Hilton Garden Inn Columbus/Polaris

Hotels
•
Hilton Garden Inn
7.1 (174 reviews)
8535 Lyra Drive , Columbus , US
+1 614-846-8884

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Heating
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Staff honest and returned forgotten cash promptly
Good/convenient location for events
Rooms described as clean and spacious
Nice hotel interior
Cons:
Breakfast advertised as included but not honored / charged
Frequent vehicle break-ins and poor parking security
Pool out of service and missing advertised fitness equipment (Peloton)
In-room phone and coffee machine not working
Limited ice machines
Perceived misleading pricing and poor transparency

Categories

Cleanliness
9.7
Reviewers explicitly noted the hotel interior and rooms were very nice and clean; rooms described as spacious.
Service
9.1
Staff acted honestly and promptly when returning forgotten cash (positive), but there were service failings reported (breakfast not honored, in-room phone not working) — overall staff responsiveness was highlighted positively despite operational issues.
Location
7.5
Described as a good/convenient location for events (e.g., car show, tournament) but repeatedly reported as being in an unsafe area with frequent vehicle break-ins.
Room Quality
9.7
Rooms were described as spacious and the hotel interior as nice; some in-room equipment (coffee machine, telephone) was broken, but overall room quality was praised.
Amenities
4.5
Multiple amenity failures reported: pool out of service, missing Peloton in fitness center, only two working ice machines, lack of security cameras, and inconsistent/charged breakfast.
Value for Money
5
Guests felt misled about what was included (breakfast advertised on Booking.com but not honored) and cited disappointing service relative to price.
Food and Beverage
4.2
Breakfast was repeatedly not included despite booking claims and/or charged ($10 per person); complaints about breakfast handling and pricing.
Overall Experience
7.1
Mixed overall: honest and prompt staff action (returning money) and nice, clean rooms, but significant issues with breakfast policies, amenities, and parking security made the stay frustrating for many guests.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:17

Property Description

Convenient Shuttle Services and Proximity to Ohio State University
Experience comfort and convenience at our Columbus hotel, located just 12 miles from Ohio State University. Take advantage of our shuttle services within a 5-mile radius and explore the area with ease.

Well-Equipped Rooms and On-Site Amenities
Relax in our guest rooms featuring cable TV, a microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker for your convenience. Unwind at our indoor pool (currently closed) or stay active at the gym. Enjoy delicious meals at our on-site restaurant and take advantage of our gift shop and laundry facilities.

Easy Access to Downtown Columbus and Area Attractions
Located near major freeways, including Interstate 71 and 270, our hotel offers easy access to downtown Columbus and the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Explore the vibrant city and nearby attractions during your stay with us.

Book your stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Columbus/Polaris for a memorable and convenient experience.

Important information:

Renovation work is done from 08:00 to 18:00 daily. The lobby, restaurant and pool are under renovation.

Please note that construction work is going on next 14 months and some rooms may be affected by noise.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: CMH

Location

Guest Reviews

7.1
Based on 174 reviews
Cleanliness: 9.7
Service: 9.1
Location: 7.5
Room Quality: 9.7
Amenities: 4.5
Value for Money: 5
Food and Beverage: 4.2
Overall Experience: 7.1
K
Karina • solo_traveller • kz
5
Pros:

The only positive thing I can say about this hotel is that when I checked out ,I accidentally left my money inside the room.After I called the hotel,the staff responded quickly and returned my money back.I appreciate their honesty and prompt response in this situation, and I would like to acknowledge this positive experience despite the other issues I encountered during my stay!

Cons:

I stayed at this hotel for four days, and despite Booking.com clearly stating that breakfast was included, I was not allowed to have breakfast on any of those days. Today, I extended my stay for one more night, and I was once again told that breakfast was not included. Why mislead guests by advertising breakfast as included on Booking.com if the hotel is not going to honor what is advertised? This is misleading and unfair to customers. Guests deserve honest information about what they are paying for, without unpleasant surprises after booking.
This lack of transparency regarding both breakfast and pricing is extremely disappointing.

There are also several issues with the room. The telephone used to contact reception does not work, so I have to repeatedly go down to the front desk in person whenever I need assistance. The coffee machine in the room is also not working.

Overall, this experience has been very frustrating. The hotel needs to improve its communication, honor the services advertised, be transparent about pricing, and properly maintain its room facilities. For the price I paid, the service should have been much better. Based on my experience, I would not recommend this hotel.

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
K
Karina • solo_traveller • kz
6
2026-10-24 • via Nuitee
A
Aimee • extended_group • us
10
2026-10-10 • via Nuitee
S
Sandra • solo_traveller • nl
3
2026-10-09 • via Nuitee
M
Martin • couple • us
10
2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
J
jeffrey • couple • us
8
2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
C
Chuck • solo_traveller • us
9
2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
R
ROBERT • couple • us
10
2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
L
Lugo • solo_traveller • us
9
2026-08-09 • via Nuitee
K
Karen • couple • us
10
Was nice for car show
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Charged for breakfast and cost of room

2026-08-08 • via Nuitee
E
E2528EWpeteg • Family
4
Poor parking lot security
Pros:

The hotel location is great. Unfortunately, our stay was ruined. My truck and many others were broken into over night in the parking lot. The windows were completely smashed out. After reading the reviews and speaking with family and friends, this has been a problem for years and it seems it has not been addressed. Until there is a way to deter this from happening again by increasing security measures in some way, I am not sure why anyone would stay here. The parking lot says park at your own risk (basically). The police even told us that it has been years of the same vandalism occurring. Good luck everyone.

2026-07-28 • via Tripadvisor
G
Go232595 • Friends getaway • Philippi, West Virginia
4
Nice hotel rooms, not the safest area!
Pros:

The hotel inside is very nice, clean and the rooms are spacious, but that's where it ends. First of all, this hotel is not in the safest area. We stayed in a neighboring hotel a few weeks early and several cars were broken into during our stay. We had to stay at this hotel for a baseball tournament and again, several vehicles, including 2 from our team were broken into. Police reported that over 50 vehicles in the general area were broken into in one night. The hotel told our affected families that they do not have security cameras and if they install security cameras the rates will increase. The breakfast bar was $10 per person, there were only 2 working ice makers in the entire hotel and the pool was out of service. Additionally, there was supposed to be a Peloton Bike (one reason we stay at Hiltons) in the fitness center but it was not there.

2026-07-28 • via Tripadvisor
M
mirag981 • Friends getaway
4
DO.NOT.STAY.HERE
Pros:

We strongly recommend continuing your search for a better—and frankly safer—place to stay. Six cars were broken into in the parking lot last night, and based on the police, hotel staff, and even the signs posted around the property, this seems to be less of a “rare incident” and more of a nightly tradition.

The pool was advertised when we booked a few weeks ago, but it’s currently out of service. And by “out of service,” I mean completely drained with no sign of life, tools, workers, or even a hopeful “coming soon” banner. It’s basically a large, sunken reminder of better days.

The A/C was loud enough that I briefly considered whether I should be wearing hearing protection indoors, and the bathroom came with complimentary bugs—unfortunately not the kind that fly in to tell you you’re a Disney princess.

We gave it two stars only because the staff were genuinely kind and helpful. They deserve a better building to work in.

2026-07-25 • via Tripadvisor
M
Mike • extended_group • us
9
Room rate was too high!!!
2026-07-14 • via Nuitee
M
Michael • extended_group • us
6
Pros:

The location

Cons:

That the pool was closed and we were supposed to recieve a $30 a night discount and it wasn't subtracted from my bill and my room the seal aroumd the air conditioner leaked when it rained

2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • us
10
2026-07-11 • via Nuitee
J
Jim • couple • us
9
2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
E
Ephraim • couple • us
8
2026-06-27 • via Nuitee
M
Marcos • solo_traveller • do
9
Pros:

The service was excellent. They did care for my comfort.
They also called to make sure I was not leaving behind a document.
Breakfast was decent and they have bottled water available for you whole stay.
We had a car and didn't have any issue of security as other guests claimed.

Cons:

I had an issue with the sofa bed not ready when we just arrived. It was brand new with plastics and no linens. But I could solve it

2026-06-14 • via Nuitee
A
Arthur • solo_traveller • us
10
Pros:

Nice and quite

2026-05-24 • via Nuitee