stayed here just 2 days in October. Grand building that has been renovated into a hotel. First impression: its pouring rain out, our cab pulls up to the entrance (which is quite small for such a large hotel, it looked out of wack to me). 2 staff are standing under the awning chatting. We get out of the cab, get our bags from the trunk (the driver did not help), and wheel them up to the awning to escape the rain. There are steps up to the lobby, no way to get the bags up but haul them. Only now, when I've started to carry them up the steps does one of the staffers ask "can I help you?" Now that I'm 1/2 way up the steps into the hotel. Ummm, no, I've got it. As I stand there dripping wet. We walk into the hotel lobby which for some reason is like the awning, seeming very small for such a huge building. Its just "off" to me. So for first impression, I was not impressed.
We check in and it takes about 2 minutes, very fast and efficient if not super friendly. There are a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies sitting on the check in desk, but the desk person does not offer them, and I wonder, "should I just take one?" trying to be polite. I don't. Never saw them again rest of the stay. I should have taken one, cuz they smelled delish, and I was wet and cranky.
We get our room, and I have to preface by saying if there is a room that is the absolute farthest walk from the entrance, then we will be given it. This time is no exception.
The room is huge and spacious with at least 20 feet ceilings. As with other Kimpton properties, I always get the feeling that all the money is spent on design and then skimped when purchases are made. Everything is fine, but it just feels a bit, well, like hotel by Ikea sometimes. The bathroom is a good size but completely unremarkable. Clearly the room had to be built from scratch, why not make it stylish and match the rest of the property's esthetic. Beige walls and cheap tile? Don't get it. But its fine.
The hotel is large, but surprisingly quiet. Walking down the hallway of the first floor to our room is very grand, the room is huge, bed comfortable. With a quick call, we get a cable to plug in the ipod to the in room stereo (nice touch). Even though I sound like I didn't like the place above, it was a pleasant stay. I just focus on the strange inconsistencies...
There is a restaurant sort of attached to the hotel which was good, not great. Service was a little iffy there, but we found that to be the case just about everywhere we ate in DC.
hotel reviews