Homewood Suites Washington DC - Downtown Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Downtown, Washington, D.C., United States

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Free breakfast buffet

The Homewood Suites tends to attract lots of large parties, including plenty of high schoolers in town for educational trips, and it's easy to see why. All 175 rooms are one-bedroom suites with full kitchens, the location is central for sightseeing or business, breakfast is free every day, and four nights a week the free evening reception includes a dinner buffet. The hotel was last renovated in 2007 and now sports a modern "country home" look that's usually reserved for McMansions.

Guests love the extra space they get out of these one-bedroom suites, which contain either a king or two queen-size beds and sleep up to three or five people, respectively. All of the suites include a pullout couch, a kitchen area with a full-size refrigerator, two stovetop burners, a sink, and a full-size microwave, plus two TVs (though only the one in the living room is a flat-screen).

Though the hotel's free food won't impress a discerning palate, the meals are nonetheless convenient for busy families on a tight budget. The hot and cold breakfast (which always includes eggs and sides) is served each morning between 6 and 9 a.m. and 7 to 10 a.m. on the weekends. The Manager's Welcome Home Reception (that's dinner to guests) is served Monday through Thursday evening from 5 to 7 p.m., and typically consists of a light entree (like lasagna, Salisbury steak, or tacos), a few sides, plus soda, wine, and beer. The only other notable extra, the fitness center, is perhaps one of the smallest we've seen in the city.

What the Homewoods Suites really has going for it is location. Thomas Circle provides easy access to D.C.'s main business district, and is also a short walk from Dupont Circle. Still, if an an all-suite hotel is the plan, consider the competition: The Residence Inn Capitol is three blocks from the Mall and has both an indoor pool and a Jacuzzi. The Embassy Suites, though a little bit farther west, near Georgetown, offers plenty to delight kids like a koi fish pond and an indoor pool. If you don't need all those extras, consider Dupont Circle's stylish Carlyle Suites, with its fabulous Art Deco lobby. For an equal dose a style without the gimmicks, consider crossing the street to the other side of the circle, and book one of the newly renovated suites at the Washington Plaza.

View on a Larger Map

Homewood Suites is on the western edge of Thomas Circle, where Vermont and Massachusetts Avenues, L, M, and 14th Streets converge. The area straddles two very disparate neighborhoods -- the bustling business district and the vibrant, flourishing residential section at 14th Street, near Logan Circle.

• Three blocks to the McPherson Square Metro Station (Orange and Blue Lines) which provides easy access to the Smithsonian, the Mall, the White House, and virtually every sight downtown; five blocks to the Farragut North Metro Station (Red Line) for easy access to Union Station, Capitol Hill, Adams Morgan, and the National Zoo
• Five minutes by foot to the White House
• 10-minutes by taxi, or five minutes by metro (via Red Line), to the U.S. Capitol
• 10-minute metro ride to the Air and Space Museum (via Orange Line)
• 15-minute walk to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and other monuments on the western end of the Mall.
• Hotels staffers can call or hail a cab anytime of the day; taxis are easy to come by on weekend evenings.
• Hotel is three to eight blocks away from the many restaurants, shops, and nightlife of Logan and Dupont Circle.
• $15 to $25 taxi ride to Reagan National Airport
• $40 to $60 taxi ride to Dulles International Airport
• Union Station, D.C.'s main train station served by Amtrak, commuter rails, and the Metro system, is five Metro stops away (or a $10 to $15 taxi ride).

Living room in The One Bedroom Suite

The well-equipped suites -- all one bedroom -- have full kitchens, pullout couches, and comfortable beds. Suites with one bed can accommodate three people, while suites with two beds can sleep as many as five. Note, however, that the hotel charges an additional $10 a night for any adult over and above the number that can fit in the beds.

• All suites have one bedroom and a separate living room/kitchen.
• Bedrooms come with either two queen beds or one king size bed.
• Bathroom is off the bedroom and has a bathtub/shower combo, sink, and separate vanity area with Neutrogena bath products.
• Two TVs in each suite: a 32-inch flat-screen in the living room and a 27-inch, old tube TV in the bedroom; cable with HBO but no movies on demand
• Kitchen area includes full-size refrigerators, two stovetop burners, sink, full-size microwave, dishwasher, coffee pot (with accoutrements), and a toaster; for shopping, there's a Whole Foods Market four blocks from the hotel.
• All kitchens come with several pots, pans, cooking utensils, and place settings for four.
• Couch in living room opens up to a full-size bed, though mattress is thin and a little flimsy.
• Free wired Internet access
• Cribs are free; no rollaway beds