bpoe19

The Ballston metro is a 2 min walk if you walk through the little park (if you want to call it that), and we hopped the metro all over the city. We found the nightlife to be a much better during the week in Arlington (especially by the mall by the WAG) than in DC.

superbobx2

Stayed here recently and had a positive experience. The club lounge is quite nice, with a chocolate fondue spread, one hot item, and veggies etc. Rooms are standard Westin, with a LCD flat panel. Inquired about suite avail. at checkin and the agent said none are open without checking, but later saw them up for sale on SPG.com. Didn't want to bother asking about it again, but it's still kind of annoying how it seems they will lie to you for no particular reason...

TL2000

I'm not sure they are lying at this hotel, although I never really pressed them that hard. It just seems like during the week that their occupancy is very high with a lot of Plat and Gold business travelers. If you are going to be there Monday - Thursday, I would say the chance is pretty low that you will get upgraded b/c there are so many people that will only stay 1 or 2 nights and thus will most likely be upgraded first.

I can't speak to upgrades on the weekend.

Fulkerson

I stayed there during weekend, but not been upgraded as a plat. in Feb. 2008. The hotel looked empty and I asked for an upgrade, but denied.

But at least the lounge was open, which was good as many Westins do not have a lounge or the loung is closed on weekends.

Letisko

We stayed at the Westin Arlington Gateway last week and had a good experience. The room was clean and comfortable. We were on the SPG floor (13th floor), which meant we had free water in the room, which I always appreciate. Very pleasant service as well. This is my new hotel of choice in the DC area.

RUGBYS2K

Stayed this past weekend (Sat night). Very satisfied with the hotel.

Assigned SPG room on the 15th floor. It appeared to be a standard layout with king bed and chair & otterman. All furniture and appliances were in excellent shape. Good selection of TV channels.

Bathroom was exceptionally clean. It actually hurt my eyes to take a shower due to a light in the tub enclosure - - - the white tile was that clean.

Heavenly shower heads, heavenly bath sheets, Bliss shower products fully stocked.

Starbuck in the lobby.

Only negative, I inquired at check-in about an 'enhanced' room or upgrade to the club floor, as a gold member. The clerk did not appear to know what I was talking about. Perhaps a room on the 15th floor is an enhanced room? If so, the clerk should be aware of that and let me know I'm actually getting something, as opposed to letting me complain about a perceived injustice on an internet chat board.

I would definitely stay again and would recommend to anyone going to the DC area who does not have to be physically in DC.

terminalfive

Agree - stayed a year ago but it is a very good hotel with DC close. Still can't believe it but I actually ran from Capital Hill back to the hotel but I kind of thought it was closer (if I remember it took me just under two hours)

Only minus point for hotel - not great recognition for plats. Even at weekends. But often on "starpicks" - often see it between 99 - 119$ + taxes for thurs fri and sat nights...^

yanksgal

Stayed this past weekend, no recognition and no upgrade not even to SPG floor. When I tried to decline housekeeping for the simple reason that I am a neat freak and I would rather have 500 starpoints they gave me a $5 off coupon at the hotel restaurant. When I declined USA Today it showed up anyway and not even at seventy five cent credit on my bill.

I am kind of bewildered. Priority Club gives me free internet, room upgrade virtually every time, a free newspaper and parking that cost $2 less a day and half the time forgets to charge me but yet Starwood, a far nicer chain did not seem to want my business so I guess I will go back to the Holiday Inn in Alexandria, VA or the Crowne Plaza.

The staff was all very nice but when asked to remove USA Today could not manage to do that nor could they switch restaurant credit to Starpoints.

There was a Starbucks in the lobby and that was nice.

All in all the Holiday Inn in Old Town Alexandria was superior, larger room, free internet, smaller parking fee, more responsive staff, and a more peaceful experience. I guess I will head back to Priority Club after a brief excursion into StarwoodLand. The lack of self-parking was kind of weird and all in all nothing seemed very efficient.

This was my first Westin experience and I am going to Westin Annapolis next week and will hope for something more to compel me to try and maintain gold or strive for plat for 2011.

gleff

I'm not sure what you expected as a Gold member in terms of upgrade? There are very few suites here, Platinums certainly do see them but there aren't a ton and the hotel can be busy midweek (and much less so during the weekend). Otherwise the rooms are pretty much all the same.

No, free internet is not a benefit of Priority Club. It's a standard benefit of some chains that belong to Priority Club, like at Holiday Inn, and also Four Points with Starwood. And free internet is a Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum benefit.

Far different locations, far different quality properties.

nevansm

Stayed here last night. Room booked same day, called after booking to ask for suite, was given one. Overall very nice room. Front desk said lounge was closed until September? Not sure what that was all about. Asked about comping breakfast, she said no. Was denied a drink at the bar for being too intoxicated, though I had one glass of scotch all day... quite angered me. I got the names involved, contemplating contacting corporate. Not sure if it's worth my time...

izzik

Same experience this past weekend -- "no suites available" but Plat Concierge offered to reserve one for me. Front desk even confirmed suite availability later that day.

MSPeconomist

I stayed here last night for one night and finally was upgraded to a suite as SPG Plat after at least a half dozen stays in the club floor kings (with the nice views). I was given X42 on a low-mid floor at the far end of the hall, facing the office building across the service alley, but with some of the same view as from the club kings. This is a nonsmoking king one-bedroom suite. My upgrade appeared on spg.com in the late afternoon or early evening of the day before my arrival.

The living room has a sitting area with sofa and two chairs just inside the entry, with a flat-screen TV on a credenza. The desk is near the window. Also near the entry is the bathroom which has a single sink with lots of counterspace in a sort of hallway/dressing room that also serves as a shortcut to the bedroom. The toilet and combination shower-bath are in a separate and very small room which would have beem improved if the door were hung from the opposite side of the door frame, but still opening into this tiny room. The bedroom had another credenza and flat screen TV with a chair and ottoman near the window, but not in a good position for viewing the TV. The suite had two large closets with sliding wood doors (no walk-in closet).

Overall, it was a nice suite--and it was fun to see their suites--but not as nice or as large as the corner one-bedroom king suites (with larger desks, a dining table, a powder room, and a huge bath having a separate rain shower stall and garden tub) that I sometimes get as Plat at the Westin Galleria in Edina, MN (near Minneapolis), which is a slightly newer suburban Westin too of about the same size.

Unfortunately I learned when I arrived that the club lounge is closed from MID-NOVEMBER through MID-JANUARY again, after being closed for one or two months at the end of the summer. This shocked me because the hotel was still selling Club rooms at spg.com when I made my reservation. Moreover, I called a day or so before my trip and asked the Plat Concierge for the lounge hours and was told that it would open at noon on Sunday through evening and then again for breakfast starting at 6 am on Monday morning. When I logged onto my computer in my suite, I noticed that the hotel's website prominently features information about the lounge with no obvious notice that it is closed for such a long period. I also went upstairs to look at the lounge, which is intact with no signs of renovations, damage, or work being done.

I also had a problem with the housekeeper pounding on my door insistantly twice, including when I was taking a shower, despite the Westin do not disturb (peace? tranquility?) sign on my door. The hotel concierge was apologetic and confirmed/reiterated that their maids are instructed never to knock when there is a do not disturb sign.

belynch

Stayed in X42 a few weeks ago and had the exact same observation. Decent room, but the stupid door in the bathroom seems to be on backwards.

365RoadWarrior

Recent stays? Lounge status?

Thanks!

nevansm

I stayed here Friday night. Got an awesome suite upgrade. Lounge was closed on the weekends, so we were given a $20 breakfast voucher.