Hilton HHonors - Alexandria, VA properties

I will be in this area and was wondering what anyone's experience is at any of the properties around here lately.

In particular, there were some problems with gold's getting access to the lounges at the Mark Center and Old Town Hilton's. Has any of this changed as of late? Also how is the Embassy Suites in Alexandria?

I have been to the Hilton Mark Center back in April this year and had no problem getting access to the lounge as a HHonors gold. The days I stayed there, nobody cared about the lounge at all, and I was never asked for any prove that I was allowed to access the lounge or anything.

Allthough the lady on checking specially mentioned my key was coded for access to it, I did not see any card-reader there either.

Greetings - Dirk

I had trouble accessing the lounge at the Mark Center, although I must admit that I was on a Priceline rate (don't know if that had anything to do with it). The check-in lady in the evening firmly said that it was only for diamond members. When I confronted her about the hhonors rules, she said that it was their interpretation that it was only intended for diamonds (???). However, the morning staff was more than happy to give us access. Go figure. You need to have your key activated to get the elevator to go to the Towers floor. Sometimes they don't seem to program the elevator and it will stop at that floor even if you don't have the key. On a side note, some of the rooms at that location are quite a bit larger than others. If your room seems too tiny, you might ask for a larger one.

Kelly

The Alex. Embassy and Hilton are more or less across the street from each other and also across the street from the King Street metro. Thus they are both very convenient. Teh Hilton is less then a year old and pretty nice. The Embassy features suites (duh). Depending on the price, as a gold I'd stay at the Ebmassy and enjoy the manager's receptions and the guaranteed suite.

JMHO.

The Hilton Mark Center is an older hotel and is sort of in the middle of nowhere unless you enjoy sitting in traffic on I-395.

Of course, as a local I have no reason to stay at local hotels, so take my comments from that perspective!

Uggghhh!
The Embassy Suites is sold out when we will be there, and the Hilton Old Town is pricing out at $299/night for a weekend!!!!! What's up with that? They have no bouncebacks or anything offered. We need to be near Alexandria, so it looks like it will be the Mark Center.

There is an ES in Crystal City, how is that, and how far away from Alexandria is it?

Crystal City is about three Metro stops north of Old Town Alexandria. It is a big mall/high-rise/hotel cluster adjacent to National Airport. The ES there is fine, but the environment isn't nearly as nice as Old Town -- Crystal City is pretty concrete/antiseptic.

$299 sounds way high for the Hilton Old Town on a weekend... I stayed there about six weeks ago on a weeknight and paid a web rate of about $140 + tax. (The ES Old Town is right across the street and wanted $120 more.)

If you stay at the Hilton Old Town ask for a room away from the railroad tracks... the hotel abuts a very busy rail line used by the Metro, Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express, all kinds of freight trains and goodness knows what else.

Eeeekkkk!
I priced out the Mark Center Hilton at $94 about 5 minutes ago, then asked about the Old Town Hilton again, and when I came back, the price had jumped to $164/night. Then she said she could not find the $94 rate again and that all she was showing waas $164 across the board.....What the heck is going on? She tried to get back to the $94 rate but could not find it again! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

The Hilton Alexandria Mark Center has said that the executive lounge is closed completely as of 6 months ago, do they give you certificates to get breakfast at the hotel restaurant on the weekend??

[This message has been edited by zipual (edited 09-25-2001).]

Left Washington area after touring over the weekend on 9/10. We stayed at the Embassy Suites at Alexandria. Upgraded to a wonderful suite (tower room). Parked car--used subway across street or had hotel van drop us in the old town area to take boat tour or eat. Great stay. Huge rooms.

FWIW, just got back from a Sat nite stay at the Hilton Old Town. While the property remains nice and in an excellent location, the Tower/Executive Lounge on the 7th Floor is now permanently closed due to a "substantial drop-off in business post 9/11".

There is a brand new Hampton Inn across the street (sort of) from the Hilton Old Town. Looks pretty nice from the outside. May want to give it a shot.