I recently completed a weeklong stay at the Courtyard Washington (DC) Capitol Hill/Navy Yard. This was a business stay near my project site. I have avoided staying in this hotel for a few reasons. First, it’s a little too close to the project site….hey…you have to get away. Second, I never quite made peace with the fact that the “DC Waterfront” area has really broken away from its less than stellar past. There just wasn’t that much around the hotel for a long time. For the record – things change….and I really enjoyed my stay.

Getting There

The hotel is located adjacent to DC’s Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station. If flying into DCA, you’ll take the Yellow Line to L’Enfant Plaza, and switch to the Green Line train towards Branch Avenue. Exit towards the US DOT, and look left at the top of the escalator. The hotel will be in sight. Alternatively, a taxi will average around $20.

Checking In

I arrived pretty early – around 11am, but I was able to check into my room. The hotel has been remodeled into the latest Courtyard schtick, looks clean and modern…..and frankly, inviting. Things were pretty quiet, and within minutes, I was checked in and on my way to my room for just long enough to leave my things and head over to my work site.

The Room

My room was pretty standard Courtyard. Spacious, clean, comfortable, and designed for work. I loved the work area, the refrigerator, and the comfortable bed. The bathroom was pretty spacious too.

Fancy Room Art

Fancy Room Art

Furniture or Luggage Rack Depending on Your Perspective

Furniture or Luggage Rack Depending on Your Perspective

Comfortable Bed

Comfortable Bed

Work Area and TV

Work Area and TV

Facilities

Facilities

The room was equipped with high speed wired and wireless internet. Basic internet is free for everyone. The hotel offers an “enhanced” option for $4,95 per day. As a Marriott Rewards Gold member, the enhanced internet was complimentary. That topped out around 4mbps for those who are curious, while the complimentary for all internet clocked in at 1mbps.

Around the Hotel

I was extremely busy with work related “stuff” during this stay and was unable to explore the area around the hotel widely. I know from past experience that the Barrack’s Row area is pretty cool, and DC’s Metro system can take you just about anywhere. I’m a big Uber fan, and my one Uber trip during my stay was excellent – my wait was exactly 1 minute! If you’ve never tried Uber, you can get $20 off your first ride using this link. If you book using this link, I also get $20 off my next Uber ride.

I think I’ve mentioned a lot of my favorite DC spots on this blog before, so I believe it is time to mention a new spot. I enjoyed a phenomenal dinner at Osteria Morini, which is an easy walk from the hotel. As a hard core convert to living in DC and not the suburbs, it is so gratifying to see how DC has evolved, especially the Anacostia waterfront area. Osteria Morini is a great restaurant, and I really enjoyed my meal. There are others around the area including Blue Jacket and Nando’s Peri Peri that I am quite fond of.

The Bottom Line

If business takes you to this part of DC, the Courtyard Washington (DC) Capitol Hill/Navy Yard is a very god option. Frankly, after this stay, I’m not sure why I avoided it for as long as I did.