Westin National Harbor, MD [Master Thread]
May 18, 2008, 12:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Ti, UA Silver
Posts: 5,035
Westin National Harbor, MD [Master Thread]
My GF stayed at the Westin National Harbor the First week of May. It opened earlier that week so everything was new. She’s a Preferred Plus so she didn’t get any Gold or Plat perks, so no info on those.
The hotel sits very close to the water with a walking path between it and the waters edge. There is an events area nearby with canopies and sitting areas. Overall the hotel is tastefully decorated with sleek, earthy, modern furnishings and appointments. The lobby was small but well laid out. There’s a bar to the right that overlooks the river. The bar seats about 10 plus there are about 10 tables. There’s also a restaurant on the property that overlooks the river with nice views of the sunset. The restaurant serves a terrific salmon dish and she also enjoyed the salads. She rated the wine selections as “OK”. They were about $8 to $12 per glass. The wait staff was very pleasant and helpful. Some of them seemed young and maybe not as experienced but they provided good service. There’s also a wine tasting in the lobby each day from about 5:00 to 7:30 (ish).
She was given a regular room (as far as she could tell). The room was very nice and she especially liked the bathroom which was large enough for 2 people to get around in comfortably. It had an all glass walk in shower with 2 shower heads in stead of the usual bathtub. The vanity was vcry nice and there was a separate toilet space with a pocket door separating it from the rest of the bathroom. The room itself was nice and she enjoyed the Heavenly Bed although the sheets were still a bit “scratchy” since they were new.
There is a large workout room on the property with about 8 treadmills and a few stationary bikes. Also there is a full compliment of dumbbells and a number of multi purpose cable type machines. There is a small indoor pool and a small hot tub. The pool area is small and she imagined that it could be crowded at times. She noted that the hot tub had a sling type device to assist people getting in or out.
Parking was in a garage across the street. They have self serve and valet parking. For self serve they charge to your room and give you a pass for in/out access.
There was a lot of construction surrounding the hotel. The entire waterfront area south of the new beltway bridge is being revitalized or built from scratch. She predicts that in a year it will be filled in very nicely and that it will be difficult at times to get a room at this property. The Gaylord Convention Center nearby is an immense and impressive property. There are also a number of higher end merchants coming in such as JoS A. Banks and Fossil.
Her one complaint was with the directions given on the web site. They were completely off. She also had directions from Google maps and they were wrong too. Its probably best to call the hotel directly (as she did).
If folks have questions I can ask her…
The hotel sits very close to the water with a walking path between it and the waters edge. There is an events area nearby with canopies and sitting areas. Overall the hotel is tastefully decorated with sleek, earthy, modern furnishings and appointments. The lobby was small but well laid out. There’s a bar to the right that overlooks the river. The bar seats about 10 plus there are about 10 tables. There’s also a restaurant on the property that overlooks the river with nice views of the sunset. The restaurant serves a terrific salmon dish and she also enjoyed the salads. She rated the wine selections as “OK”. They were about $8 to $12 per glass. The wait staff was very pleasant and helpful. Some of them seemed young and maybe not as experienced but they provided good service. There’s also a wine tasting in the lobby each day from about 5:00 to 7:30 (ish).
She was given a regular room (as far as she could tell). The room was very nice and she especially liked the bathroom which was large enough for 2 people to get around in comfortably. It had an all glass walk in shower with 2 shower heads in stead of the usual bathtub. The vanity was vcry nice and there was a separate toilet space with a pocket door separating it from the rest of the bathroom. The room itself was nice and she enjoyed the Heavenly Bed although the sheets were still a bit “scratchy” since they were new.
There is a large workout room on the property with about 8 treadmills and a few stationary bikes. Also there is a full compliment of dumbbells and a number of multi purpose cable type machines. There is a small indoor pool and a small hot tub. The pool area is small and she imagined that it could be crowded at times. She noted that the hot tub had a sling type device to assist people getting in or out.
Parking was in a garage across the street. They have self serve and valet parking. For self serve they charge to your room and give you a pass for in/out access.
There was a lot of construction surrounding the hotel. The entire waterfront area south of the new beltway bridge is being revitalized or built from scratch. She predicts that in a year it will be filled in very nicely and that it will be difficult at times to get a room at this property. The Gaylord Convention Center nearby is an immense and impressive property. There are also a number of higher end merchants coming in such as JoS A. Banks and Fossil.
Her one complaint was with the directions given on the web site. They were completely off. She also had directions from Google maps and they were wrong too. Its probably best to call the hotel directly (as she did).
If folks have questions I can ask her…
Jan 21, 2009, 5:19 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Plat/1M, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 231
Westin National Harbor
Just finished a 2-nite stay at this property. The hotel is on the waterfront adjacent to the marina. As noted in this and other threads it has been open since April 2008.
The whole National Harbor area is a new mater planned development consisting of hotels, offices, retail and condos. I also saw signage for an aloft going in across the street (it was not nearly ready yet...I'd say late Spring at the earliest but that's just a guess) and there are several other buildings and stores going up/in. Also of note, National Harbor itself is new enough so as to not show up in some GPS mapping software. My year-old Garmin couldn't find it, but Google Maps on my Blackberry worked fine. As some other threads have noted this area is best accessed by car, although you could probably take a taxi to/from the Metro Rail station at Anacostia which is about 6mi north.
The hotel lobby was a little small, though not cramped by any means and nicely appointed with a bar around the back corner overlooking a nice restaurant below - which was not open during my stay although it looked ready with table linens and everything??
I was one of the record # of visitors in town for the Inauguration festivities so I was happy just to secure a room and didn't expect an upgrade, but the front desk person acknowledged my Plat status and told me that the room they had pre-selected on the SPG floor (floor 6 I think) was not ready yet (at 2pm), but they could offer me a water-view room on 5 which was available - I took this since I wanted to be able to get some work done right away without having to stay in the noisy lobby/bar area.
The room was nice fairly standard Westin appointments, with a separate tub/shower (although the glass-walled shower had fairly big gaps around the door which resulted in significant standing water by the time both of us showered) and a water closet. The harbor view (although I think it is actually the Potomac river) was very scenic...the water within 20 feet of the shoreline was frozen BRR
The staff (front desk, valet, housekeeping) were all super courteous without being pushy, and a few of them even remembered our faces when we'd return to the hotel, which surprised me since we weren't standouts by any means and the hotel was full. One of the valet's who held the door when we left early morning on Inauguration Day was still there when we returned after the parade at 7pm (apparently he had a long day too) and asked us about our day in a way that clearly indicated he remembered us.
We didn't use any of the hotel amenities since we had a full itinerary of things to do outside the hotel, so I can't report on fitness center, etc. All in all, both my wife and I really liked this hotel and both mentioned we'd be happy to return next time we come to DC - this is saying a lot since we're both frequent corporate travelers who have seen our fair share (and then some) of hotels in cities across the US.
The whole National Harbor area is a new mater planned development consisting of hotels, offices, retail and condos. I also saw signage for an aloft going in across the street (it was not nearly ready yet...I'd say late Spring at the earliest but that's just a guess) and there are several other buildings and stores going up/in. Also of note, National Harbor itself is new enough so as to not show up in some GPS mapping software. My year-old Garmin couldn't find it, but Google Maps on my Blackberry worked fine. As some other threads have noted this area is best accessed by car, although you could probably take a taxi to/from the Metro Rail station at Anacostia which is about 6mi north.
The hotel lobby was a little small, though not cramped by any means and nicely appointed with a bar around the back corner overlooking a nice restaurant below - which was not open during my stay although it looked ready with table linens and everything??
I was one of the record # of visitors in town for the Inauguration festivities so I was happy just to secure a room and didn't expect an upgrade, but the front desk person acknowledged my Plat status and told me that the room they had pre-selected on the SPG floor (floor 6 I think) was not ready yet (at 2pm), but they could offer me a water-view room on 5 which was available - I took this since I wanted to be able to get some work done right away without having to stay in the noisy lobby/bar area.
The room was nice fairly standard Westin appointments, with a separate tub/shower (although the glass-walled shower had fairly big gaps around the door which resulted in significant standing water by the time both of us showered) and a water closet. The harbor view (although I think it is actually the Potomac river) was very scenic...the water within 20 feet of the shoreline was frozen BRR
The staff (front desk, valet, housekeeping) were all super courteous without being pushy, and a few of them even remembered our faces when we'd return to the hotel, which surprised me since we weren't standouts by any means and the hotel was full. One of the valet's who held the door when we left early morning on Inauguration Day was still there when we returned after the parade at 7pm (apparently he had a long day too) and asked us about our day in a way that clearly indicated he remembered us.
We didn't use any of the hotel amenities since we had a full itinerary of things to do outside the hotel, so I can't report on fitness center, etc. All in all, both my wife and I really liked this hotel and both mentioned we'd be happy to return next time we come to DC - this is saying a lot since we're both frequent corporate travelers who have seen our fair share (and then some) of hotels in cities across the US.
Jul 4, 2009, 8:37 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, DL PM, Bonvoy Titanium (Plat Life), HH G, Amtrak, B6, MR
Posts: 1,546
Westin National Harbor?
The whole development at National Harbor is quite new, so there's very little information. If anyone has stayed there, can you tell me if there's an easy way to get into DC from here without driving? Does the hotel have a shuttle to a Metro stop, is there a bus, etc?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Jul 5, 2009, 7:36 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: DUB
Posts: 8
Unfotunately, National Harbor is not terribly accessible to downtown DC - and without a car your options are really limited. If you're planning to spend most of your time in the city, you probably want to stay in DC itself (or in VA near a metro stop).
Jul 6, 2009, 9:42 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: Starwood Platinum, United Premier Executive
Posts: 281
There is a bus that goes to the Southern Avenue Metro station. It's about a 15-20 minute ride. There is also a Water Taxi to Old Town Alexandria, which then connects to a free trolley to the King Street Metro Station.
Jul 7, 2009, 11:13 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, DL PM, Bonvoy Titanium (Plat Life), HH G, Amtrak, B6, MR
Posts: 1,546
Thank you emr23 and DCGuy. I myself need to be in National Harbor, but was hoping Mrs. sxpsxpsxp could go with me and commute to the DC office. It sounds like it is much more trouble than it is worth. Too bad!
Jul 7, 2009, 12:35 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: Starwood Platinum, United Premier Executive
Posts: 281
FWIW, my sister stayed at National Harbor while her husband was at a conference and really enjoyed taking the water taxi to Old Town and catching the Metro from there. I don't think it is a giant hassle, but it is also not simple. There are also tons of taxis and National Harbor is a quick taxi to the Metro.
Oct 13, 2009, 5:16 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,602
I just concluded a staty at the Westin National Harbor, a new Starwood Property 2 minutes walk (next door) to the new, immense Gaylord Resort in National Harbor MD. Of the hotels 195 rooms, 5 are suites, and I was able to snag one (room 435) on the NW corner of the hotel overlooking the Potomac River. The front desk clerk, Tommi Blake, an energetic young lady was able to upgrade me to this suite, and assured me that the hotel has the finest cusine in the neighborhood. Along side the 2000 room Gaylord, the Westin is far more attractive, and being a small hotel, I never got lost as I constantly did at the Gaylord. Room 435 basks in flood lights all night, so it was essential that I was able to close the drapes completly so that light did not filter in.
National Harbor is a $25 cab ride from DCA as well as downtown;on one of our evenings we took a cab downtown to our favorite DC restaurant, Vidalia, as there are only a few choices in this new development. We ate at the Gaylord, and the local McCormick and Schmicks, but Tommi Blake was correct-the Westin has far better food than any of the competitors in the neighborhood. One problem with the Westin is that if one walks down the hill from the Gaylord, the Westin signage is not visible to street traffic walking down the hill. I would suggest that the Westin quickly implement a fix for this glitch, as they would be able to attract additional diners or drinkers if the captive audience at the Gaylord knew that they had just walked by a Westin.
The development at National Harbor is huge with the Gaylord, the Westin, an Aloft, and two lower level Marriott properties. The neighborhood is advertised as having a large number of exclusive shops, but I was able to tour the entire neighborhood in about 45 minutes. It also appeared that there were not very many guests at the Gaylord on some of the days I was there, and the Westin was nearly empty as well. I suspect the Marriott properties did not have very many guests, as there were almost no lights on in the rooms in the evening. Frankly, there is little to do at National Harbor, and although there is a Disney hotel planned in the near future, I can't see how the large number of hotels in this desolate location will be able to survive, as the convention business is shared with the Convention Center in downtown DC. There is a ferry to Alexandria, and many who stayed in these hotels took the evening ferry to dinner in the Old Town, and then cabbed it back to the hotel after dinner.
Some have commented that the Westin may not participate in the SPG program. However, when I checked in, I was asked if I wanted the 500 points as my ammenity, and upon checkout, on the bottom of the bill was a listing of the SPG points I had obtained. I have no reason to think these points will not post to my SPG account.
In summary, I found this modern-styled hotel very attractive, the staff attentive, the food superior to that of the nearby competitors, the suite large and comfortable with all the Westin ammenties. No doubt, I would return, as this property offers a far better value (much better rooms and food slightly less costly than the Gaylord. I would urge all to stay at this property rather than the Gaylord! However, I have concerns from my stay that a number of the shops and hotels in this new neighborhood will close within the next year.
National Harbor is a $25 cab ride from DCA as well as downtown;on one of our evenings we took a cab downtown to our favorite DC restaurant, Vidalia, as there are only a few choices in this new development. We ate at the Gaylord, and the local McCormick and Schmicks, but Tommi Blake was correct-the Westin has far better food than any of the competitors in the neighborhood. One problem with the Westin is that if one walks down the hill from the Gaylord, the Westin signage is not visible to street traffic walking down the hill. I would suggest that the Westin quickly implement a fix for this glitch, as they would be able to attract additional diners or drinkers if the captive audience at the Gaylord knew that they had just walked by a Westin.
The development at National Harbor is huge with the Gaylord, the Westin, an Aloft, and two lower level Marriott properties. The neighborhood is advertised as having a large number of exclusive shops, but I was able to tour the entire neighborhood in about 45 minutes. It also appeared that there were not very many guests at the Gaylord on some of the days I was there, and the Westin was nearly empty as well. I suspect the Marriott properties did not have very many guests, as there were almost no lights on in the rooms in the evening. Frankly, there is little to do at National Harbor, and although there is a Disney hotel planned in the near future, I can't see how the large number of hotels in this desolate location will be able to survive, as the convention business is shared with the Convention Center in downtown DC. There is a ferry to Alexandria, and many who stayed in these hotels took the evening ferry to dinner in the Old Town, and then cabbed it back to the hotel after dinner.
Some have commented that the Westin may not participate in the SPG program. However, when I checked in, I was asked if I wanted the 500 points as my ammenity, and upon checkout, on the bottom of the bill was a listing of the SPG points I had obtained. I have no reason to think these points will not post to my SPG account.
In summary, I found this modern-styled hotel very attractive, the staff attentive, the food superior to that of the nearby competitors, the suite large and comfortable with all the Westin ammenties. No doubt, I would return, as this property offers a far better value (much better rooms and food slightly less costly than the Gaylord. I would urge all to stay at this property rather than the Gaylord! However, I have concerns from my stay that a number of the shops and hotels in this new neighborhood will close within the next year.
Oct 13, 2009, 5:26 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
I have a conference at the Gaylord next summer and while doing a search found the Westin and Aloft. Thank you for the reviews on this property as there is not much info yet on these properties.
Oct 14, 2009, 4:47 am
#10
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,602
I would recommend you stay at the Westin if you can, as the staff will appreciate your business and treat you far better than the Gaylord will. You can walk up the hill to the Gaylord in about 2 minutes. Be prepared that there is very little to do after hours at National Harbor.
Dec 15, 2009, 7:13 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1
Not bad..
Just concluded 9 nights at the Westin National harbor. Having spent many months in hotels in and around DC this was a refreshing change to say the least. It was as if it was a little oasis from the hectic day. I had a river view room, and honestly some nights just before the sun went down I would sit and reflect on the day. Haven't done that in a long time.
Anyway, very clean room, great staff, very attentive to any request. I initially started at the Aloft across the street. It was my first stay at an Aloft and will probably be my last. Nothing wrong with the hotel (except the bed was absolutley horrible), just didn't fit my vibe. Whereas the Westin heavenly bed, and shower is right up my alley.
Plenty of restaurants, desert places, and bars around the hotel within 2-3 minute walk. If you get bored in National Harbor you have issues.
Anyway, very clean room, great staff, very attentive to any request. I initially started at the Aloft across the street. It was my first stay at an Aloft and will probably be my last. Nothing wrong with the hotel (except the bed was absolutley horrible), just didn't fit my vibe. Whereas the Westin heavenly bed, and shower is right up my alley.
Plenty of restaurants, desert places, and bars around the hotel within 2-3 minute walk. If you get bored in National Harbor you have issues.
Dec 19, 2010, 3:17 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DC and Texas
Programs: Delta,SPG, Hyatt
Posts: 543
good review
Burned two free nights with friends. Check-in was flawless as there were zero people and nice FD staff. Brought our dog, no waiver, and staff was friendly with the dog. Was asked about Plat points, but he offered 4 breakfast certs...so took that over 500 points. Upgraded to 6th floor, water view...maid was in hallway, so requested a few water bottles and got them with a smile. All the restaurants in the area were booked solid for a Saturday night...make reservations if youre planning on being in the area.
Breakfast was good, two options, Harborview or Continental...drinks come with the certs. Great service in the restaurant...I mean outstanding....we doubled her tip, she was that good...plus the holidays...
They charged the rooms to my AMEX, but a trip to the front desk removed all charges for the rooms...They charge around 80 a night to SPG for award stays.
I would stay here again if needed.
No lounge, great service, expensive lobby bar drinks, nice atmosphere.
Breakfast was good, two options, Harborview or Continental...drinks come with the certs. Great service in the restaurant...I mean outstanding....we doubled her tip, she was that good...plus the holidays...
They charged the rooms to my AMEX, but a trip to the front desk removed all charges for the rooms...They charge around 80 a night to SPG for award stays.
I would stay here again if needed.
No lounge, great service, expensive lobby bar drinks, nice atmosphere.
Feb 5, 2011, 11:56 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 18
I stayed at this property last week for two nights. I was only gold as of this stay, working my way to Platinum with multiple stays per week hopping from the Westin Alexandria to the National Harbor Aloft and West National Harbor.
This property is top notch, clean, newer, friendly and competent staff.
They must have been empty because I was upgraded to a king suite with a harbor view on a top floor. These are easily the best suites in metro DC, I only wish I had not been working 7AM to 12AM so that I could have enjoyed it more.
For those wondering, commute time during off hours from the Capitol is around 15 minutes, Alexandria is right across the bridge and takes a few minutes.
In a related note, the Aloft is just across the street and is equally nice and well run and also offered an upgrade even with my lowly gold status, but I declined as it would just be wasted given the amount of time I would be spending at the property.
This property is top notch, clean, newer, friendly and competent staff.
They must have been empty because I was upgraded to a king suite with a harbor view on a top floor. These are easily the best suites in metro DC, I only wish I had not been working 7AM to 12AM so that I could have enjoyed it more.
For those wondering, commute time during off hours from the Capitol is around 15 minutes, Alexandria is right across the bridge and takes a few minutes.
In a related note, the Aloft is just across the street and is equally nice and well run and also offered an upgrade even with my lowly gold status, but I declined as it would just be wasted given the amount of time I would be spending at the property.
Aug 17, 2013, 7:35 am
#14
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Central Pennsylvania
Programs: SPG/Marriott Lifetime Gold, Amtrak Guest Rewards, UA Silver
Posts: 536
Any recent reports about the Westin? I have a conference coming up at the Gaylord, and I've never been at this particular Westin.
It appears from online that there is only valet parking. Is there any complementary shuttle to/from a Metro station? I might just take Amtrak to Union station if the price is right and there is an easy connection to the hotel.
It appears from online that there is only valet parking. Is there any complementary shuttle to/from a Metro station? I might just take Amtrak to Union station if the price is right and there is an easy connection to the hotel.
Aug 17, 2013, 3:04 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Atlanta but Washington DC will always be home.
Programs: Marriott LTP, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold, Hyatt Explorist,, Delta Plat,
Posts: 2,070
I use it on occasion as a staycation hotel. The hotel is still in very good condition and the staff tends to be both competent and very friendly. The hotel is right on the Potomac River, best rooms (IMHO) are on higher floors on the river side.
I wouldn't expect much of an upgrade, if you're staying during the week. National Harbor has become quite the convention destination and the hotels are nearly 100% full during the week.
No real public transit to the hotel. There is one MetroBus to the National harbor complex, but it leaves from a Metro Station that is in a really sketchy part of town, especially at night.
The complex does have a complimentary shuttle bus from the Westin to the King Street Station, but it isn't designed for getting to your hotel upon arrival, or getting back to the airport/train station when you leave. It's a mini-bus that stops at the Westin and two other hotels (within National Harbor) and then the King Street Metro in Old Town Alexandria (tons of wonderful restaurants). You show your hotel room key to board.
If you do drive, don't do Valet Parking. National Harbor has a number of garages, the best one for the Westin is the "Mariner Garage," which is located right across the street from the Westin. No in and out though.
0-1 hour: $3
1-2 hours: $5
2-4 hours: $9
4-12 hours: $11
8pm to 3am Flat Rate: $11
24 hour Flat Rate: $13(12-24hours)
Personally, I'd take a taxi to and from the resort, as there are plenty of restaurants on site, and you can use the free shuttle to get to Alexandria if you want something different. (There's also an overpriced -IMHO- water taxi to Alexandria.) If you're planning on being a tourist in D.C. at all, either take the shuttle to King Street and Metro from there, or the MetroBus isn't too bad during daylight hours.
Hope this helps.
P.S. Found some links:
http://nationalharbor.com/national-h...rtesy-shuttle/
http://nationalharbor.com/getting-here/
I wouldn't expect much of an upgrade, if you're staying during the week. National Harbor has become quite the convention destination and the hotels are nearly 100% full during the week.
No real public transit to the hotel. There is one MetroBus to the National harbor complex, but it leaves from a Metro Station that is in a really sketchy part of town, especially at night.
The complex does have a complimentary shuttle bus from the Westin to the King Street Station, but it isn't designed for getting to your hotel upon arrival, or getting back to the airport/train station when you leave. It's a mini-bus that stops at the Westin and two other hotels (within National Harbor) and then the King Street Metro in Old Town Alexandria (tons of wonderful restaurants). You show your hotel room key to board.
If you do drive, don't do Valet Parking. National Harbor has a number of garages, the best one for the Westin is the "Mariner Garage," which is located right across the street from the Westin. No in and out though.
0-1 hour: $3
1-2 hours: $5
2-4 hours: $9
4-12 hours: $11
8pm to 3am Flat Rate: $11
24 hour Flat Rate: $13(12-24hours)
Personally, I'd take a taxi to and from the resort, as there are plenty of restaurants on site, and you can use the free shuttle to get to Alexandria if you want something different. (There's also an overpriced -IMHO- water taxi to Alexandria.) If you're planning on being a tourist in D.C. at all, either take the shuttle to King Street and Metro from there, or the MetroBus isn't too bad during daylight hours.
Hope this helps.
P.S. Found some links:
http://nationalharbor.com/national-h...rtesy-shuttle/
http://nationalharbor.com/getting-here/