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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.
4 years ago
7 years ago
13 years ago
12 years ago
This hotel has some great staff. A little boy with sever Hemophilia lost Rexie (a stuffed animal who is with him when he gets Factot VIII injections) inside of a wall. This Marriott pulled out all the stops and rescued Rexie from inside the wall. Thanks goes to the GM and building engineers. It was a difficult task. The place is extra special - not your run of the mill Marriott. read more
8 years ago
8 years ago
I stayed here for two nights and if not for meeting friends That we're staying here, I would have left. What was wrong? 1). There was food from the previous guest in my mini refrigerator the entire time I was there. See photo. 2). My sheets were ripped. see photo. 3). There was a nasty stain on my bath mat. See photo. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
8 years ago
First, not so great, you have to pay for wifi. $12-$15 per day. Second, pleasantly surprised, the rooms look EXACTLY like they show on their website. It's massive - big enough that you need to give yourself a little "travel time" if you need to go from one end to the other. The rooms are clean. The staff are all pleasant. They do their jobs. The on-site restaurant is pretty crummy, but you can eat somewhere else. The bathrooms don't have fans to get out the steam when you shower, but there's plenty of big fluffy towels in the room. Other than the WiFi thing, this hotel is fine. It's good for business travel, but I'd keep looking if the travel is personal read more
7 years ago
3 years ago
7 years ago
DO NOT STAY HERE!!! I recently just left this disgusting hotel and had a horrible time. My roommates and I ended up having a bedbug is one of the beds. When we complained they tried to tell us they couldn't switch our room until the further investigated, but we still made them switch us. After switching rooms, the next morning, I woke up with mosquito bites on the right side of my body (which I still have now). Granted I did wear shorts to bed, but regardless I now have two huge red bumps, one on my arm and a bigger one on my leg that ended up infected. I repeat, do not stay here!! read more
3 years ago
First trip in December we stayed here for my father burial at Arlington. It was amazing from the room to the employees, food etc. over exceeded out expectations. Staff was wicked nice and helpful. When we just went to visit my dad and stayed a second time cause of the amazing first experience. We spent much more thanour first experience. Wish we didnt. Staff was wicked rude. Could care less about us. Was overly fake niced us to death and told us to call the customer service number and didnt want to help us at all. We did that and they told us to talk to the front desk. Room was dirty. Hair in shower and dirty glass door. Desk had hair and dust as well as my night stand. Sheets had holes all over. When we ate breakfast they were very rude. Didnt clear our plates or get my partner a drink at all. Didnt refill my drink. Never got waters. Didnt check in on us. I have a food allergy and asked the person filling the buffet about what brand the oatmeal was. She literally shoed me with her hand like I was a fly and walked away without helping me. We were treated like secondhand citizens. Breakfast was $50 without tip. I expected atleast a water. read more
7 years ago
7 years ago
11 years ago
So I won't lie: my first impression of this hotel was not good. It did win me over a bit during the remainder of my stay, but the initial night of just getting to the hotel and settling in really left a bitter taste in my mouth. I'll get the bad out of the way first: this particular Marriott is buried in a sea of business' and curvy roads, many of which are one-way or which simply do not link up with nearby parallel roads. This means that without solid directions, you're not going to get anywhere specific very easily. You'll be able to see your destination as you drive back and forth, but you'll constantly be wondering how in the world you just get to said destination itself. Unfortunately for my travel companion and I, we 100% lacked the solid directions we needed to handle this mess. Our GPS didn't even recognize the hotel address, and it actually took us the wrong way entirely at one point and told us our hotel was in the middle of a bridge. Not that this GPS error is the hotel's fault. What IS the hotel's fault is the total lack of navigation assistance on their website. This is not an easy area to get around in, especially for a non-local driving in at night. Put some guidance on your website, please! With no working navigation systems, no signs telling us how to get to which Marriott (as there's at least one more Marriott near this one) and no online assistance, we spent a total of 45 minutes fighting with the navigation system, driving back and forth and up and down busy roads that barely connected to where we needed to go. And all of this was after we finished eating dinner on King St. in Alexandria, which is literally located a bit down the road. So you can imagine that I was not pleased by the time we finally found the door that we needed (as opposed to the door to the apartment complex that's located on the opposite side of the same building as the Marriott). I was further aggravated after checking in by two things. One was just how tiny their underground mess of a parking lot was - this was certainly not a good garage for larger cars like ours, though we managed to navigate carefully and safely without hitting anything. My final aggravation of the trip was when we checked in, collapsed in our room...and discovered that wi-fi is only free in the hotel lobby. Seriously? It's 2015. We shouldn't have to trek down to the lobby for wi-fi, especially in a hotel as big, noisy and crowded as this one was during our stay. Now, all of this said, there were definitely things about this hotel that I really liked. It's a decently sized hotel, and it's actually quite a lovely one. The enormous lobby is full of couches, chairs, and even a well decorated and notably popular bar area. They have both an outdoor and indoor pool, plus a hot tub, as well as a full dining area and a section just for special events, all of which is on the 1st floor above the lobby. Additionally, the food that we ate during breakfast in this dining area was actually quite tasty, and the hotel even let my companion and I split a meal with no extra charge. Our room itself, though lacking in wi-fi, was always the right temperature (no clunky thermostats that don't work here!) and - between the beds and the chair they'd set up by the enormous viewing windows - had plenty of room for just one other person and myself to spread out. And the biggest perk of all, this hotel connects directly to the Crystal City shops and the metro via a walkway in its lobby. As much as finding the hotel aggravated me (and aggravated is a kind word here), at least once we checked in I didn't need to deal with an awful shuttle service like on my last trip to D.C. Instead my travel buddy and I just ducked on down to the metro and traveled into the city, then came back when we were ready each day - no cars or buses necessary. I am admittedly on the fence about returning here in the future - I'd have to check their website and/or see if the final destination address in my navigation systems has fixed itself before committing to that. It really was a lovely, comfortable hotel. I'd just need to know that I can get to it more easily next time. read more
9 years ago
Nice hotel, pleasant staff. Gave my three girls suckers at arrival. Rooms clean, priced reasonably with direct metro connection to DC. read more
7 years ago
MILITARY FAMILY HERE! THEY HAVE BEDBUGS AND NEVER TOLD US EVEN AFTER GETTING BIT UP IN THE ROOM!!!! MANAGEMENT DID NOTHING BUT SWITCHED US TO A NEW ROOM AT ALMOST 2am. Then comped us 3 breakfast buffet tickets when when had 4 ppl in our room. I TLKD TO SOMEONE IN THE LOBBY THE NEXT MORNING THAT WAS WITH A BRIDAL PARTY AND ONE OF THEIR GUESTS WERE ATTACKED TOO! I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY I AM SO UPSET! WE WENT THROUGH HELL! Our case still isn't settled yet! I am so f'n tired of dealing with it all! Somebody seriously needs to do something! A claims adjuster from the marriott called us a week later and said eco lab confirmed it was bedbugs! Initially they did absolutely nothing besides offer us a refund for the room and parking. So, I got a lawyer and THE CASE STILL ISN'T SETTLED. We have lost so much money, furniture and the worst part is the damage to our sons skin from hyperpigmentation!!! I am beyond stressed behind this situation. This is so devastating. We will NEVER stay at another marriott hotel. I WILL update this review when someone ACTUALLY DOES SOMETHING! read more
7 years ago
5 years ago
7 years ago
10 years ago
An amazing hotel..very close to all the worth seeing places in town. The gym here is small but great atmosphere.. Buffet breakfast is just great I will be back read more
10 years ago
10 years ago
It is a beautiful hotel and it is way larger than I thought it is. With huge lobby, Einstein Bagels, coffee, restaurants (also one on 16th floor) and more. Rooms are nice and it is extremely closed to DC DO NOT USE THEIR VALLE. IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE. You can just park yourself read more
7 years ago
4 years ago
8 years ago
I booked my reservation on hotels.com, with parking included in my reservation it went smoothly. I was able to get an early check in and the room was beautiful. The hotel had lots of staff on and they were happy to answer any questions. The metrorail (subway) is right beneath the hotel which was very convenient as we were traveling into DC with a toddler. We did have an incident at the hotel, while the details shall remain private I will say that while it could have been a big problem the staff worked swiftly to fix it and insure that the problem was taken care of beyond my satisfaction. I would definitely stay again based on that response. read more
7 years ago
15 years ago
12 years ago
Upon walking into our room we saw the bed had been messed up and there was a open condom wrapper on the night stand. Then as my girlfriend walked into the bathroom she saw the used condom in the toilet. This is the 3rd incident I've had at a Marriott hotel and it will be the last. read more
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