I arrived in Baton Rouge on a late American Eagle flight from Dallas and hopped in an uber to head to my home for the weekend, the DoubleTree by Hilton Baton Rouge. I arrived at the hotel a little after midnight so some of the photos in this review are from the next morning.
Booking
Since I was heading to Baton Rouge on an LSU game weekend, and booking somewhat last minute, hotel prices were sky high. Basic hotels were going for over $300 a night and the DoubleTree was averaging more than $400 per night. The average was slightly lower than the game weekend because I had a Thursday night stay included in there. Standard room rates at this hotel are between $100-120.
I ended up booking the hotel directly through the Hilton website and used 100,000 Hilton Honors points instead of paying cash. At roughly 33,000 points per night it seemed like a better deal than paying in cash. Since I was going with friends, I booked us a 2 Queen room with a pull-out couch.
Location
The DoubleTree by Hilton Baton Rouge is located at the end of Constitution Avenue near I-10 at the College Drive exit. Constitution Avenue can be accessed directly from the Eastbound College Drive exit and has many hotels along it. The DoubleTree is the only hotel on Constitution Avenue that is separated from I-10 by a concrete sound barrier, the remainder of the street only has a chain-length fence, making this hotel quieter than others.
Check-In
Thanks to the Hilton Honors app, I was able to check-in 24 hours prior to arrival at the hotel. While Marriott allows you to check-in within the app and gives you a mobile key, Hilton allows you to select your room from a floorplan within the app. Having spent my college years in Baton Rouge, I was already familiar with the hotel layout and selected a 1BR suite on the far side of the hotel, away from the interstate.
I’m not sure if I was able to select the suite because of my Hilton Diamond status or if it was just coded as a standard double Queen room but, I appreciated not having to cross my fingers or use a certificate for an upgrade, especially on a sold out football weekend.
I arrived at the hotel after midnight and the front desk clerk buzzed me in and quickly got me checked in. In addition to providing my room keys, she was able to add my two friends to the reservation who would be arriving the next day while I was in meetings and provide parking passes for both of them. Room keys in hand, I headed for the elevator and off to the room to get some sleep.
Room
Our home for the weekend was located on the 3rd floor at the end of the hallway away from the highway. Upon entry, there was a short entryway with the living room to the left and the bedroom to the right.
The bedroom had two queen beds that were very comfortable, though the room was on the small side. A shared bedside table with a lamp sat between the beds.
Across from the beds, there was a decent sized dresser with a flat screen TV perched on top.
To the left of the entrance, the living room had a pull out couch, chair, coffee table, and a large desk. I had to take some calls from the room early Friday morning and found that I had plenty of space to spread out and work. A flat screen TV was mounted next to the desk and there was a random table located in the corner.
In the corner of the room was a small bar area that featured a microwave, mini-fridge, coffeemaker, and an ice bucket.
Off of the living room was the bathroom which was very large. While it featured plenty of space, it was rather industrial and unremarkable.
The vanity area had a single sink and there was a decent amount of space on each side for toiletries. Given the size of the bathroom I felt that they could have utilized the space better and had more than a freestanding table for a counter.
The bathroom also had a shower/tub combo and featured toiletries from Crabtree & Evelyn in reusable bottles mounted to the wall.
Overall, the room was large but on the dark and dingy side, a stark contrast to the bright and modern spaces in the lobby.
Amenities
Though the room was dark and dingy, the lobby had a bright and airy feel. The lobby space was huge and had plenty of seating. Breakfast was served here each morning for a small fee and, while we didn’t eat here, there was plenty of space for everyone. The focal point of the lobby was a large sectional and chairs situated around a wall-mounted TV.
To the right was a secondary seating area with a variety of seating including another large sectional as well as a few smaller cafe style seats. There was a large rock wall flanked by windows though there wasn’t anything on it. I felt like it should have had a fireplace or TV to make it fit in better.
Summary
While I wouldn’t pay $400 a night for this hotel on a regular basis, it’s a perfectly fine option for a game weekend in Baton Rouge or for a quick roadside stop. The room was clean and the staff was very friendly. While it is far from my favorite hotel in Baton Rouge, it fit the bill for what we needed for a last minute getaway.
In This Trip Report
- Introduction
- American Airlines B737-800 First Class (AUS-DFW)
- American Eagle CRJ-900 First Class (DFW-BTR)
- DoubleTree by Hilton Baton Rouge
- LSU vs. Arkansas Weekend in Baton Rouge
- United Express CRJ-900 Economy (BTR-IAH)
- United B767-300 Premium Economy (IAH-EWR)
- Renaissance New York Chelsea Hotel
- Our Week in Manhattan
- United A319 Economy (EWR-STL)
- TownePlace Suites by Marriott St. Louis O’Fallon
- Wingtips Lounge St. Louis (STL)
- Southwest B737-700 Economy (STL-AUS)
