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i chose this hotel for the eve of the marine corps marathon, so that i could be close to the start line, and save myself time and stress from a long commute on race morning. since i booked this in january, the price was very reasonable, and plenty of rooms were still available. i was happy that they didn't have a 2 night minimum, since i planned to stay with my parents in maryland for the duration of my stay in the dc area. i had hoped to arrive sooner, but only arrived around 1630 on saturday afternoon, which meant that i'd be spending barely a half day before checking out and heading to the race. upon arrival, i saw many guests who were presumably running mcm the next morning...when you see folks decked out in the race gear, or running clothes and bags from other major races, it's a pretty safe bet that they're also there for the marathon. check-in was swift, and i took the elevator to my room...i don't even remember what room/floor i was in, since i never left that evening! i already had my dinner, warmed, compliments of dad, which i ate on the desk in my room. i had my portable breakfast ready to go. the mini fridge was super helpful for keeping my overnight oats fresh for race morning. there were 2 queen beds, but since i was alone, i used one bed to "stage" the race, lay out my clothes, shoes, accessories for race morning (lest i forget something!) and the other bed to sleep/relax. the bed was clean, warm, and very comfortable...very important for the night before one is about to run 26.2 miles! wifi was free, compliments of being a marriott bonvoy member, and i had no trouble connecting and binge watching netflix for a couple hours before i went to sleep. the bathroom was well appointed with toiletries, fresh, fluffy towels, and a shower with good water pressure. overall, the room was very quiet and i had no trouble falling asleep or staying asleep...although i did wake a few times, probably out of nervousness/excitement, for the pending race (very typical the night before a marathon for me!) the morning of, i quickly got dressed, packed, and headed to the lobby, where i was greeted by a sea of runners, all of whom were headed to the start line, just a couple miles away. i was able to leave my bags with the concierge, for pickup post-race, since i knew i wouldn't be able to make it back before official checkout time. fast forward about 10 hrs, i was back at the hotel, picked up my belongings, and on my way back to my parents' place in maryland. it was a very short stay, about 13 hrs, but i appreciated having the convenience of this hotel and only riding the metro 2 stops to the start line of mcm. i would highly recommend staying here if you plan to run the marine corps marathon in the future!
The room is grubby. The fan sounds like a rock tumbler/marbles rolling around a sink. Dirt in corners. Sticky light switches. Plugs near the bed are so loose, my phone charger won't work. Lots of water damage in the bathroom. Another conference attendee mentioned she found dirty underwear in her room.
Absolutely love this hotel as a layover! It's in a great location, near shops, food, and the train. The rooms are spacious and lovely, and you don't hear any noise. The concierge is very accommodating, explaining all the amenities to you, and providing you with directions to popular locations as well as explaining the access you have in the hotel. While the gym could be a little larger, it does offer several peloton bikes, a few treadmills, several free weights and kettlebells, and one stairmaster. It's located on the first floor, above the bar/restaurant, so the hallways can be noisy and crowded. The M lounge is my favorite perk, with drinks and snacks available throughout the day, and hors d'oeuvres served in the evening (tonight was chocolate cake, various cookies, and fruits). Can't wait to be back!!
I enjoyed my stay, from checkin to checkout. I recommend this hotel for sure. This is the only hotel that has ever made me appreciate my elite status. I enjoyed complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I also appreciated having water and soda, if desired. The connection to the metro was also a bonus. I did not have a to walk outside in the cold to commute to and from the metro. I will return again soon. Plus, the central location is convenient. This hotel is surrounded by several restaurants, shops, and the mall. Plus, the ambience is beautiful. I slept comfortably in my bed, and the noise level was not bothersome. Check it out!
I called the front desk for info on sending a special birthday treat to a hotel guest. The person at the front desk couldn't have been kinder and made the process so easy! Definitely left a good impression on me and showed great service!!
I stayed here for a few days in February for a company meeting. Definitely some good things, but also some things that need some improvement. Check-in/check-out was very smooth, and the few times I had to interact with the hotel staff, there was nothing but smiles and a feeling like I was the most important person in the hotel at that time. Customer service was hands down, second-to-none. This includes my reporting a leak under the toilet at the shut-off valve. It was quickly and competently addressed, with no further issues. I had a double room up on the 16th floor of the Arlington Tower. It was *almost* spotless, with only a broken zip-tie on the floor near the door, and there were a couple strands of stray long hair in the shower. Otherwise, I was pleased with the cleanliness of the room, and there were no strong smells/odors, good or bad. Plenty of hot water was available. I never ran out in the shower. And it got there fast, with no pressure fluctuations either. The HVAC had my favorite "always on" setting, which while not super loud, was sufficient to help drown out any stray noises. Of which, there weren't many. Yes, I could hear the volleyball kids from time to time in the hallway, but that wasn't very often. Yes, you could hear the occasional siren in the street below, but hey, it's Arlington. That happens. (And there was a double-shooting at the apartments across the street while I was there, too! No, I never felt it was a safety issue for us in the hotel.) The pillows on the bed were a little more on the softer side, but certainly not as soft as I've had at hotels in other stays. And there were plenty of hangars for my clothes, something which can be an annoyance at times. The conference areas were clean, organized, and well-kept. The little "convenience" shop next to the front desk had a lot of items, but they were out of toothpaste (which I had forgotten). No problem! The front desk staff went to the back and gave me some toothpaste, gratis. Very nice touch. However, if you do get something to eat there, it's going to be pricey. A Drumstick was calling me one night, and that was $7. The hotel is connected to the Crystal City Underground. Back in "the day" that meant a lot. Now... not so much. It means you can get to the Metro system easily, which also means easy transport to the airport. But CCU is only a very empty shell of what it used to be. It is a ghost town. From the hotel, you can find a Subway Sandwich Shop, a Sushi Shop, a Nail Salon, and a couple of other places. More on that later. OK, now for the not so nice... In the Arlington Tower, one of the 3 elevators was out of service the entire time I was there. Two elevators during a busy time doesn't provide a decent level of service. This led to some occasional longer waits for a car. Several of the buildings escalators were out of service as well. I can walk, no problem there, but there were others that were forced to wait for elevators because they couldn't or wouldn't use the steps or the broken escalators. Things seemed kind of "dark" in the common areas. Like they needed to install brighter lights, or turn up the ones that are there. The restaurant in the lobby (15 & Eads, I believe it's called) is convenient, but be prepared to spend some money. A salad ran me $16, and a flatbread pizza (think something a little bit bigger than a Stouffer's French Bread Pizza, but with a flat crust) ran $15. And, I had an Old Fashioned that was probably the most expensive mixed drink I'd ever had. I remember joking with the person I was sitting with that for about $5 more, I could have bought an entire bottle of Old Grand-dad! :-) The internet is only free if you are a Bonvoy member. Look, this is 25 years into the 21st Century. A hotel like this not offering free internet for every guest? Maybe I'm missing something, but that seems a bit on the chintzy side. OK, let's talk CCU, and this is NOT a knock on the hotel; this does not at all factor into my rating. Back in the day, there were lots of shops, eateries, a theater... lots of places to go. It's all gone with the exception of what I listed above. Any map you find will likely show the hotel's section of the CCU connecting to the section near the eateries around 21st Street. This is wrong. The section of the CCU that runs under 20th St is closed off. You'll have to go outside for a little bit to pick up the underground again. See the map I uploaded to this review; the purple highlighted area is closed off. The red arrow, upper right, points to this hotel. Overall, the stay was pleasant enough. You're in the middle of "the action" in Crystal City, and you're very close to the airport. I honestly had few complaints overall, but I feel like, for the money, the value wasn't totally there. Elevators & escalators out of service. Pricey meal options. Free internet only if you are a Bonvoy member. It was an OK stay. Not the worst, but not the best.
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Staff are very friendly, but understaffed. Ate at the buffet in the morning; cold food and a small selection for a $29 buffet. Junior suite room promised to accomodate 4 but only had 1 king bed, a chair, and 2 couches definitely not made for sleeping. Very expensive for the quality. read more
4 years ago
I have mixed feelings about this place but before I get into it...absolutely false advertising when it comes to the pool. The pool is on the website. The pool is on reviews. My wife walked around, asked the front desk and the woman said, "Oh sorry no we don't have a pool." Did they used to have a pool? Was it an April Fools prank and they just never changed it on the website? We don't know but to our knowledge...the place is sans pool....I repeat...sans pool. Onward. Our flight was delayed overnight and I ended up calling 3 separate times to let them know we were still coming. Each time...they seemed annoyed but also confused on why the call. The first time, I said, "It's a storm over there, huh?" The guy says, "yeah it's raining. " Oh. Ok. Well sir I'm stuck in Atlanta so don't know when the flight will no longer be delayed. Mind you, I was coming for a conference that was being held at the hotel and other folks had their flights delayed...so maybe some acknowledgment of that and a, "Don't worry, we've got you covered" sort of message. No. Nothing. While it's free to sign up for Bonvoy, you can see im a member and have some points, talk to me nice. We arrive and I explain that I have two reservations...one made with the company and one made myself. They are for two separate blocks of stay....apparently I was still checked in incorrectly and had to come back down, in the middle of our stay, to get new keys. Here's where the mix of feelings comes in...the customer service (outside of the phone calls before I got there) was actually top notch. The folks were friendly, always fixed the issues...but WHY do I have this issue in the first place??? Some things... 1. Leak in the roof (see picture) of the Fitness Center that had water dripping down, i.e., a leak. 2. Everytime we ordered room service, they got the order wrong and we had to get something taken off or go back and retrieve the missing item. 2a. The restaurant was open until 1030 am, closed, then open again at 4 pm for dinner. How do you have no food available for guests, with a whole restaurant and lounge, from 1030 am to 4 pm? So the sign that says food is available 24hrs (see photo) lies and fairytales. 3. Chair (see picture) seems to be on its last legs. Nuance matters. 4. I'm a Bonvoy member. Every other Marriott I've been to, there are water bottles in the room (gratis) and free wifi codes upon check-in. There were no water bottles in the room and I had to sign into the wifi hoping it got taken off the bulk at the end of the stay. 5. Vending machines conveniently sold out on the floor the entire 5 day stay. But...the customer service, make no mistake, kind and responsive. Just too many issues to have to respond to. Marriott gotta support this particular hotel. read more
5 years ago
Quiet, clean, and close to the airport. Didn't get to really experience the full treatment as I arrived very late and left very early. Check in was easy, room was extremely nice and shuttle to airport was easy and convenient. read more
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Bottom Line: A full service, but not fancy, Marriott hotel in the bustling business district of Crystal City just steps from the Metro. This Marriott property isn't super fancy but it is big and convenient. This full service hotel has a large lobby, Mediterranean restaurant, a wine bar, a bagel/coffee shop and a pitiful sundries/gift shop/kiosk. The best feature of this hotel is that it is very close to the Crystal City Metro Station and the hotel lobby can be accessed via the Crystal City underground corridors. This is particularly useful if the weather is unfavorable. Also, the proximity of the Metro station makes it easier to get into downtown DC or a less businessy/more fun part of Arlington. The decor in the rooms is very standard Marriott and a bit dated in my opinion. I was upgraded to a suite which was kind of the staff but the wifi didn't work in the bedroom so that was a bummer. The bed was super comfy and the room was clean. The concierge level for Marriott Elite members was very bleh. I bet they like it that way so no one lingers too long or takes more than their fair share. The lounge had big windows but the views were not very interesting. AppetizersA full service, but not fancy, Marriott hotel in the bustling business district of Crystal City just steps from the Metro. This Marriott property isn't super fancy but it is big and convenient. This full service hotel has a large lobby, Mediterranean restaurant, a wine bar, a bagel/coffee shop and a pitiful sundries/gift shop/kiosk. The best feature of this hotel is that it is very close to the Crystal City Metro Station and the hotel lobby can be accessed via the Crystal City underground corridors. This is particularly useful if the weather is unfavorable. Also, the proximity of the Metro station makes it easier to get into downtown DC or a less businessy/more fun part of Arlington. The decor in the rooms is very standard Marriott and a bit dated in my opinion. There was some DC pictures mixed in to remind you that you're near the Nation's Capital. I was upgraded to a suite which was kind of the staff but the wifi didn't work in the bedroom so that was a bummer. The concierge level for Marriott Elite members was very bleh too. I bet they like it that way so no one lingers too long or takes more than their fair share of food and drink. The lounge had big windows but the views were not very interesting. Appetizers served included the standard veggie tray, fruit bowl and cheese platter. There was shrimp balls too but they weren't very good. The best part was the bottled water and cookies. I've stayed in several other hotels in this area and this one was sufficiently generic to blend in with the rest. read more
I was here for three nights/four days for a work conference. Pros: - huge, comfy bed and pillos - HBO Go is included in TV - you can checkout using the TV / also use your personal YouTube/Spotify accounts - massive underground tunnel to the Crystal City shops and to the metro (perfect for winter or gross weather) - great customer service all around the hotel - location is amazing. It's located within .5 miles from lots of great, diverse, ethnic eats, a Whole Foods, a Fashion Mall, a Costco, and more! - free shuttle to airport Cons: - the set up of this hotel is a bit odd. I found myself getting lost a lot during my time here and going way out of the way as I wasn't aware that somehow the hotel connected in ways I didn't even know existed, lol. - no soap. I've never realized that I wasn't so connected to hand soap till they told me that I had to use body wash in my personal bathroom to wash my hands. I found this very odd, but I guess it's saving costs for them, I so understand. - cleanliness: I found a thick layer of dust on one of the bedside stands in my room, indicating that it hadn't been cleaned in a good week or two...which is concerning, to say the least. Overall a great hotel, located very close to the airport and within walking distance of many great places to accommodate you during your stay. read more
Best part of this hotel is the shopping center underneath! This is a convenient location and a nice walk to Pentagon mall. The staff here was nice and accommodating. They were at my door to clean my room faithfully by 8:30am. I had the Jr suite and it was spacious with great view of the city. The bed was pretty hard though that it made my back hurt for days. With my hotel package I had cookies, milk and water delivered to my room every night and that was a nice to have after a long day in the city. There are plenty of seatings for individuals or groups to chill throughout the hotel. One thing I did notice at this hotel there wasn't any water in the lobby but they did offer hot apple cider. It seems to be unplug every time I wanted to try it & by 6:00ish it was gone from the lobby. Overall a good place to stay! read more
3 years ago
Pros: 1) Yvonne is one of the BEST Marriott staff that I've EVER encountered. Truly an example for others to follow. Ask her anything...she knows it! Professional, knowledgeable, pleasant and so helpful. 2) The guest-rooms are nicely appointed. 3) They have warm apple cider at the entry way, which is perfect on these chilly days. 4) Heated indoor pool. 5) As a Gold member, you can get free breakfast at their Mez restaurant on the weekends when the Concierge lounge is closed. Cons: 1) Dinky gym considering the scale of the hotel. Plus, no sauna. 2) If you don't bring a laptop, their computer center on the 1st floor only works w/a credit card...even just to log on. 3) Unlike other Marriott properties w/in a 2-mile radius, this location does NOT offer a local shuttle to the local shops, etc. (only an airport shuttle, which is somewhat unreliable). 4) They have closed "bin 1700" which was the live music/jazz venue on the main level. Rumor has it that management was not comfortable with the ethnic, respectable crowd. read more
7 years ago
Great location. Very convenient to the metro for getting places In DC and National Airport. Cleanliness was also very good. Rooms are on the small side and noise, both street noise and sounds from the hallway and other rooms, was only average at best otherwise I would have given the place an extra star. read more
4 years ago
We wanted room service and ordered a salad of some sort, two Maryland she crab soups, a Chesapeake rockfish shrimp flatbread and a ginger ale. What we got was the some sort of salad which was apparently good, two lima bean soups, a burnt flatbread pizza that was black because it was burnt so badly..and two waters. The pizza (other than the burnt part) had no flavor. We called to explain how our order was messed up and they said okay, we will send you new soups. We got the soups and they are okay. It is not Maryland style and there is NO crab in there. It tastes more like creamy potato or clam chowder..and heavy on the cream. It's good soup though. Overall the food is overpriced and not that good. Save your money and go someplace else. (Not the underground though..no place is good down there either.) read more
Haven't had a chance to review this hotel I stayed at in DC back in March until now. No need for an intro for this chain...this is the Marriott for crying out loud. We expected the staff to be extra courteous, public spaces easily accessible, and rooms clean....all check. This hotel indeed exceeded our expectations. The minute we checked in, we were greeted by every single staff that passed by. This is considered as a business hotel in DC near the Reagan National and walking distance to Metro. Here are the goods: 1) Enormous 2 level lobby with several seating areas, concierge services, Einstein's Bagels, FedEx Kinkos, lobby bar w/ happy hour & 2nd floor restaurant. 2) Underground passage way to Crystal City Metro so you can avoid the bitter cold weather. Hotel is also close to 23rd St bars & restaurants strip & Pentagon City. 3) Free street parking (from 8pm to 8am..i think) but its $25 for self-parking w/ in and out privileges. Wish it was included with the rate but I guess this is DC / VA. 4) Our room was clean w/ traditional Marriott furnishings. Writing desk, LCD, 2 beds w/ view of front of building. 5) Spacious modern bathroom and good hot water pressure too. The only thing missing was the in-room wifi but they offer free wifi in lobby. We paid about $125 per night which was not bad at all. The hotel was what we expected from a reputable chain and having the Metro within a few steps is very convenient. Will consider staying here again. read more
Pros: - The room was clean and nice - The Italian shower was a plus Cons: - The beds were not great at all. Because of their bumped shaped we kept falling when sleeping on the edge. - You have to pay $13 per night for the WiFi in 2018... read more
4 years ago
I stayed at the Marriott Crystal Gateway for a work event for three nights. I arrived at around 4:30pm (prime time check-in) but didn't wait long at all in the Elite member line. I was greeted by Kiki who just moved here from Holland and let me know right away she was new. She was lovely and checked me in, explained the hotel amenities, upgraded me to a corner king room in the Arlington tower, and handed me a map of the property. My room was on the top floor with a great view, right next to the Marquis/Presidential suite which I also got to check out since the event I was working held a mixer there. Quite cool and convenient. The room was nice, pretty basic with a very comfortable bed. They had noted in my profile that I like foam pillows and they were kind enough to bring me those right away. The staff at the Marriott took very good care of me. There was a moment when I accidentally dropped my 14 karat gold hoop earring down the drain and I started panicking when I had to be at work in five minutes. I used the mobile app to message the hotel to have Maitenence come get it for me. When I got back from work a few hours later, not only had the maintenance gotten the earring out, they also found the earring that it belongs with and put it together as a pair. Talk about great treatment! They do have a concierge lounge for elite members and I took great advantage of that. It's open in the morning for breakfast and has a shared buffet with the hotel restaurant with the lounge seating being separate and for elite members only. The breakfast had a great array of options including an omelette and waffle station, oatmeal, and all of the continental goods. I enjoyed breakfast immensely each morning I was there. They also offer hors d'oeuvres and drinks each evening as well as dessert later in the evening. It is a beautiful space that was nice to relax in each day. The last evening I was there I enjoyed a catered dinner from the event I was working at the Sky View lounge which was also beautiful. The food was only OK, but the atmosphere was nice. I will say, overall, the only negatives about this hotel experience is that the Arlington elevators are extremely slow and the entire hotel is overly air-conditioned. I spent a lot of time in the ballrooms for my events and it was unreasonably cold. I do understand because it was over 90° outside each day they were probably putting the air conditioning up even more than they usually do, but it was a little too much. I had to take extra vitamin C supplements that weekend. Just an FYI for anyone who may run extremely cold like I do! They also have a marketplace where you can get quick snacks, drinks, and a few toiletries and medicine options. There's not too much to do in the area, but I did discover a Whole Foods a few blocks away which is one of my favorite places for any of my followers who read my reviews regularly. It's also connected to the Crystal Gateway which is an area that connects to the train station, I believe and if you keep walking, offers more dining options. You are also less than a mile away from the airport and able to take advantage of the shuttle that runs back-and-forth every 20 minutes on the hour. I used it as soon as I got to the airport in DCA and then again on my way back as well. The driver is nice and plays cool, 90's music like Salt-N-Pepa. There is a pool, which I only heard of and never saw but I did use the fitness center each morning I was there and it was lovely. Very clean and had a lot of great options to choose from. All of the equipment seemed as good as new. Life Fitness brand, like most Marriotts. Overall, I immensely enjoyed my stay. I thought the service and the staff was great. Whoever was on the other end of the mobile app chat was very responsive and quick to help. The property was nice, clean, and although freezing cold I would definitely return here again to enjoy the same kind of treatment and luxury as I did this past weekend. Thank you to everyone who contributed to such a lovely stay. read more
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ABSOLUTELY DESPICABLE! Found a bed bug in our beds this morning as we were getting ready to head to breakfast. Spoke to manager and he insisted he do "further investigation" to truly see if it were bed bugs. Upon speaking to housekeeping, I was told this happens often. I do NOT recommend staying here, and I hope anyone looking for best clean hotels sees this and takes their business elsewhere. read more
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20 min driving from the Reagan Airport, the hotel is built right on top of a metro station. Can't beat the location and price. You have to pay for wifi access. Friendly staff very busy at the front but helped us quickly to get in our room. I got checked in a room on the 9th floor but close to the elevators. The room definitely has the best acoustics to make sure you can hear all the hallway traffic. At night there were people talking loud and kids wailing... read more
I have stayed at many hotels in Crystal City, but, this was my first time to stay here on business for a conference at the hotel. When I arrived at DCA the hotel provided courtesy bus service to the hotel. Being a platinum member I was able to efficiently check into my room #547 at the end of the hallway, away from the elevators, which is my personal preference. I only wished I was on a higher floor for better views of the area. My daily hotel rate was $189 or $213.81 with all fees included. The Crystal City metro is located behind the hotel. You can either walk around the hotel in nice weather or there is a connection to the metro in the hotel's lobby. The club floor amenities and service were quite nice during my stay. read more
2 years ago
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