We chose the River Inn based on other reviews, availabilty and price. The River Inn really was the best value we could find for a reasonable class hotel in DC at around £100 per night.
Foggy Bottom is a lovely location, charming townhouses and tree lined streets, though being so close to the University a lot of the houses seem to be student accomodation. The plethora of students gives the area a buzzy and relaxed feel and means that most of the eateries nearby are at the cheaper end of the scale.
The metro is a short walk as is Georgetown with all its great shops and restaurants and a brisk walk will also get you to the Lincoln Memorial and the start of the National Mall. Trader Joes is about two blocks away too!
The hotel itself looks relatively bland outside and the lobby is small and generic. The staff were pleasant and welcoming. Our room was nice with a dressing area outside the bathroom - the bathroom was fine, though you could see that it had been done up and not everything had been changed, some bits were still shabby, and a rainfall showerhead really needs decent water pressure to be worthwile!
The small kitchen with a microwave, toaster, fridge and hob was clean and stocked with two of everything. The fridge was quite old which meant at night it could be a bit noisy humming away just round the corner from the bed. The hob was really past it and needs replacing , it worked but was a pain to turn on and off. There was a small coffee machine and grinder, but no kettle if, like many English people, you need a cup of tea in the morning. Coffee beans were supplied but only replaced occasionally. A nice touch was that a new dish scrub and washing up liquid were supplied and if washing up was left in the sink one returned to find it done.
The bed was comfortable if not large. The TV had a decent selection of channels but the TV version of the internet simply wouldn't work and it's easier, if you don't have a laptop, to go to the lower lobby and use the PC there.
Our room overlooked an alley and looked straight into the rooms of the student hall opposite so you may need to keep the curtains drawn during term time! Rooms on the other side look towards the Watergate and the deluxe rooms look towards the Potomac.
Overnight parking seemed pricey at $20 plus tax per night but that may be normal for DC.
Overall the River Inn is a nice place, the rooms are spacious and pleasant and do represent really good value in DC. Having a kitchen is handy and Trader Joes up the road helps.
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