W Washington Better Than the St. Regis Washington
Just completed a weekend stay at the W:
Pre-arrival: booked a base room on points, was upgraded to a Fantastic Suite, and then was bumped one higher to a Marvelous Suite as my Ambassador was in charge of this reservation.
Arrival: Arrived into DC on Friday night around 8PM right as the crowds were starting to swell for POV. There were no issues with checking-in, though they only offer the 500 points/logo item/movie as a Platinum amenity. When I travel for pleasure, I try to not take the points as I accrue them pretty quickly while traveling for work.
Room: The room was fantastic - I was traveling with a friend of mine, and we really enjoyed all the accommodations. The W is primarily for younger couples traveling without children. The bed was glorious - it was wide, spacious, and soft without feeling like you're sleeping in quicksand. The living room was spacious, but a bit underutilized. The bathroom was very modern - frosted glass everywhere, large double-top sink, awkwardly small toilet.
Stay: The stay was fantastic - the Marvelous Suite, although on a low floor (3rd) faced the Washington Monument. This is the first time that I've been looking forward to go to the hotel lounge at any Ws that I've stayed in (NY, South Beach, San Francisco). The location also cannot be beat - it's across the street from the White House entrance (perfect for my East and West Wing tours), across the Mall from the Washington Monument and all the Smithsonian museums, and close enough to DuPont Circle/U Street by taxi (at most $12) or by subway (at most 20 minutes).
Restaurants: We ordered very late night food, and a burger was $37 all-in. A bit steep, even for room service, in my opinion. There are also amazing restaurants in the area - highly recommend the Old Ebbitt Grill for oysters and mid-afternoon drinks.
Compared to the St. Regis: though it depends on what you are doing in DC, but I think that if you're under 40 and without kids, the W is a better stay than the St. Regis. I've stayed at the St. Regis, and it seemed very old-school stuffy, with its butler service to get anything.