More about Hyatt Regency Crystal City
Arlington - Fancy hotel for $80!
by matcrazy1 about Hyatt Regency Crystal City
LOCATION
The hotel is conveniently located for visitors arriving to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and for driving visitors, just off Jefferson Davis Hwy (US-1) at southern edge of Crystal City. But it's a little bit far from shopping, entertainment (pubs), the center of Crystal City and from its restaurants as well. The metro station is a little bit far, approx. 20 min. walk (in empty but safe sidewalks at late evening). They offer a free shuttle both to Crystal City metro station and to the airport (DCA).
EXTERIOR AND STAFF
The exterior of the hotel was rather ugly - just a huge, tall building although the entrance with blooming flowers looked nice. The glass external elevator looked nice exclusively at night. The service at the lobby was great: competetive, fast and helpful. But when I called to the reception for extra coffee to my room I had to wait an exceptionally long time.
ROOM
Our room was spacious, sterile clean, nice designed with fancy bathroom and over-average equippment I didn't need (I need only clean, nice looking room with Weather Channel on TV, many wall plugs for my equipment, good light to read and a coffee-maker for morning coffee :-). I remember pure white wrapper lying on my bed when I entered the room. The only small incovenience was poor lighting made it hard to read small fonts in a bed but it worked well at the desk. I might expect poor lighting and no internet access in budget hotels (and I even had internet access in some of those). However, as much this room normally costs, you would think the lighting would be better and the internet access would be universal. At this hotel, the wireless access covered only the lower floors.
THE LOBBY
The impressive tall and nice designed lobby with external glass elevator to the top is nothing unique but, anyhow, is part of my foudest memories. TIPPING
I had to tip a valet parking attendant and a guy who carried our luggage. To be honest I don't like to pay tips :-) for two reasons:
- surely because it eats into the money I set aside for sightseeing and eating at places better than, say, McDonald's
- I always feel confused and never know whether I paid too much or too little (exception: restaurants in the USA where I paid approx. 15% for common good service). In poorer countries, I visited, it worked better as I easily realized that my money was much needed to help those folks I tipped to earn a living, and they looked so happy when I tipped them. In the USA, a country where they tip a lot and on more occasions, I simply followed counsel of my friends and travel guides and hardly paid tips in restaurants.
In Hyatt Regency I asked Kathy how much to tip but she asked me the same. I paid both times $5 and I have no idea whether it was enough or not. Later on, at Dulles airport, I discretly asked Nat how much to tip a guy who carried our luggage and, he made me laugh. He immediately and simply asked the guy how much to tip him. He replied that it depends on me. And I gave him all my last notes and coins (one pound :-) The reason Nat didn't know is because he travels so lightly, he never has to depend on anyone else to carry his bags.
PRICE
Before our trip to the USA Kathy (Kodi01) found and booked a room with two king size beds in this hotel on Priceline for only about $80 with a tax and without breakfast. Unbelievable! The regular price was over $200. Add tips and parking fee (I paid $8 per day). Now, I want to have instant internet access through my laptop during my next US trip or internet in a car, a dream haha.
SUMMARY
Despite some inscoveniences I was very satisfied about this hotel but I would never, ever spent over $200 per one night there.
Kathy at new hotel
by matcrazy1
NEW HOTEL
On Sunday, in the second day of our sightseeing to Washington DC, Chris (balfor) from Atlanta, Georgia had to leave us (Urszula, Kathy and me) as he had to come back to work on Monday. That morning we checked out at Sheraton National hotel as great offer of Priceline found by Chris, finished that day. Luckily they allowed me to leave a car on hotel parking lot till the late afternoon with no surcharge. Well, thanks to the same Priceline and, this time, Kathy we had next great, higher ranked, hotel in Arlington (Crystal City to be more exact). We three came back to our car and I found easily the way to our new, fancy Hyatt-Regency Crystal Hotel. We enjoyed our eyes looking at beautiful, spacious hotel lobby. I must admit that I never lived in such fancy hotels unless on business trips not paid by me :-). The impressive lobby of Hyatt-Regency Crystal City with external glass elevator to the top is nothing unique but, anyway, belongs to my foudest memories from Arlington. Kathy is more unique, believe me. But she belongs to Dallas not to Arlington.
Kathy at phone and cultural difference
by matcrazy1
Kathy wanted to stay longer with us and to see more in Washington, DC the nezt day. She started to call to her airlines to change the dates but it was impossible without large surcharge. So, she had to come back at midday the following day. One more small thing: I learned again that in US, especially fancy, hotels it's often much cheaper to call from call boxes in a lobby than from a room.
SMALL CULTURAL DIFFERENCE
When we arived to Hyatt-Regency Crystal City hotel, Kathy, as always, had many questions to ladies and gentelmen at the hotel reception. It was funny cultural difference that during my travels I always used to look for any information I just needed on info signs, travel literature etc. whereas Kathy always hit at first to alive sources of information. She asked a lot of questions to hotel staff, policemen on a street etc. or she called to the reception, to airlines etc. Sometimes I should learn it from her to save my time. Well, maybe I am still afraid of communication problems with my limited speaking and first of all understanding English skills. Well, the above difference refers not only to Kathy and me. It's maybe small thing but it definetely belongs to cultural differences between American and Polish society.
DON"T stay here
by A TripAdvisor Member
Disapointed in my stay with Hyatt. I would expect better service and cleanliness from the Hyatt name (and the rate I paid per night). Parking is a costly affair as you are charged $23.00 per day for parking your car, even after having spent a grand amount each day for your room rental. Also, valet is the only way to park you car, so tipping becomes costly after several days stay. The breakfast buffet, costly if not part of your stay package, was well stocked with a variety of food, however I was totally grossed out by the cockroaches walking across my sandaled feet and did not eat another meal there after the first day. I also saw several cockroaches on the interior walkway on the way to the pool. The outdoor whirlpool was visibly dirty with actual foaming scum when the jets were turned on. I took a pass on that as well. Overall, I would not advise Hyatt Crystal City as your choice of accomodations while in D.C.
Excellent for Business Travel
by A TripAdvisor Member
I stay at this hotel on a very regular basis (2+ times per month) and thoroughly enjoy the entire experience. The hotel has the largest number of meeting rooms and meeting space in Washington, and the actual hotel rooms are very very nice. Make sure to request a room with a view of the Regan Airport (Excellent view). The hotel guarantees no air traffic noise (the windows are sound proof). Many hotels in DC have small rooms, but my experience is that for DC, these rooms are spacious. I advise this hotel to any business traveler.
Cannot believe bad reviews - had wonderful time
by TripAdvisor Member madler718
I cannot believe the negative reviews - we (me, wife and two small kids)stayed 12/26 - 12/29 and had a wonderful time. Paid $55 a night on Priceline. When I found out the ID of the hotel I came to this site and was discouraged by the negative reviews. I was expecting the worst but was pleasantly surprised. The staff was very accomodating and friendly, from the valet parkers to the concierge to the desk staff to random employees met throughout the hotel. The room was fine, the carpets were a little aged but were clean and the bathroom was spotless. The lobby and hallways were clean as well. Mandatory valet parking was a little steep at $20 a night but that is par for the course. The shuttle bus worked efficently to get us to and from the Metro (only a five minute ride). There were a number of restaurants a short walk away (nothing fancy, but perfect for family dining). Our room looked over the same construction site mentioned in another review, but we could not hear any noise and our older son loved to see construction in progress, so there. The in-hotel restaurant (Cinnabar) was fine the one night we felt like staying in after a long day .
Maybe we are just not as picky as some reviewers, but I've stayed in lots of hotels on vacation and this was perfectly fine, especially for the Priceline price.
Sad, tired, not a Hyatt
by TripAdvisor Member BenW
This place has been coasting for years. They are supposedly redoing the rooms this April, but until then Avoid! Avoid! Avoid!
Notes:
1. Construction obstacles everywhere.
2. It's ten blocks to the Metro. They run a shuttle every half hour, but it's not convenient.
3. The carpeting in the rooms is disgusting; looks like something from a barrio flophouse.
4. High speed internet access = $10...as if they weren't already nicking you enough
5. Service is spotty. Had to ask twice that shampoo be brought up to my room (after the housekeeper had not left any at cleanup). There was a bent coat hangar sticking out of my air conditioner vent.
6. The sheets are like sleeping on sandpaper.
7. There are more restaurants nearby than there used to be, but the area is still desolate for really good food or nightlife.
8. On a 28 degree day, the lobby was constantly freezing because of the poorly designed front doors.
9. On the plus side, the mandatory valet parking was smooth and efficient. They got my Blackberry out of the car when I left it.
With all the choices in DC and Crystal city, stay elsewhere.
Very dissapointed
by A TripAdvisor Member
I spent 4 nights in the month of March. The first night that I checked in, the AC was not working. No windows in the room either. Management indicated that they had problems with the entire AC system for the hotel and that it was going to be fixed next day. By monday on my check out, the AC was not working yet. Average temp in my roomn 80 F. There were several activities in town and I was assisting a conference at the hotel. I was not able to get a room anywhere else. Worst 4 nights of my life, and just only an apology on check out. I was expecting at least a free night. The room was tired, some of the trim was not well maintained and the wall paper was coming off on one wall. The service vents looked poorly fitted.
Photos
HYATT-REGENCY CRYSTAL CITY, ARLINGTON
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