So glad I decided to stop driving back and forth for my conference and book a night at The Hotel Rendale! I popped into the lobby first, loved the vibe, and reserved a room a few hours later. Everything about my stay was great--friendly service, ultra-clean and comfortable room, and fantastic morning coffee at the café. Plus, the location near Dupont Circle is ideal (and having a Mexican restaurant right on-site is a huge plus). Highly recommend, and I'll definitely stay again! read more

We spent two nights here and there were multiple things I took issue with. First, there were multiple hidden fees. Parking was listed at 50 dollars but when we checked in, we were charged 60. We were also charged a "destination fee" that was not labeled on the website. Additionally, on the website it says breakfast is included when it is not. The cafe they have in the lobby has very good food and drinks, but we were disappointed that we had to pay for it when we read it was included in our stay. This is the most concerning issue to me, they had one "working" elevator that had no sensor for if something or someone was in the way. My husband put his arm out to hold the door for someone and it nearly took his fingers off! We tested this a few more times as we were in shock and still, it closed with no regard as to if something was in the way. Lastly, we booked a room with a king sized bed. After laying down it is clear that the "king sized" bed was just two twins pushed together as there was an uncomfortable dent in the middle. We really liked the style of this hotel and we slept decent here, but the hidden charges, scary parking garage, and terrifying elevator made it that we will not be returning. read more

The hotel is fine, clean and staff helpful, but a whole lot of little things, that each individually would only be minor annoyances, add up to make the stay less than satisfactory. The rooms have atrocious lighting. Though it is fine for relaxing in the evening, trying to get anything done beyond that is not helpful. There is a fridge, but it doesn't have a freezer section. There are towels and hand towels, but no washcloths. There is no microwave There is a desk, but no chair Our TV didn't work The cafe staff, a different person every morning for three mornings, was less than friendly. Each time felt like you were intruding on their free time. It didn't make it up with good coffee, it was weak. I'd probably give it a 3.5, just enough annoying aspects, but it is a decent enough stay, so I'll just add the half star. read more

Great staff Ms. Tina Ms. Yolanda Ms. Amanda - The #1 Barista in the DMV - Great communication - Tentative - Customer driven read more

Have come here a few times for salsa dancing and drinks with friends. I had a great time with friends. Would come back again.

I would describe our stay and the overall experience at Hotel Rendale as "bare minimum." This is certainly a get-what-you-pay-for situation, so you will save some money. But be prepared for what that means for your stay. My friends and I booked a four person private room, in which each of us had our own bed/pod area. It's a simple room, which is fine, but one odd feature is absolutely no overhead lighting. Upon arrival at the hotel, I found that the duvet cover on my bed had makeup on it (see photo). After going to the front desk, they did promptly send someone to replace it. Next, my friend discovered a previous occupant stuck a wad of gum above her bed (photo attached). The day after we checked in, we went to use the pool, which we were then informed was closed for maintenance (no notice, it was open the day before). Meanwhile, the air conditioning in our room stopped working, and the temperature rose to 80 degrees. We informed the front desk, and requested a fan. They did not have any fans, but did promptly send a maintenance employee to check the AC. This employee informed us that the AC was working because it was blowing air (even though it was still 80 degrees and the air wasn't really cold). He told us if it didn't get cooler to call back. Spoiled alert: it never got cooler, because the AC was in fact not working. Housekeeping came to the room both days we were there, and took our linens from the bathroom both times. For some reason, however, the first day they left us three towels for a four person room (rectified by us going to the front desk). The second day they left one towel for our four person room, and no washcloths. We went to the front desk to ask for more linens, but they did not come. Also while we were there, there was only 1/2 elevators in working order. As a final note, you should know that there is only one car allowed to park per room- still for the $50 fee, so plan ahead who may get to park in the garage and who may have to figure out street parking. Overall, this is not the worst hotel stay experience, but if you stay here I hope you enjoy running down to the front desk for the myriad of inevitable problems you will encounter. Oh-- and pay a $25/day amenity fee for no good reason. read more

This is the worst hotel I've ever stayed at. Please do not stay here! It's a hostel and bad motel masquerading as a contemporary hotel. I'm still here and I could not wait until checking out in a few days to share my experience thus far. I'm booked for 4 nights at a total of $1200, which averages to $300 per night. You would expect a hotel of a similar caliber to a Marriott or Sheraton for that amount of money. The Holiday Inn Express is far superior. I've even stayed at motels that offer more amenities than Generator. There are so many things wrong with my Superior King room. When I arrived, I noticed immediately that two out of the three USB ports in my room did not work and one of my lamps needed to have its lightbulb changed. The lights are very dim so it is not conducive to doing work or video calls. There are no overhead lights, only two small lamps by the bed and a floor lamp with a dimly lit bulb and no ability to adjust the brightness. The first night I arrived I needed someone to come up to fix the lightbulb and there was no solution to the broken USB ports. The thermometer in my room is stuck at 59 degrees Fahrenheit with no heat. I had an engineer come up to take a look at around 8:00 PM, but I was so exhausted after a long work day (I'm here on business) that after he left the room I told the front desk he didn't need to come back because I just wanted to relax and do some urgent work. I did not need yet another worker in my room at night trying to fix things that should have already been fixed before giving me this room. No one offered to change me to another room either. There is no excuse for these problems and it is unacceptable. Another issue I noticed is that this "hotel" is incredibly cheap. My room came with two water bottles when I checked in. I thought this would be replenished by housekeeping like most professional hotels do. On my second day I noticed that housekeeping did not give me a new bathrobe nor was I given any more water bottles. I asked the front desk and was told that water bottles are only given on arrival and no more after the first day. I read a review on another site that the person was billed additional charges for asking for another water bottle from the front desk. Wow, wow, wow. I have never seen anything like this in my decades of extensive traveling domestically and abroad and staying at dozens of different hotels, hostels, and motels. Lastly, the interior décor is atrocious and gives off negative energy. The rooms feature a portrait of what looks to be a founding father defaced by spray paint and creepy hands. Weird, disrespectful, and ugly. I will never stay at a Generator hotel again and I will be telling everyone I know about my experience here. Across the street from Generator is a Hilton and next door is Churchill Hotel. There are plenty of other hotel options around this neighborhood. It's worth the extra money to stay elsewhere. read more

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Horrible! I made a reservation for inauguration and would like to change the date of my stay to July, 2025. I am allowed one date change by 1/12/25 through my Booking.com reservation but the Generator staff will not allow this change. They have been totally inflexible. I am willing to pay the same price or more for the new dates but the staff has stubbornly refused all potential options, different dates, types of rooms, etc. I have never dealt with such an inflexible hotel before. Guess I am out $450 for nothing! Terrible place with zero customer service. read more

Hotel Rendale - Hotels Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Gen Cafe is an amazing, convenient place to get coffee! We live right around the block and always find ourselves there - we especially love Amanda and how kind she is! Would 10000% recommend. read more

When I made the reservation I did not know it was a hostel. I did not know that it was four people that I don't know to a room. It turned out ok. The cleaner they used on floor made shoes stick but other than that it was good. I met awesome people over the three days and saved a ton of cash. I would not recommend the onsite bar restaurant - they charge/demand/sneak an 18% gratuity for one person's bill. Every person. Every bill. I may have paid more if the service was good - it was not. Food was meh. Meh at best. Actually blah. The onsite coffee shop had a hard working young lady who produced a good product. read more

Hotel Rendale - Cafe onsite at the generator hostel hotel - Hotels Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I booked a shared room in an all girls room. Bed was fine, location is solid, a bit pricey for what you get but decent overall. I was enjoying my stay until my fourth night, when I heard a violent scream coming from the next room. The girls next door told me that one of their bunk mates was both drunk and on drugs, completely out of it and screaming. Clearly she was having some sort of mental breakdown as she was cursing at other residents, speaking incoherently about death/war, throwing things, and tearing the divide curtains down. The police eventually came to remove her. My friend and I went to reception to request a room change for her. Beyond the AC not working in 99 degree heat, the room smelled awful and had all of the woman's belongings strewn about (dirty underwear, opened Spaghetti-os, etc.) and some of which she had placed in other people's luggage. We spoke with Ermies, who was single-handedly the most unpleasant hostel/hotel employee I have ever encountered. My experience with him alone prompted me to create an account to write this review. When we explained what happened and requested a new room (any room, any bed), we were informed that the entire place was booked. I checked online on the Generator website and this did not appear to be the case which I pointed out. He then told us that rooms were available but that we would have to pay for an entirely new booking. We cited what had happened and my friend said she would settle for just one night (at this point it was past midnight already so no new guests were checking in) when she had originally booked three; Ermies told us that WE SHOULD EXPECT rowdy/aggressive bunkmates at the Generator if we choose a shared room. He offered to clean up any bodily fluids with a rag and said we could take the box fan from the lobby but would not move the woman's belongings. My friend ended up sleeping in my room on the floor, and her remaining bunkmates booked another hotel because the room conditions were unlivable. Moreover, he told me that I was wasting his time and seemed to think I had an issue with him because of his age (?) mentioning that he is old enough to be my Dad. He rolled his eyes at me when I tried to propose alternative solutions. Ermies was so rude, condescending, and difficult that another guest noticed and tried to intervene. When I turned to my friend and made a remark about the woman being combative and her gross use of racial slurs, Ermies had the nerve to scold me, saying "you can't talk about guests that way". He also made up arbitrary rules, saying that he would call the police if my male friend walked me back to my floor - despite having no intention to ever enter the room and happy to let security tag along. Not only did we feel unsafe at this location, but we felt that Ermies completely dismissed our totally valid concerns and requests. It is obvious that he takes no pride in his work and could not care less about the well-being of patrons. There was an easy solution, but Ermies chose to be unkind. I will be ending my stay early and taking my future business elsewhere. All of the other women at check-in (Tina in particular) were absolutely lovely. In this case, one very bad apple spoiled the bunch. read more

Hotel Rendale - Some of the goodies left behind for us! - Hotels Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Super great hotel! Would definitely stay here again. Trendy. Good breakfast/coffee bar. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Friendly staff. Great area! Although it's also a hostel, it didn't really impact my stay. Cons: The restaurant downstairs was good - we ate there "on taco Tuesday". But the music was LOUD. We were the only ones there and had a hard time even hearing each other. The hotel room was dark - I had all the lights on at night and it was hard to read. Reading this, I'm also recognizing that perhaps I'm old now? read more

Great hotel with modern decor and fantastic amenities! he rooms are clean, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed with everything you need for a relaxing stay. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, always ready to help with a smile. The location is fantastic--perfect for exploring DC, with easy access to major attractions and public transportation. I highly recommend the it :) read more

This is supposedly some sort of hipster, upscale hotel. It's acceptable, and that's about it. The room size is fine, it's clean, it's kept up well, there were no bedbugs. So that should get you three stars. But I gave it two. Why? Upon walking in the door and registering, they hit us with some sort of $250 facility fee charge for a week's stay. We had prepaid for this room on super.com. Super.com specifically stated that that would cover everything. Apparently, it didn't. Obviously, standing with our bags at the registration counter, we weren't exactly in a position to say no. Because of all the many little things that weren't right. You might call these petty annoyances. But when you have enough of these, they stop being so petty. There's a mini-fridge in the room, but no microwave. So, you're eating takeout or you're getting doggie bags at the restaurant - because, you know, you're in a hotel room and can't cook - and then you want to warm that something back up the next day? Too bad, so sad. Instead of spending $50 on a microwave for every room, the instead chose to have an iron and ironing board. Poor choice. Think I'll sit down and have a bite to eat of some of that cold food. But what's this? Only one chair in the room? And no table? That means that one of you has to eat in bed, thus proving the aphorism, "I wouldn't throw her out of bed for eating crackers." Because there's gonna be plenty of crumbs in the bed. Gee, after eating that cold food, I'm thirsty. But, you guessed it, there are no cups in the room. Gotta bring your own. How about putting some ice in those cups you brought? Well, there are some ice makers - not on every floor, mind you. But there's no ice bucket. Good luck catching that torrent of ice into a little cup - or the mouth of your water bottle. After all that eating and drinking, it's time to go to the bathroom. Well, there's a vent, but no fan in the bathroom. Now it's kinda stinky in there. Better let that air out for 20 minutes -right back into the bedroom - before going in. Oh wait, so there's no fan? That means that you get a bonus - mold. What a nice surprise for those that are allergic - a nice sneezing fit every time you use the bathroom. Lovely. Okay, I've eaten my cold food, I've drank my tepid water, and I've taken care of business. Now it's time to sit down and get to work. Hmmm, there's no desk chair. Just a padded stool. That's pretty low to the floor. But here's the worst of it. There's no light in the room. Oh, there are light fixtures, lamps - four, count'em, four of them. Two night stand lamps, an overhead lamp, and a free-standing lamp. But even when you put all of these on, and turn on the closet lamp and the bathroom lamp, it's very dim in there. So dim, that when I called up to complain about the lighting, they already knew about this, and were quick to bring up another couple of free-standing lamps to the room - that they just happened to have in reserve in case anyone complains. Even with the extra light, from those lamps, it was the room was still barely lit. I had to swap out a lightbulb from the hallway into one of the nightstand lamps to get it acceptable. This is no way to run a hotel. What a crock. read more

My stay was great! Exactly what I expected from the photos and reviews, will absolutely stay here next time I'm in DC. P.S. amazing chai latte, thank you for your amazing service Chelsea! read more

Hotel Rendale - P.S. amazing chai latte, thank you for your amazing service Chelsea! - Hotels Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I was happy with my deal and tried a 4 person bedroom..there's one bathroom as if it's for single to share. It's not a hallway bathroom. There is room service cleaning and bedsheets and towels everyday. There is breakfast and lunch and cafe service. There is a lobby with an open area to study or lounge. There is a small gym and swimming pool in the summer. It's in a very open location walkable to Dupont Circle and accessible. I could walk from Adams Morgan and use Lime scooters to get around. It was spring and if it was winter or too hot I probably would change my mind. It's on Connecticut..access is good. It's updated and a real company hotel. If you stay in a one person room in this hotel, I don't think that it would be the same. The room service cleaning and the cafe are comforts. The closet storage space is slight. There's no fridge and desk with seats. read more

Great food, modern decor, and exceptional service from Chelsea. Wonderful experience!

Food was good. Chelsea was great. She was kind and competent running everything. The place was a perfect morning stop for coffee and breakfast. read more

I was pleased with my recent stay here! I was unexpectedly able to check in early; I'm sure that's not always the norm, but that was awesome. For the room itself, I was in a king room. As another review mentions, it is two twin beds pushed together. Sorta weird, but it was just me, so that was fine. The bathroom was pretty small, but it was fine. There was a mini-fridge as well. I didn't take advantage of the coffee shop, restaurant, or any other amenities, so I can't speak to those. I was able to leave my bags at the front desk on my last day after I checked out/before my flight. That was great. It is about a 12 minute walk to the train. Not bad at all (except when I was carrying my luggage when I arrived and had to walk here uphill). There are bus stops less than a block away. Pricing wise, this was the best I could find in the areas I was looking to stay in, so that's why I stayed here. I would stay here again if it was the same situation. One final note... There are some BEAUTIFUL homes further down the street. If you stay here, stroll through the neighborhood! read more

I booked this hotel when I saw the pool, however the pool was out of service, no big deal. I saw the room it wasn't all bad until I saw the popcorn ceiling ‍ very 90's however the lobby is cute and also "HOJA" restaurant was the best part of all in my opinion delicious Mexican food and exotic cocktails. One drink was $24 dollars I bit expensive but delicious. I stayed two nights on the 9th floor, every morning I was woken up by a loud noise, sound scary when I had no idea it was the A/C generator going off lol .. my stay was definitely an absolute experience. Would I stay here again most likely not. read more

Generator DC is definitely a hotel I would recommend! The receptionist unexpectedly allowed me to check-in early (I was going to ask to ask to drop my bags and return during check-in time). The hotel room was clean top to bottom and so was the floor I stayed on. All receptionists were helpful when I had questions. While there is a vending machine in the building, the ice machines on the three floors were either not working or a bit outdated so I didn't feel comfortable using them. The day lighting from the windows are beautiful, but the lighting in the rooms from lamps are pretty dim, if you're planning to be up at night. That was a small part of my experience, so otherwise I'd highly recommend! Couldn't beat this experience for my booking price. read more

The people at the front desk are super but, mosquitoes are insane in the lobby- it takes a while to get food in the cafe, no one came to clean the room- the pool needs to be clean- they don't have towels ready for you at 9:00 when the pool opens - I really like this place too because it is centrally located but the again besides the front desk the total service has been lacking and the mosquitoes are terrible! read more

OK to meh. dark rooms, which I'm told is on purpose (which is a weird and misinformed idea). Not all outlets worked. cafe was open in morning, never saw the bar/restaurant open, but it might be open until 8 pm. parking was ok. it is a good alternative to the Hilton, but that is a very low bar, which they do get over! could go back. ps. It's a hostel and bad motel masquerading as a contemporary hotel, is unkind. not untrue, but unkind. read more

I visit here whenever I come to DC, and I always enjoy their specialty lattes. Chelsea served me at the counter and she was helpful and courteous. I like their little work cubbies. read more

I stayed in the hostel portion. I was asked to move out of my room at 0800 from one room to another due to plumbing issue that didn't need to be fixed until after 11am. Housekeeping knocks on the door at 0800 on my last day. Again, checkout isn't until 11am. The hotel lobby /work area was cold, they keep the music on too loud, and the front lobby workers hate their job( it shows) . Finally, the restaurant connected to it is ridiculous; as a guest in the hotel, you're not allowed to sit in there. If you need a quiet place to work and handle businessthis isn't it. read more

Service was great. Good hospitality and light atmosphere. Food and coffee taste was decent but nothing that set it apart from other cafes

Great experience! Close to public transit and very friendly staff! Our dorm style room was clean and comfortable!

I booked a 3 night stay and got a great deal. Beds were comfy. Room was clean. Staff were friendly and accommodating. The location is great, close to Adams Morgan and Georgetown. I will return. read more

Amanda makes the best macchiato coffee and is a sweetheart! She gives the best customer service!

Khadija , Aicha Tina Reyna, Jobany, and Herlinda did an excellent job at breakfast taking care of 23 kids and 5 chaperones. They were kind, patient and attentive. read more

Chelsea was a great server with good attention to detail. Chorizo Quesadilla was amazing and fresh!

I stayed at the Generator Washington DC for two nights as I was solo traveling and had come to check out the city. The location of the hostel is central and 30 seconds walk from the nearest bus stop and about 3mins from the Dupond circle metro station. The check-in process was simple and easy, they sell last-minute toiletries at the counter and shampoo and shower gel too. The hostel has a lovely common area downstairs and even a cafe attached where you can get sandwiches and coffee. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw multiple bean-bag-type rooms where I could just hang out and scroll TikTok. I also loved the fact that they had a gym that I could use that had more than just the basic equipment; they also had an outdoor pool with a lovely pool area (it was closed during my visit since it was snowing.) The rooms were very clean and the bathroom was maintained as well. I was given a big lockable draw (bring your own lock) under the bunkbed to use and one towel and one hangar as well. The bunk bed itself had two electric ports as well as two USB charging ports and a strip light. The room darkening curtains were really good and I didn't need my eye mask, thats a first in a hostel for me. All in all, I will be back to stay at Generator DC again. For the price I paid, this was literally a steal deal. read more

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Stayed at this hotel in September of 2023. Parking is a complete nightmare and expensive. Every time you enter or exit the parking garage, you have to get out and press a button to speak with the front desk. Aside from this, the decor in my room was creepy. I was sleeping under a picture of George Washington with a woman's hands caressing him. read more

Lesbia is a fantastic housekeeper! Such wonderful staff at this hotel. The rooms are kept in impeccable shape. The location is great. I would definitely stay here again. But don't let them put you across from the fitness room on the second floor if you're a light sleeper who wants to sleep in. read more

This coffee is off the chain delicious! Cafe Jen at the Generator! Who knew! And the breakfast burrito was so, so good! Highly recommend! read more

Ivonne is a kind at the front desk and care about all your needs. She is the best! Hotel was nice and clean, location is very convenient. read more

Generator restaurant provided excellent food and service. Food and atmosphere was great!

Very poor service for starters. Never saw house keeping, they never attempted to even clean our room. They made a fuss about giving us new wash cloths and towels. Which they never brung, also no microwave on the premise. Overall poor service, poor management, just POOR! DO NOT STAY HERE!!! read more

We stayed here Memorial Day weekend. We chose this hotel for the location and the price. The price was low because everything is a la carte. The bottled water is 4.00 a bottle, and they charge a service fee of 60.00. The bathroom was tiny and there were no glasses for water. The hallways smelled like pot, the hallways were dark and dingy and the pool's chairs were old. It was very noisy too. The music they played all day was heavy-duty and loud. It was even piped into the bathroom. There was a lack of english speaking people in the hotel in general, and several people didn't know what I was asking. My older sister asked for a bottle of water at the bar It was 10.00. I would not recommend this place. It's like a 2-star hotel. We will not be staying there again. read more

Went to the Cafe Integral inside the Generator. We had the pleasure of working with Chelsea. She was very attentive and the food and coffee were perfect. Thank you Chelsea. read more