More about The Melrose Hotel, Washington D.C.
New Year's Eve Experience at Melrose was Enjoyable!
by A TripAdvisor Member
My sister and I spent New Year's Eve at the Melrose Hotel with our families. We booked a king suite and a standard king room. The suite and the room fit the luxury standard given to the hotel. The suite was very clean and nicely appointed, as was the standard room. The suite had a king size bed in the bedroom and a pull-out sofa in the front "sitting area" room. All four of our children slept on the pull-out sofa comfortably.
We called three different times with requests and each time our needs were met very quickly. We set up a sitter for our children through the hotel and it was a great experience. When we returned to the hotel from our night out, the children were asleep and well cared for. We even ordered room service at 3:00 am and received prompt and courteous service. We would definitely stay at this hotel again!!!
Horrible 4th of July
by A TripAdvisor Member
My stay at the Melrose Hotel in Washington, D.C. was absolutley abysmal. My friends and I had booked a deluxe suite in the hotel for the 4th of July weekend we did this over a month in advance. When we arrived at the hotel on July 3rd, we were informed that there were no more suites available, and that we would be moved to a normal guest room. This posed a predicament, however, because there were 4 of us. Furthermore, the Hotel manager said that he would not reduce the price of the room, even though we were staying in a normal sized room instead of a suite, which we originally booked (I later through threats of legal action recieved a credit.) Furthermore, the valet service was atrocious, it would take a 1/2 hour to get the car sometimes, we would be standing outside twiddling our thumbs while the parkers brought out the wrong car multiple times. We weren't the only victims of this ongoing problem we later found out. In closing, I would like to say that the melrose is an atrocious hotel, there are much better places to stay in Washington, that will make your stay actually pleasurable. Think twice or even trice before staying at the Melrose.
A do over
by A TripAdvisor Member
The Melrose Hotel in Washington DC was great. We booked it on-line via Yahoo. It was clean and upscale. The staff was courteous and professional, and the food was excellent. For a special place to stay in the middle of everything, this is the place. The whole trip started at Yahoo and went so well I’ll tell the whole story. We flew into Baltimore and took the Metrobus Express Buss B30, right there at the airport, all the way to the Greenbelt Metro (subway) stop at the northeastern edge of the metro routes for only $3.00. The bus runs every 40-minutes, 24/7, and only takes about 30 minutes. You have to look close at the signs; most of the signs say something about a stop for the M17 but it’s the same as the B30. To get to the Melrose from the metro, take the Metro Green line from Greenbelt to L’Enfant Plaza and change over to the Orange line toward Vienna/Fairfax-GMU. Get off at the Foggy Bottom GWU metro station. The whole metro ride will cost you a whopping $3.25. As you walk up out of the metro, make a left around the Hospital. From there you’ll see a roundabout loop. Make your way directly across the roundabout and walk on the left-hand side of Pennsylvania Ave. for about one block to the hotel. Right before you get to the hotel there’s a handy little mom-n-pop grocery store that will save you some food dollars. We never rented a car or took a taxi. This is a do over.
Great hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
My first trip to Washington DC the end of July/beginning of August and decided to stay at the Melrose. I got the cheapest rate directly through the hotels web site @ $104 a night. The hotel and rooms were very clean and very nicely decorated. The Hotel was in a prefect location 2 blocks from the metro and a short walk to Georgetown. The first night we went to the library for drinks and the staff was very friendly. We liked the atmosphere at the bar. But because it was late we decide to stay at the hotel for dinner and had a disappointing meal. The first night as we slept we were awakened by a baby sceaming in the next room. The baby screamed for about 20 minutes. The next morning we went to the front desk to report it and the front desk was very responsive getting us another quiet room over looking the courtyard. The front desk also helped us with dinner reservations and suggested a wonderful place. I was very impressed with employee's at the Melrose they were ALL very friendly and accommodating, the hotel was beautiful, great location...The place to stay !!
Just take a short walk to Georgetown for dinner.
Superb location, classy hotel, great staff, stay here!
by A TripAdvisor Member
Stayed in the Melrose in Washington for 5 nights from August 10 through 14 of 2004. The staff was noticeably caring and very friendly They upgraded us to a nicer room free of charge so we could have a flip out sofa bed for the third person, and did so without hesitation (room 420). Room had no view, but most Washington properties don't, they are too short (all buildings must be shorter than the Capitol Dome). The Hotel Washington offers a good view, and you should at least sample the restaurant at the top, but I don't know what the rooms are like. Location of The Melrose is very close to the Foggy Bottom - GWU Metro stop, and right at the edge of Georgetown, which is a very happening place with extensive shopping and restaurants, all very good and easily walkable. Try La Perla a couple blocks away for excellent high-end Italian. Recent remodeling at the hotel to the tune of ten mill is very obvious, and though the hotel isn't exactly flashy, it is upscale and very comfortable. A bonus: hot summer months are eased with lobby temperatures approaching meat locker chill! Did not sample the on-premises eats, but the Library Bar was nice.
Do yourself a favor and stay here. You'll find beautiful facilities with very nice room decor, a great staff, and exceptional location. Could stay a block away at the Four Seasons for double the price, but The Melrose is too nice to justify it. Book now and have a blast in our nation's Capitol.
passable
by TripAdvisor Member curick
We stayed at The Melrose on September 8th, it was clean, comfortable, bathroom was small, the door staff and bar staff were nice but the front desk staff seemed irritated the 2 times I asked her questions, one of which was when check out was. We had our bill slipped under our door when we woke up, as if to "encourage" us to leave so they could make room for the next guests. Hospitality really counts. The Melrose needs to work on that, even if they have to fake it.
A good-enough place
by A TripAdvisor Member
I spent three nights on a business trip at the Melrose in an unseasonably warm and muggy late October. The staff was pleasant. The room was somewhat gloomy but clearly had been newly refurbished and had some nice art on the walls. However, it smelled very stale with a nasty overlay of chemical air "freshener." Genuinely head-ache inducing, and I am not usually sensitive to such things. Fortunately the window opened, but it took nearly two days before the smell dissipated. I couldn't try the Library Bar; it was reserved for private parties the whole time I was there. The Landmark Restaurant should definitely be avoided as a dinner option- overpriced mediocre food and indifferent service. I only tried it because it was pouring rain and very late when I got off from working one evening.
Service! Service! Service!
by TripAdvisor Member xwoman73
In this day in age of poor customer service, kiosks, automated voice services and tipping people for just doing their job, it is nice to see a place that still operates with a smile and a helping hand. Yes, the standard rooms are small but not unbearable unless you're sharing it with someone you hate. I'll take a small room any day with the service this hotel provides over a suite at an overyly pretenious hotel (and yes i've stayed in plenty). Besides there is a classic NY pizzeria just around the corner... for those late night munchies.
Careful Of False Advertising & Valeting Your Car Overnight, Valets Taking More Than Just Your Car Keys....
by TripAdvisor Member wwb4
Actually booked and stayed in this hotel due to a partnership that the nightclub, that I went to on New Year's Eve, had for a discounted hotel rate. From the time that I arrived at the hotel it was a pretty bad experience, pulled up in front of the hotel and the valet told me that there was no more parking in the overnight garage, even though I had a confirmed reservation at that hotel, and try and look for street parking. (Taking into case the fact that it was New Years Eve, and the hotel is conveniently located across the street from "McFadden's Bar and Grille", one of the largest bars in DC, and had a line of people extending down the street and for at least a block in both directions). I gave a valet my keys and told him to find parking for my car and went upstairs to change to go out. Get to the hotel room to change, and find out that none of the "King Suites" have a sleeper sofa as is what is advertised on the hotel website. So make sure to plan accordingly for additional parties staying in your room. Eventually after 45 min of my car sitting out in front of the hotel I come back down from changing and see that my car was moved to another spot in front of the hotel, but still not parked in the overnight garage, and the "new" valets (it turns out the valet that I recently given my keys too could not be found) were having some trouble finding my car's keys to move it and park it in the overnight garage. Eventually my keys were found in the key box, it was finally parked in the overnight garage after an hour. Get back to my hotel room later that night and I see that my hotel room door is cracked open (luckily nothing was missing or taken, but it's the principle), supposedly after testing the door I saw that it wouldn't close properly after several times of me testing it. After a night of heavy drinking at the club, my girlfriend and I decided to order some food from their "24-hour" room service, but after 30 min of calling, getting disconnected, transferred around, I finally connect with the hotel kitchen and I'm told......"I am sorry the kitchen is out of food." You have got to be kidding me was my response. I hang up the phone and ask for additional towels and tell them about the predicament, and they apologize and tell me that the towels will up momentarily. Needless to say the towels never come, but I am too tired to call down and argue with anybody. Checking out in the morning was a little better, when I called for towels they came within five minutes, and I tipped the lady well. Walking down to the lobby to check out I overheard other hotel customers waiting for 30+ min for their cars to be retrieved from the garage and becoming furious, luckily enough it took only 5-10 min for mine so I thought that things would be better that today, until I checked my car ashtray and saw that one of the valets had taken all of the cash that I had there, and I'll tell you, it wasn't just some spare change. So the moral of the story is, TAKE ALL OF YOUR VALUABLES BEFORE YOU CHECK YOUR CAR & PLAN ACCORDINGLY IF YOU WILL HAVE 3 OR MORE PEOPLE STAYING IN A "KING SUITE" BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SLEEPER SOFAS!!!!! In addition don't stay at this hotel on NEW YEARS EVE!!!!! Hotel service was horrible at best. The only two good or positive things I do have to say about the hotel is the fact that it was nice, clean, and centrally located to everything in D.C.
Forum Posts
Downtown hotels near Metro Line?
by PaulineTom
Which hotels downtown are right at the Metro line? In other words, in case of inclement weather, I want to be very close.
RE: Downtown hotels near Metro Line?
by Kristin
Where "downtown" do you want to be, or do you know which Metro line you'd prefer to be on? What is your price range?
Generally, when my family came to town, I had them stay at a modest but clean Hilton Garden Inn that was right at 14th and I Streets. It was pretty much across the street from the McPherson Square Metro station, which is on the Blue and Orange lines. It is also one stop away from Metro Center (transfer to Red line) and 4 stops away from L'Enfant Square (transfer to green & yellow lines; National Mall, etc.).
RE: RE: Downtown hotels near Metro Line?
by Kristin
Additionally, the Washington Metro has a great online clickable map, which you can use to just click on each station and it will tell you the cross streets.
http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm
RE: Downtown hotels near Metro Line?
by Chehalis
Check out the Melrose hotel is is easy walking to the foggy bottom metro and great for all the sites. There are so many great hotels located near the metro but it is nice to right in the center of things. Also, If you don't mind metroing in then the Marriot in Crystal City is great, great comfortable beds and the metro is in the basement of the hotel can't get much closer. I found the hotel to have great service and as I mentioned I don't think I have slept on a hotel bed since that came close. They also offer some specials go directly to there website.
RE: RE: Downtown hotels near Metro Line?
by Chehalis
You don't want to drive in DC if you can help it. Crazy, Crazy drivers and I come from California where crazy driving was invented!
