Hotel Ballast Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

I stayed at Hotel Ballast a couple of weeks ago, and my experience was mixed. My first impression was excellent, the lobby was beautiful, the outdoor spaces were well-maintained, and the property looked modern and upscale. The river view was absolutely beautiful and was one of the highlights of my stay.

Unfortunately, that impression completely changed once I walked into the room. The guest room looked nothing like the rest of the hotel. It felt like they did very minor updates, the floors needed to be swept, and it still appeared to be somewhat date and did not reflect the quality the common areas suggested. While the room itself was a decent size, there was very little space to accommodate luggage. The furnishings included only a small chair, a small dresser with the TV sitting on top, leaving very little usable surface space for personal belongings.

The condition of the room was also concerning. The baseboards were detaching from the walls, and the front door had a large gap at the bottom where light came through and anything could easily slide underneath. These issues made the room feel poorly maintained.

The bathroom was the biggest disappointment. It looked old, worn, and neglected. The toilet appeared as though it had been previously repaired or damaged, the sink was outdated, and the the beautiful lobby, outdoor spaces, and exterior gave the impression that the guest rooms would be held to the same standard. Instead, the room was in need of significant updates and better maintenance. I left feeling disappointed because the hotel has so much potential, but the condition of the guest rooms did not match the image presented especially with cracked and dirty baseboards. For a hotel that presents itself so well in its lobby and public spaces, I was surprised by the condition of the bathroom.

One thing I did appreciate was that, although the hotel does not provide refrigerators in the guest rooms, they do offer coolers for guests who need to keep medication refrigerated. That was a thoughtful accommodation.

The staff was pleasant, and I appreciated the appearance of the shared spaces, but I believe the rooms need significant updates to match what guests are led to expect when they arrive. I hope the hotel invests in renovating the rooms because the property has a lot of potential. Especially since this hotel rates are somewhat high, ranging from the high $100’s to high $300’s nightly. Come one Hilton, you can do better!!

Overall, I felt the hotel was misleading because the beautiful lobby, outdoor spaces, and exterior gave the impression that the guest rooms would be held to the same standard. Instead, the room was in need of significant updates and better maintenance. I left feeling disappointed because the hotel has so much potential, but the condition of the guest rooms did not match the image presented by the rest of the property.

This hotel was an absolute disappointment. The only benefits were its location and the friendliness of the staff. Don’t be fooled by the star ratings!

We were put into 3 rooms before our first night stay due to mold and filthy rooms. It’s as if this hotel is reactive instead of proactive with maintenance. The air vents are disgusting, the bathrooms and even the shared hallways have mold, there was grime in the bathrooms, dirt on the floor, ripped fabric bed frames, stains on carpets, etc. The attached pictures only represent rooms two and three. The front desk staff was apologetic and attempted to accommodate, but we purchased a river view room and needed two beds which was apparently challenging due to their reservations that week.

My family and I stayed as part of a college tour and were pleased with the access to the river walk, downtown restaurants and shops as well as the college, Wrightsville beach and more. At first glance entering the building it appears as though it is updated and clean. It isn’t until you venture further inside you discover how aged and dirty the facilities are. The back stairwell near the pool entrance is disgusting. There are homeless people who are a constant presence in the hotel parking lot. The only interaction we had was pleasant and brief but just know they’re there.

Needless to say, we have never been this dissatisfied with a hotel stay before and we have been traveling frequently this past year. If our stay in town was longer I would have left the hotel altogether and found a different establishment. Hilton executives clearly don’t visit this location!

I was here for a few nights during a business meeting. All was great at the hotel, just a smell in the lobby bathroom that was there all week that makes me go down to a four star, but would definitely stay again! Love the riverfront and proximity to everything.

Just stayed at this property which was rated a 5 star. Definitely a 2.5. The staff was friendly, the food was good, and the location great. Our first room smelled so strongly of mildew we had to move. It was also very dated and the bathroom Definitely did not match online photos. It still had a tub with sliding glass doors. The next room smelled better l, but the ac vent was black with mold. We cut our visit short, no thanks. The pool had algae all along the sides, looked like it hadn't been cleaned it weeks. When I came to the pool in the am, there were dirty towels, glasses, cups, and food everywhere. Nothing had been cleaned or cleared. No clean pool towels either. They seemed very shortstaffed. When I called Hilton they didn't seem overly concerned.

Staff was amazing.

Excellent location with an amazing atmosphere. Live music all day. The room is so clean and cozy with a great view. We will stay here again. Everyone here is very helpful. Very safe! Great food!!

The suite was well organised and comfortable. The location was great

Location.

Everything

Great location but the hotel is shabby. The first room had mold on the vents, the second had a super loud fan (like a bathroom exhaust fan but in the middle of the room). Both rooms were ok but little things - an old bottle cap on the floor, water damage on the bathroom drywall, TV does not work if it is raining, etc. It feels more like an old Holliday Inn than a Hilton.

Everything! Room was comfortable, view was excellent, coffee was good. Food in restaurant was wonderful - exactly what we needed after traveling all day. Highly recommend the salmon and the chicken quesadilla!

Good location
Public Parking garage in front of hotel
Walking distance to visit Wilmington

The location was outstanding. The rooms were clean and the bed comfortable.

Location, pool.

View was great and location was very nice