The Washington Marriott is under heavy construction. I wouldn't recommend it right now if you have another choice. It is loud and also my favorite Chinese place is torn up too....
First room I was given had no television. Next room, the TV didn't work. Finally got one that worked.
Now, I am a plat and a lifetime plat at that so....again if you are planning on staying there anytime soon, you may want to reconsider.

Hi,

Thanks for the heads up ( nothing on marriott.com)

I was considering this hotel for a 3 night stay on the 4th May but will probalby go for the Crystal Gateway Marriott ( stayed there before and even as a lowly silver I have enjoyed myself there, good rooms and service and the metro is handy to get into the Mall etc in Washington DC itself)

Regard

TBS

+1 for the Crystal Gateway Marriott

For convenient location, price and service, the Crystal Gateway is a very nice hotel. (Though the indoor pool at the Crystal City Marriott just across the street is nicer. )

Funny, I cut short both of my last two stays at the Crystal Gateway due what I perceive as indifference to my plat status...this coming after a number of pretty good stays as a gold. The 2nd last stay I was put next to the gym (where I got to hear the treadmill through the wall). The last stay was right outside the elevator (ding! ding! ding! etc...). I'll happily move and take my business elsewhere (tried talking to a manager one time but couldn't get him/her before I checked out).

Odd, because they definitely used to have something on their page about the construction. Not sure why they would take it off.

I stay at a lot of hotels around the world and I have to say of all of my travels, this is one of my worst stays.

I would recommend that people avoid the JW Marriott on Pennsylvania Avenue at all costs.

First, there's no parking. With the construction work taking place, the valet parking is close. The alternative: an underground garage a block and a half north that shuts down early and opens late. If you need to drive or park your car in the evening, be warned!

Second, because of this "construction", only 1 and sometimes 2 elevators are operating. Considering the hotel is currently sold-out, this is a tremendous inconvenience for guests. Allow yourself 20+ minutes to get from the lobby to your room ...or upwards of 40 minutes during "rush hour" early and late in the day. There are signs warning guests to allow themselves extra time to get up/down the hotel --they aren't kidding.

Third, with the room rates rather high here, you think this would be a destination primarily for business travelers. However, most of the guests seem to be young families. I enjoy being around kids, but I've never been in a place where there's so many 2-8 year olds roaming the hallways/elevators yelling and screaming at all hours of the day/night. Even at Disney resorts or Hawaiian hotels, I haven't heard the same amount of kid-generated noise as I do here.

The guestroom door isn't snug around the edges --as such, light and noise from the hallway flood the room. There's also a polished sill at the base of the door --there's a decent gap there, so I can actually see the reflection of who's in the hallway just by looking down at the doorway in the exaggerated sill. (And scary, I'm sure people can see my reflection back at them too.) But the door does nothing to block noise/light and general privacy from the outside.

Once you can block out the noise/light, the bed is comfortable enough to quickly fall asleep. However, at a little bit before 4am today, a woman ran up/down the hallways yelling "rape". Hotel security came to the scene ...and rather than diffuse the situation, they decided to have the alledged rapist and victim stand next to my door and be grilled. The security agent would then repeat everything that the victim said into his walkie-talkie ...only for the other side of the conversation to radio back what was said. Apparently, the woman was hired to visit this person's room. Once in the room, the guy wanted her to perform various "illegal sex acts." She refused but he insisted ...and I guess he insisted with force/power. The police came (rather quickly ...within about 15 minutes of her first screams), but I thought hotel security did a horrible job of the situation. Rather than question them in the hall, additional security people should have escorted the alledged victim/criminal separately and discreetly away to the police. After the late-night drama, it was a bit difficult to go back to sleep.

As far as the construction, there are closed-off areas in/around the lobby area. Other than those closed areas, I saw no construction crews or heard any construction noise.

Well, that is pretty bad.

I've stayed at the JW frequently and can tell you that the elevator situation isn't much better when there is no construction going on. Now, I've never waited 40 minutes, but I have waited up to 20.

And there do tend to be a ton of kids every once in a while. I think you hit a bad time (obviously) since it's spring break (and the end of the Cherry Blossom Festival too). With the prices this hotel charges, I'm guessing people are using points to stay there (I like the Mayflower for this better...but the JW is definitely closer to the Mall).

The door sill issue...yup...totally agree.

Shame about the police scene (in all regards).

I would totally complain to the manager about this stay.

(but just one thing...you do know the OP was talking about a different hotel, right?)

There was still parking last week, but when we asked for the car they said "We have some bad news, your car is blocked in, it'll be a while" (2.5 hours). Between that, being seated basically in the lobby for breakfast, and the elevator waits and lines for everything we got fed up and checked out. They did comp 1 room (of 3) and offered 30K points (not yet seen) for the parking debacle. This place does not handle crowds very well. By the way, there was (or I noticed) NO construction when I was there (4/1-4/2) so that wasn't the issue.

oh phooey...I just noticed that.
well it's still a DC Marriott

... which is really weird since they host a lot of conventions.

Good choice. Don't forget to use the M11 promotional code. I was looking at this date, and the rate is running around $119/night, but you would get a $100 Bonus Buck (BB).

These are some of the very reasons why I stay in Arlington, VA (Crystal City) whenever I have to be in DC. You can avoid all of the problems with finding a parking space or dealing with car congestion.

The JW, where I've routinely stayed - about twice a year -for 25 years or so,was once one of my favorite hotels, but counting the near collapse of the adjoining shopping center and the deterioraton/degrading of a variety of features and facilities, it's become a shell of its former self, an over-priced over-blown hulk where service has declined parallel to the other failings.

I was cheduled to stay there in March, but chose to go to the Phoenix Park on North Capitol, not much cheaper (in a ghastily over-priced market), and with tiny rooms (but good beds), but the Dubliner Bar beats all (with even modestly priced edible if not gourmet cuisine (anda good breakfast, overpriced as are almost all in town).

Hi,

Thanks for the tip Marcell!!^


Regards

TBS