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Just got back from a three day conference at the Doubletree at Hilton, King of Prussia, PA.

It took me quite a few phonecalls and emails to make arrangements for a gluten-free meal, after insisting upon hearing from the head chef.  Eventually, the head chef emailed me my own menu, from which I made selections....a few days in advance, per his instruction.  I confirmed that he got my "order."

Dinner Friday night was o.k.  Salmon was delicious.  I don't normally order gf pasta, but it came out with it and was good.   I had to ask for fruit dessert, but when it came out, it was huge.  
Breakfast...Saturday morning.  The waitstaff and chef seemed to not know anything about my gf meal that was supposed to come from the kitchen, not the buffet.  Luckily, I brought my own muffin, but I took a chance and had some bacon and eggs, and a piece of fruit.  

At some point in the morning, the banquet manager happened to come into the room where I had a class (not food related), and I approached him about breakfast, thinking I'd be up a creek for the other meals (which were all pre-paid and $$$).  He made sure I had a good salad for lunch and more fruit.

But over the course of the day, despite my having Glucerna shakes and more fruit, my blood sugar must have plummeted, and I was extremely dizzy....to the point of having to hold on to get down to the dining room.  Dinner was chicken and rice, salad an stringbeans.  I never ordered the rice, since I'm on a low-glycemic diet, and I also don't trust rice pilafs in restaurants.  When they brought out brownies, I tried to turn them down, but the chef came running out and said, "We bought this for you."  When I questionned their use of a mixer with gluten, he said it was just mixed in a bowl, not mixer. Knowing that I probably needed the sugar, I gave in and ate the brownies.

Breakfast this morning was in their regular restaurant, and despite not having a separate meal from the kitchen, it worked out, because the waitress knew exactly what was gf in the buffet, and how everything was separate, and I had no problem using the omelet bar.  Nothing for the omelets had gluten.

While this sounds glorious, it took a lot of effort to get the orders pre-ordered.  It took a lot of effort to make sure I was given gf, and somewhere in translation, I got stuff I didn't ask for...but they were trying to be solicitous.

Now, if they only vacuumed the rooms once in awhile, it would have been nice.  I wasn't the only one who found the carpets rather dirty.   A number of the people I was with said the hotel nickel and dimed the organization over everything, and that many found the service very slow or unresponsive.  Turns out this Doubletree is a franchise of Hilton, part of some huge conglomerate.   Not the standards that I'm accustomed to, when I hear Hilton.  After many years of going to hotels and conferences, and running some myself, I have to say I'd rate this maybe three star....and not always that.  It was better when the kitchen actually tried to impress me....but doing what I asked for would have been nice.

I didn't hear anyone rave about the food, although the hotel obviously has a source for huge strawberries.  I found it too salty, but since I cook without salt, I find a number of places too salty.

Not wanting to sound unappreciative of their efforts, when efforts were made, I am still glad to hear that my organization is looking to move somewhere else next year.  But I also heard that we already have a contract here.  The only good thing is it's not far for us to drive to.  Maybe next year, they'll not act as if I was the only person in the world who asked them for gluten-free.  King of Prussia isn't in the hinterlands.  There are several restaurants in the nearby K of P mall with gf menus.  But the meals were working meals or awards banquets, so escaping wasn't an option.  I am however glad that I brought my own back up food.  Came in handy mid-day and late at night, when nothing was available.
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