This week I took a 1-night business trip to Washington, DC. After searching for hotels, I picked the W Washington for my brief stay primarily because I like W Hotels, and Starwood is my first choice of hotel program. This was actually my 3rd stay at the hotel, and I have reviewed it before, but I thought it was worth reviewing again. I booked a Wonderful room with an “inner” view thinking my SPG Gold status might at least get me “upgraded” to a room with a window that looks onto the street, but that didn’t happen, and I didn’t bother asking for a slightly better room. It was fine for one night, but I do have an observation that I’ll share later in the post. Come to think of it, this was my second SPG stay in a row where I didn’t receive any kind of upgraded accommodations, the other being the Sheraton Atlantic City last week. But…back to the topic at hand.
Checking in
I arrived at the hotel via taxi where my door was quickly opened and I was politely greeted by staff. Proceeding inside, I was immediately assisted at the front desk. Check in was polite, and efficient. One thing…the front desk attendant said this was my first stay at the hotel. I told her it was actually my 3rd, and she seemed surprised. The computer indicated it was my first. Not sure why that happened, and it really doesn’t matter….just an observation. I was off to my 3rd floor room.
The Room
Room 333 was a Wonderful Room with an inner view. It’s a bit of a misnomer to call it an inner view, because you can’t see out of the window because there’s some artsy looking “frosting” or whatever it’s called decorating the window. It’s just as well, because there’s nothing to see outside. Most of the rooms at the W Washington are on the smallish side as the W occupies the space of the old Hotel Washington, a very old property that was renovated to make it W fabulous. đŸ™‚ Nonetheless, the room was fine for a 1-night business stay. The space was efficiently laid out, and quite comfortable for 1 or 2 people. I snapped a few photos.
The room was functional….and more than adequate for my one night stay. That said, I do have a complaint about it. My AT&T powered iPhone barely had more than 1 bar of signal. I had to stand next to the “window” for any hope of having a conversation on the phone. For the record, I also carry a work provided Verizon BlackBerry. It didn’t have a full strength signal, but did have enough to complete a phone call. My Verizon Mi-Fi also worked just fine. YMMV. But the cell signal problem alone would have been enough to lead me to request a different room if I were staying for longer than one night.
Around the Hotel
Good food is close by. Bobby Van’s Steakhouse is a favorite of mine, as is the ever popular Old Ebbitt Grill. The hotel’s own J&G Steakhouse is reportedly wonderful, but I’ve never dined there. I’m also a big fan of The Hamilton, which is just down and across the street from the hotel. The one thing in the hotel I always make a point to check out is the popular rooftop lounge, POV. You can’t beat the view! I wasn’t there long enough to check out the fitness center, so I can’t report on the quality of that.
The Bottom Line
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Starwood and the W brand in particular. The W Washington is a great hotel in a great location. I will be back.
