This week, Hilton announced the opening of its first Spark property outside the US in Germany: Spark by Hilton Stuttgart Sindelfingen. Conveniently located near the Mercedes-Benz plant and the Mercedes-Benz Museum, this hotel aims to provide budget-friendly accommodation without compromising on quality.
About Spark by Hilton
Hilton entered the economy segment of the hotel market in 2022. In October 2023, they opened their first Spark property in Mystic, Connecticut. Since then, the brand has expanded rapidly, with 85 properties listed in the Hilton App, some still in development.
Our Experience
In February 2024, we stayed for one night at Spark by Hilton Orlando Universal Blvd. The location is perfect, just a few minutes by car from Universal Studios Florida. The highlight of our stay was definitely the staff, who was very friendly and professional during check-in and breakfast.
However, the downside was the hotel’s interior, which badly needed a complete renovation. It seemed the property had been rebranded without significant investment or refurbishment. There was some ongoing renovation, but it appeared to be limited to wall painting. We were upgraded to a 1 King Suite, consisting of two rooms: a dark, small living room with one sofa and no windows, and a bedroom. Everything looked outdated, and the air quality was poor. The elevators could also use a refurbishment.
The breakfast offered bagels with spreads, yogurt, muffins, tea, and coffee. It was adequate and met our expectations for a budget brand. For one night in February, we paid $177, which is reasonable for the high season at this location. However, we expected a higher standard from a Hilton brand, particularly regarding the interior renovation. We hope not all Spark properties are like this one—old hotels rebranded without proper updates.
In contrast, our stay in February at Tru by Hilton Miami West Brickell was great. We paid $228 per night. The property is quite new, the room simply furnished, and the complimentary breakfast had definitely more variety than Spark’s. The ground floor featured a large, bright space with the front office, breakfast area, and multifunctional seating. The atmosphere was pleasant, with nice decorations, and there were always guests working on computers or reading. The general impression of the Tru property was significantly better.
We hope that not all Spark properties mirror our experience in Orlando. It’s clear that when you pay less for a hotel room, you expect simpler facilities and fewer breakfast items. However, we want to stay in a nice, clean environment, and for a hotel chain, there should be a clear standard for each hotel category.
There is no Tru by Hilton in Germany, but we have had excellent experiences with Hampton hotels in Germany. All the Hampton properties we stayed at were quite new, well-maintained, and provided good value for the money. This raises the question: Can Spark by Hilton in Germany offer even lower prices than Hamptons while maintaining corresponding standard, or is it worth paying a bit more per night to stay at Hampton hotels?
