Hilton Meadowlands Hotel Review: Stunning Hotel With Surprise Parking Fees
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Hilton Meadowlands Hotel
Two Meadowlands Plaza, East Rutherford, NJ 07073
Rating: ♡♡♡♡ 4 out of 5 hearts
My partner and I stayed here May 16th to the 17th for our monthly date night. I'll be upfront, I don't have photos of this gorgeous property because I was still figuring out the whole hotel review thing when we visited. But trust me, this place is visually stunning.
Here's something interesting: when we stayed, this hotel was called Hilton Meadowlands. Now it's operating as The Park Hotel at Meadowlands. Brand changes happen, but it caught me off guard when I went to look it up later.
Parking: The Plot Twist We Didn't See Coming
This is where our experience took an unexpected turn. The parking lot has plenty of spots available, but we were blindsided by "Pay to Park" signs everywhere. This fee was never mentioned during our booking process on Booking.com, and honestly, if we'd known about it upfront, we probably wouldn't have booked here. I'm usually the one driving since I'm from PA and my partner is from NJ, so unexpected parking fees hit my wallet directly.
After checking other reviews later, I confirmed that yes, parking is indeed pay-to-park across the board. This is literally the only hotel in the area we've stayed at that charges for parking.
Check-In Saves the Day
Here's where the story gets better. Our concierge during check-in was absolutely wonderful and made our entire stay feel effortless. When I mentioned the parking situation, he took down my license plate information and comp'd our overnight parking since we were only staying one night.
It was such a kind gesture, and I genuinely appreciated it. But let's be real, I don't expect that kind of luck to strike twice, which is exactly why we probably won't be returning.
Room Experience: Beautiful But Forgettable
The room was gorgeous from what I remember, though we went with a queen bed to keep costs reasonable. Big mistake if you're traveling with someone tall. My man is big and tall, so the queen felt cramped for him. I felt like a human-sized stuffed animal getting cuddled all night, which was cute but not exactly comfortable for him long-term.
Here's the thing about this stay: despite the room being stunning, nothing particularly memorable stood out beyond the parking drama. It was a really nice room in a great location near American Dream Mall, but it didn't have that special something that makes a place stick in your mind.
The blackout curtains worked well compared to other hotels we've stayed at, which is always a plus. The room itself wasn't particularly spacious, fine for someone tiny like me, but if you're on the bigger side, you might feel cramped. The bathroom was solidly average, nothing to write home about.
The Bottom Line
I'm struggling to give you tons of details because we didn't explore the hotel's facilities beyond our room. Nothing really stood out beyond the parking situation and the price point, which tells you something right there.
At around $200 for a single night (not including parking), it's competitive with other hotels in the area. The property itself is beautiful, and the staff we encountered was fantastic. But the parking fee is a dealbreaker for us, especially since we probably won't get lucky with a comp again.
This one doesn't make our Top 5 American Dream OR hotel stays, and I don't see us returning specifically because of that parking situation. It's a shame because the hotel itself is lovely, but when you're doing monthly date nights, those extra fees add up fast.
Quick note for anyone planning to visit American Dream Mall: no hotels in the area are within walking distance. You'll need to drive regardless, and some hotels (including this one, I believe) offer shuttle service. Just factor in those transportation costs when you're budget planning.
Till Next Time!
~Diana
