Picky Traveler Very Happy
by A TripAdvisor Member
I am very picky when it comes to my room and the Hamilton Crowne Plaza was excellent. I stayed on the womens only floor and the rooms were spacious and the bathroom was top rate. The staff was very helpful and I felt comfortable being a woman alone walking to the metro station. There is a 24 hour grocery store just a few steps away and that made it easy to get necessities. I am usually a complainer when it comes to service but the Hamilton Crowne Plaza won me over and I plan on staying there everytime I return to DC. In fact I recommended the hotel to several of my friends and they were just as pleased.
Mediocre
by A TripAdvisor Member
This hotel is not on par with others in the Crowne Plaza chain. The rooms are not in good repair, and inquiries and requests to the staff were typically met with indifference. The surrounding blocks are typical of downtown Washington: randomly strewn with construction cones and the occasional boarded-up building. Par for the course during the week, but out-of-towners might not feel safe on the wknd. In the end, you can do better than this place for the money.
Classy Elegance
by A TripAdvisor Member
My family was extremely pleased and impressed with the Crowne Plaza. We would stay here again, without hesitation. The materials, finishes, and creature comforts of our hotel room were equal, if not superior, to any 4-star hotel.
I wanted a downtown location for our 2004 Spring Break trip to Washington DC. I wanted the best price for the best accommodations available. I received a $ 119.00/night weekend rate for 4-occupants in a (2) double bed room from the ICI reservations center.
Location: Downtown Washington DC, just three blocks from the White House. One block to the MacPherson Square METRO station. Very convenient location. The adjacent park is a forgettable patch of open space used primarily by lunching business people and wino's (oops ... I mean Bush-economy-displaced-homeless)
Interior Decor: Modern, sophisticated elegance. Beautiful, updated interiors throughout the hotel. Done in rich masculine colors, tones.
High quality patterned carpets, coordinating wallpapers. Sumptious beds are new with fluffy pillowtop mattresses - very comfortable, with the nicest bed linens I have ever slept on. 4 feather pillows for each bed.
Room Size: Although our room was very small (remember this is an updated and remodeled early 20th century building) it was comfortably sized and was able to accommodate: two double beds, beautiful mahogany television/dresser armoire, business desk, and two silky-upholstered chairs.
Room Location: We stayed on the 10th floor, in what I would imagine is one of the worst rooms in the hotel with one small window overlooking the rooftops, alley and neighboring building behind the hotel. The room was adjacent to the elevator bank. Despite all these shortcomings, the room was EXCELLENT. Absolutely peaceful and quiet. Since we spent 12 or more hours each day touring DC and Georgetown ... I was only interested in the interior accommodations
Interior Enviornment: The self-contained HVAC unit delivered fresh air and temperature control quietly and perfectly tempered. We slept like babies ... even my hyper-temperature sensitive wife.
Elevators: Fast, efficient. Short waits. Gorgeous cabs. Beautiful lobby with elegant console tables to hold stacks of complimentary USA today morning papers (come-on ... surely they could upgrade from Mac-newspaper)
Bath: Travertine Stone marble tile throughout bath and shower.
Beautiful wallpaper. Modern temperature-controlled faucets.
Massage-style shower head. Mahogany-finished console-style vanity topped with Black Galaxy Granite. Matching Mahogany and gold trim framed mirror. In-room coffee service. Extra towels supplied are large-cozy bath sheets. Generous closet with ample hangers, and suitcase stand
Parking: $ 26.00 per day OUCH ! Valet only. No other viable local parking options. Add the fee to your room cost. Better yet ! take a shuttle from Dulles and leave the car at home.
An elegant bar opens onto the tastefully decorated lobby. I cannot opine on the quality of the adjacent restaurant, but the menu and decor is high-class.
The service was excellent. The Concierge pointed me in the correct direction (about 6 blocks away) to find a new ESPNzone restaurant where we dined and drank and cheered March Madness with other NCAA fans. Go downstairs (one level) to dine in the "video room" ... lots o fun
Very elegant downtown destination ... without the Four-Seasons or Westin St. Francis prices
Not recommended
by A TripAdvisor Member
After reading the reviewes on this site we stayed here on May 7 hoping that we'd be one of the lucky ones and get good service. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. I went through the Crowne Plaza WEB site (a very quirky site) to book the room and paid for an upgrade but got one that was small, dark, and very poorly laid out. Management only offered to get me a room with a view of the park on my next visit (not likely). I also got billed for breakfast that was supposed to be included in the rate despite inquiring twice if I needed something to present to the restaurant. I was in a hurry checking out and didn't catch it until I got home. Now I have to fight with Accounting to get it straightened out.
Washington DC is a great place to visit but I would not recommend staying at this hotel.
Wonderful Service!
by A TripAdvisor Member
I just came back from a 3 night stay at the Crowne Plaza. I was very pleased with the accomodations. My room was very clean and nicely decorated though it was a little small. The room was enabled for wireless internet access. I asked at check in for a quiet room and it certainly was quiet. I never even heard other guests going into and out of their rooms! The staff at this hotel are very pleasant and attentive! Two things I was not pleased with were the elevators (they are very small - 8 person capacity-and very slow) and the fact that Ice/Vending machines are only on the odd numbered floors. Overall, I would certainly stay here again and, yes, would recommend it to others.
Functional Accomodation
by TripAdvisor Member bc314
Nice hotel in a great location - walking distance to just about everything. Parking is expensive as noted, but I didn't see a lot of better alternatives. The staff was courteous. The room stank of smoke even though it was a non-smoking room. I can't really blame the hotel for this as they don't have control over brain-dead morons who decide to smoke in a non-smoking room. I attempted to change rooms but was told the hotel was full. The room itself was small but functional with the exception of the hotel service directory/room serive menu being gone. Bathroom was small but very clean. Other people have noted billing mistakes relating to parking - I was double billed for the parking, but it was taken off without question on check-out. However, a seperate chage for 2 nights of parking appeared on my credit card bill. I called accounting and they were very helpful and promised to remove the charge. We'll see in a few days if they do. Check your bill carefully!
All in all, a decent place to stay if you just need a place to sleep. Overpriced, but you're paying for the location.
