Disappointing Hilton Experience
This was my first visit to this Hilton property. My husband is a HH Diamond member, and has stayed at this hotel before -- on business. His recollection of this hotel was of an average convention center Hilton. We have stayed in MANY Hilton hotels over the years -- some simple, some very fancy. We just stayed at the Beverly Hilton, and had a fantastic experience. Unfortunately -- This hotel ranks as one of the worst Hiltons we have visited. 
From the moment we got to this hotel, we experienced poor service after poor service. HH members are entitled to check in in a shorter, special line. Upon arrival, there were as many as 20 people waiting to check in, with no one at the HH desk. We waited fifteen minutes, when finally a junior manager came to pick up some of the slack. She was efficient, but the other clerks were as slow as molasses. Ignoring all the impatient guests, they spent their time chatting with the guests -- discussing the Chargers or commenting on the weather when they should have been checking in more guests. We were upgraded to waterfront rooms (we had two), which was nice -- but they stank of mold. Our bathroom was steamy, as if someone had just taken a hot shower in it before we arrived. The service at the restaurant, Vela was appalling. The waitress was downright inhospitable and seemed to resent how hard she had to work. She made a big deal about telling us how many hours she had had to work and how tired she was. I guess she was doing us a favor to serve us. Everywhere we went service was slow and inefficient. The hotel was crowded but extremely understaffed. The lobby attendants, who seemed charming enough, sat around, no knowing what to do. Who is minding the store at the SD Hilton? Was everyone on vacation? Clearly, the management is unfit or unprepared to run such a large Hilton property. What a shame. We will not return.
P.S. Upon check out, we really tried to discuss our experience with a HH rep (so as not to have to dump on them on TA) -- but the lines were again too long to wait!!!!