival. When Uber dropped me off, I first thought this was a typical HGI with an attractive lobby including a small restaurant. Since I had a Digital Key, I went directly to my chosen room. I noticed that carpet appeared worn in the hallway, needing replacement. Once in my room, when I went to get the luggage rack to put down my suitcase, the closet door was off the track. I had to slide the other door and fish the rack out.

The room itself had seen better days. Furniture was chipped in many places. The bed was very soft. There was a horrible musty smell making me wonder just how and when the room was last cleaned without anyone noticing this.

And also very noticeable was traffic noise from I-90, which runs behind the hotel.
Having seen other reviews, I tried to choose a room that was not as close to it. But it seems that every guest no matter what side of the building, gets to enjoy the nonstop traffic noise from every vehicle driving between Seattle and Boston. Nothing like hearing trucks shifting down to brake on hills. The hotel is poorly placed being this close to major highway. Some states put up sound walls to shield such decibel levels from the general public. If New York doesn't have such plans, this hotel should be lobbying the state government to do so. The hotel itself could do more to retard the sound. I've stayed at hotels near airports and was not bothered so much.

In the bathroom, the sink was cracked, another sign of neglect.

To find positives, the room was big enough for my needs and the bathroom had ample counter space. TV, WiFi, Air conditioning all worked well.

Hilton should be ashamed of this place. It was not at all what I have come to expect from a Hilton Garden Inn or any Hilton property. No doubt I will steer clear of this place for my next Albany stay.