The Watermark Hotel

Everything in the room felt carefully designed, and I loved the duckie in the shower. The location is great, next to a lively area in capital one, with excellent amenities and welcoming, helpful staff. Heidy at reception was especially helpful. The card-operated lifts were convenient, though parking access could be confusing at times. I wish there'd been a note explaining that utensils can be ordered.

We stayed over Thanksgiving weekend, and the hotel was spotless and smelled wonderful. Breakfast each morning had a good range of choices, the staff were very friendly, and we also really liked Wren restaurant. The bed was comfortable and the bedding impeccably clean. Our first room was nice, but the toilet was broken. They quickly moved us to a higher-standard corner suite, which was beautiful and cozy, with everything we needed and more. The sunrise view was lovely and everything in the suite worked well. We travel a lot, and this was one of the best hotels we've stayed at. We'd definitely return and highly recommend it.

We booked a weekend staycation hoping to rest and get some work done, but couldn't manage either. At check-in, we were told to park for two hours in the retail garage, then move across the street. I have a medical condition that makes long walks difficult. We'd found a spot about 50 feet from the elevator that worked well, but moved as instructed. The loud music made it impossible to focus on my laptop or rest. I called and was told it would stop at 9 p.m. We went to dinner at 8, hoping to work later. The restaurant had many open tables, but the host couldn't find our reservation because we'd accidentally changed it from that day to the following day at 8. Even so, the host said they were only seating people with reservations and offered the bar. At my request, he brought the manager, who acted as if allowing hotel guests to dine at an empty restaurant was a favor. We were told to place our orders by a set time because the kitchen closed at 9. When my sister asked whether a dish contained ginger, the server said no, but the kitchen later confirmed it did. We felt rushed choosing entrees, and the whole $80 meal was unpleasant. After 9, the music was still playing. A different front desk agent then told me it would stop at 10. When I said I'd earlier been told 9, she asked who had told me and promised to call back, but never did. I lay there listening until it finally stopped. At checkout, Alberto, the third front desk agent we'd dealt with, asked why we'd parked across the street. We explained, and he validated the parking. I also described the stay. He went to speak to the manager, who didn't come out and instead offered a $50 accommodation through Alberto. That felt insulting. Alberto gave me the manager's card so I could follow up, and I felt the failed service recovery put him in an awkward position. I know things go wrong, but this was far below what I paid for, and the initial discount didn't make up for the major inconvenience. I'm seeking a 50% refund. Please contact me. I tried to submit this privately through the website, but its Captcha security didn't work.

We stayed in Room 1405 and checked out May 26. The room and facilities are nice, but this was the least welcoming hotel experience I've had. I worked in hotels for over 10 years in Asia and the United States, so I know how much guest interaction matters. Before arriving, I called around 1 to ask about early check-in. We had two small children and hoped to enjoy a Memorial Day weekend staycation. The first woman I spoke with, who sounded Asian Filipino, shut the request down coldly, saying, “No, you cannot. It’s Memorial Day,” with no effort to help. I replied politely, “Okay, thanks for trying.” Later, around noon while we were on our way to Tysons Corner, I called again. A man kindly said we could come before going to lunch. Alberto checked us in pleasantly, but didn't really introduce the hotel or its amenities. He only mentioned that breakfast would be on the 9th floor the next day, with no information about the gym or anything else. At the desk, the two other women never acknowledged us, not even with a greeting or eye contact. One seemed absorbed in her phone and uninterested in guests. We chose the hotel to make special memories with our children. The property itself is nice, but the hospitality was deeply disappointing. I could have spent much more elsewhere, but what matters is how guests are treated. The experience felt cold and short on basic courtesy. I wouldn't return or recommend it.