Washington Suites Georgetown Rating: 2.5 Pearls

West End, Washington, D.C., United States

Book now by phone with Hotels.com – Call 1-800-246-8357

Kitchen at The Suite

The Washington Suites is a great value for the area, especially if spacious rooms, friendly service, and free perks matter more to you than luxury. Extra fees are kept to a minimum, basically just the valet parking ($30 per day, slightly below average for the area) and the coin-operated laundry machines in the basement. Otherwise, everything's free: Wi-Fi, Otis Spunkmeyer cookies at check-in, a copy of the Washington Post, and breakfast, which is basic with fruit, yogurt, and store-bought bread and bagels, but good enough to fuel a morning at the Smithsonian.

Rooms are some of the largest in D.C. -- about 650 square feet -- and come with pullout couches and full kitchens, including a full-size fridge, dishwasher, a full set of pots and pans, and a four-burner stove, making them especially economical for families. The hotel completed renovations in fall 2009, which included new furniture in the living rooms, new carpet, new mattresses (Serta Perfect Sleep, Suite Dreams), and two wall-mounted Philips flat-screen TVs (one is 42 inches and the second is 32). Even after the renovation, unfortunately, the décor is still rather drab. Bedding and linens are expected to be replaced by April 2010, which is a much-needed upgrade. Some guests with rooms facing busy Pennsylvania Avenue complained of significant street noise, so I recommend asking for a room in the back.

Service is minimal -- just one or two people staffing the front desk and that's about it -- but consistently warm and friendly. Two of the front desk staff have worked at the hotel for more than 20 years, and the breakfast attendant has worked at the hotel for almost 30 years. This isn't the kind of staff that can get you difficult reservations, but it can point you in the direction of just about anything you need in the immediate area.

The free perks and huge suites make it a great value, but the Washington Suites lacks the elegance or charm of the all-suite River Inn two blocks down the street. (Then again, the River Inn doesn't offer free breakfast or free Wi-Fi.) The River Inn is slightly closer to the White House and the National Mall than the Washington Suites, but neither are as convenient to the city's most heralded tourist sites as, say, the Embassy Suites Convention Center or the Marriott Residence Inn, both of which are also great family values, but located in the Penn Quarter and thus closer to the action.

View on a Larger Map

The hotel has a convenient location in the West End close to its wealthier, more historic neighbor, Georgetown. The downside to staying here is that there aren't a ton of restaurants, cafes, or signs of life -- you'll need to head to Dupont Circle, a 15- to 20-minute walk (or quick taxi), or to nearby Georgetown.

• 5-minute walk to the Foggy Bottom/GWU Metro stop (three stops on the Blue or Orange Line to downtown's Metro Center; five stops to Smithsonian museums)
• 10- to 20-minute walk to the heart of Georgetown and some of the city's best shopping and restaurants
• Trader Joe's across the street, great for stocking up on snacks; but you might want to think twice about storing them in your moldy fridge
• 5 to 10-minute walk to George Washington University
• 20- to 25-minute walk or five- to 10-minute taxi to sights like the White House and Lincoln Memorial
• 15- to 20-minute walk, or five- to 10-minute taxi to Dupont Circle