Hilton Richmond Downtown

I've stayed at this hotel twice in the past year and really enjoyed both visits. The staff were great, the location is perfect, there's so much to do in downtown Richmond now, with great restaurants and bars nearby plus historical sites. The bar is also very fun, with excellent food and drinks. I like the rooms too. I grew up in Richmond and remember the department store that was housing this building originally, and the renovation into a hotel has been done very inventively, with artwork in the room from the store. Both times, I was treated especially well by the guest services supervisor Jason at the front desk, who handled my special requests and questions so well! Look forward to returning soon!

I stayed at this location for one night and generally felt pretty disappointed with my experience. The main thing that stuck out for me was how little hospitality I experienced. I called the front desk the day before my reservation to see if there were any options for an earlier check in. They said they couldn’t help me and I had to download the Hilton app. The app didn’t recognize my reservation number, so I had to call customer service. In the end, the app referred me back to the hotel front desk for info about an early check in, and this time a different person told me there was no way of knowing if this was possible til the day of. Whole process took over an hour. I had chosen my room in the app and was ultimately given a different room on a different floor, directly across from the elevator. The room was fine and bed was comfortable, but the bathroom was not very clean. When I checked out the next morning, no one asked how my stay was. Again, not the worst hotel or experience, but it definitely did not feel welcoming and I don’t feel motivated to stay at a Hilton again.

I work for an airline, and after a long day of delays and an even longer flight, I was just grateful to finally land and have a moment to grab something to eat. It was after midnight, and most places were already closed, so I was genuinely relieved when I saw that the 1885 Cafe and Market was still open. After such a tiring day, the last thing I wanted was to go to bed hungry. I walked in and asked the server, who was also working as the bartender, what she recommended from the menu. Without hesitation, she suggested the wings and fries from the airline menu. She said they were a popular choice and that many crew members seemed to enjoy them. Trusting her recommendation, I decided to give it a try. I placed my order and waited patiently. It took about thirty minutes for my food to be prepared, which I actually found reassuring at the time. I thought maybe they were taking their time to make sure it was hot and fresh. After all, at that hour and with fewer customers, I expected a little more attention to detail. I was hungry, but I figured the wait would be worth it. When I finally got my food, I went back to my room, opened the container, and was immediately let down. The wings were not just undercooked. They were raw. I am talking about still bleeding on the inside, with pink meat and juices that made it very clear the chicken had not been fully cooked. I could not believe what I was seeing. Not only was this a huge health risk, but it showed a complete disregard for safety and quality. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I was frustrated, disgusted, and honestly, a bit angry that someone in the kitchen thought it was okay to serve food like that, especially chicken, which needs to be fully cooked to avoid serious illness. The worst part was that the cafe had already closed by the time I discovered the issue. It was after one in the morning, and there was no one available to speak to in the restaurant. I ended up talking to a woman who was nearby and appeared to be on staff. She was using a walker, and I told her about the issue. Her response was, “You should have brought it back down here.” I explained that I would have, but the place had already closed and no one was around when I opened my meal. She just said, “I will let them know,” and that was the end of the conversation. There was no apology, no offer to make things right, and no concern for the fact that someone had just been served raw chicken. After talking to a friend about the situation, they encouraged me to speak up and file a report. I called my airline and let them know exactly what happened. I wanted other flight attendants and crew members to be aware, especially since many of us rely on late night options like this when everything else is closed. I do not want anyone else to go through the same experience I did or risk getting sick from undercooked food. This whole situation could have been avoided with just a little more care and attention in the kitchen. I hope this message serves as a warning to others. If you find yourself at the 1885 Cafe and Market, I strongly suggest you reconsider. There are better and safer places to spend your money. Your health is worth more than a late night meal that could end in disaster. Please eat elsewhere. Save your time, your money, and most importantly, protect your health.