The Fairfax at Embassy Row, Washington, D.C. Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C., United States

The Fairfax at Embassy Row

The Fairfax dates back to 1927 and enjoys a great location at the end of Embassy Row, only one block from Dupont Circle. Though the hotel has its own bit of history (presidents and dignitaries have stayed here, and Al Gore lived here during the school year as a child), it lacks the grandeur and notoriety of D.C. power hotels like the Park Hyatt or Hay-Adams, probably due to its long history of changing hands and names.

Most recently, the hotel was a Westin, but in 2008, the company renovated the rooms, the lobby, and the restaurant and rebranded it as a Starwood Luxury Collection hotel. The result stays true to the building's Beaux Arts design but falls short of true luxury -- there's little sense of grandeur here, though the fitness center, business center, and recently reopened Jockey Club restaurant are certainly adequate.

That said, if you're not actually expecting to shake hands with your senator over a high-priced meal, and you just want a good room, good service (including nightly turndowns), and a central location, the Fairfax doesn't fail.

The concierge desk

The service at the Fairfax is superb. Doormen are always posted to help guests in and out of the hotel, and the staff is friendly and welcoming. A bellman stands near the elevators at all times to make sure one is always available at the lobby level -- a nice touch. Another bellman gave me an abbreviated tour of the hotel on the way to my room after check-in, and when I asked for toothpaste to be delivered to my room, it was there within five minutes -- brought to me in a little gift bag.

• Twice-daily housekeeping, including automatic turndown service
• Concierge available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• 24-hour room service
• Daily Washington Post newspaper delivery
• Valet Parking costs $38 per night.

View on a Larger Map

Set on an attractive, treelined block of Massachusetts Avenue, two blocks from Dupont Circle in the neighborhood's center, the Fairfax really has location going for it. The diverse Dupont Circle neighborhood, named in honor of American naval officer Samuel Francis Dupont, is a longtime spirited gathering spot for progressive, socially minded types: Coffeehouses, bars, restaurants, and upscale retail shops abound. It's the place to head for a vegan dessert, a gay bar, or to buy fresh produce on Sundays at the farmers' market. Centrally located with numerous options for nightlife (and frequent crowds), Dupont Circle is ideal for travelers who want to get out of "old downtown" and stay in a neighborhood where locals actually live. It's also the historic center of the gay community and home to Embassy Row.

• Hotel is steps away from the restaurants, shops, and nightlife of Dupont Circle.
• Dupont Circle Metro station on the Red Line is two blocks away, and offers direct access to downtown, the Mall, Smithsonian Museums, and the National Zoo.
• Hotels can call or hail cabs anytime; taxis are easy to come by on weekend evenings.
• Half a mile, or a 10-minute walk, to the White House
• About two miles, or 10 minutes by taxi, to the U.S. Capitol Building
• Five miles, or $25 by taxi, from Reagan National Airport
• 25 miles, or a $50 to $70 taxi ride, from Dulles International Airport
• Union Station, D.C.'s main train station served by Amtrak, MARC commuter rail, and the Metro subway and bus system, is five Metro stops away on the Red Line (or $15 to $30 by taxi).

A Superior King Room

Rooms are small and, though they were renovated in 2008, you'd hardly know it if it weren't for the flat-screen TVs. The dowdy décor feels far older than it is: There were five different floral motifs in my room, plus a plaid chair, some crystal, marble, painted wood, dark stained wood, and gold picture frames. It was overwhelming, to say the least -- more of an outdated and cluttered effect than a grand Beaux Arts effect. Still, the actual furnishings and electronics were nice: big flat-screen TVs, comfortable beds with pillow-top mattresses and Fili D'oro Italian sheets, Frette towels and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. Some guests complained about hearing their neighbors due to thin walls, but I didn't have an issue.

• Rooms are small; they start at 250 square feet and top out at a skimpy 328 square feet.
• Suites range from 350 (about the average size of a standard hotel room in this price range) to 1,327 square feet.
• Comfortable beds have pillow-top mattresses, down comforters, and Fili D'oro Italian linens.
• Fee for Wi-Fi, with an unreliable signal (no high-speed wired connection available)
• Large bathrooms are well stocked with Frette towels, Gilchrist & Soames toiletries, and scales
• 36-inch flat-screen LG TVs have pay-per-view movies and 30 cable channels.
• iHome iPod-docking alarm clocks
• Cuisinart single-serve coffeemaker with free coffee and tea
• Minibars are stocked with the basics -- liquor, mixers, juices, and a small selection of candy and snacks.
• Closets are stocked with shoe-cleaning supplies and a bathrobe.

The gym

The features here are exactly what you'd expect for an urban hotel, and not much more. The small fitness center is adequate, and the business center offers free computer use and printing -- a nice contrast to so many other hotels that nickel-and-dime their guests. For extras like a pool and spa, you can consider the Fairmont Hotel, but you'd be giving up the Fairfax's superb location.

• Free 24-hour business center with two computers and one printer
• Small 24-hour fitness center has seven cardio machines, two cable weight machines, and some free weights; all machines are in great condition and have personal TV screens.
• Fee for in-room Wi-Fi; unreliable signal strength and speed (no high-speed wired connection available)
• Six meeting rooms, including a ballroom
• ATM next to the front desk

The location is central and there's 24-hour room service, but the tiny lobby and formal restaurant dining room aren't ideal for playful families (the Jockey Club has a loosely enforced dress code of no jeans, and doesn't feature a kids' menu). The hotel's relatively small rooms aren't great for kids, either. For alternative options, check out the best kid-friendly hotels.

• Small rooms -- rollaways cost $25 per night and fit in all rooms except Doubles; cribs are free
• Concierge can arrange for stroller rental and babysitting for an extra charge.

The furnishings and décor only seem old; in fact, they were renovated in 2008 and are kept sparkling with meticulous twice-daily housekeeping.

Dinner at the Jockey Club

Though the original Jockey Club closed in 2001, the hotel restored the dining space and menu as a close match to the original, storied restaurant (presidents and celebrities have dined here in the past). The dining room borders on gimmicky, with a heavy English riding motif including horse paintings and campy red plaid tablecloths. Nevertheless, the restaurant is extremely traditional: formal, doting service from multiple staff members, and a dress code (officially, no jeans, jacket-required dress code, but this is loosely enforced -- friends joined in business-casual attire and weren't given a second look). The menu, though meant to be a modern take on the traditional regional cuisine that the restaurant was originally known for, is fairly prescriptive and boring, with dishes like Maryland crab cakes, oysters on the half shell, steak au poivre and daily fish with lemon butter.

The Fairfax Lounge, similarly, is set up like a moody lobby bar for power cocktails like specialty vodka martinis. But when I was there they were missing several of their exclusive alcohols and couldn't make both of the drinks I ordered. Plus, the large flat-screen showing the night's football game detracted from the ambience created by the deep couches and fireside seating. In reality, the drinks are overpriced and the atmosphere is disappointing -- better options abound in Dupont Circle.

• The Jockey Club serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (entrees $30 to $40; a la carte breakfast is $10 to $20 -- no buffet).
• The Fairfax Lounge is open throughout the afternoon and serves an expensive list of cocktails and specialty spirits ($15 to $20 per cocktail),
• 24 hour room service