Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Sterling Dulles

The one decent thing was that the bed was comfortable enough to sleep in. Beyond that, this is one of the worst hotels I’ve stayed at, and I travel for work and have stayed in a lot. It’s in my personal top five for bad stays. The room looked halfway through a renovation, with exposed outlets and lamps hanging off the walls. The water only got lukewarm, so there was about ten minutes to shower at a comfortable temperature. My coworker had bed bugs in his room. The kitchenette had one plate, bowl, fork, and knife, but no cups, spoons, or pots and pans. The TV was positioned so you could only watch it from the stained couch. The internet was awful, and I had to use a hotspot to get anything done. The staff’s attitude made it seem like they didn’t care. Our company will blacklist the hotel, and we absolutely won’t stay here again.

The front desk area was fine, but the smell in the building where the rooms are was the worst I’ve ever encountered. It was so bad I felt like I might throw up. And the place was disgusting: as the photos show, there was blood everywhere. My fiancé had been there for work before I arrived and said it had been there for weeks. He’s kinder than I am, because I would’ve left immediately. The only good thing I can say is that I didn’t see bugs or rodents. If you can, stay away. Your car would be better.

For a low-cost place to rest, Room 311 was the best option I could find at the time. I checked in very late, and the staff were receptive and got my keys without a wait. It’s conveniently near an Ollie’s, the airport, and several places to eat. The room was spacious and looked clean, with fresh-smelling towels, a comfortable bed, a work area, and a kitchenette I never used. I didn’t notice there was no TV because I wasn’t bothered by that. The tile floor in the kitchenette area could have been cleaner. The hallways and stairwell had the sort of musty, old-food smell you might expect at a budget lodging, not rotten, but stained and with windows you could open. They gave me the feeling I shouldn’t walk around barefoot. The room’s smell was much worse. First came an old-building odor, then a blast of something like burnt chemicals that stung my eyes and nose. Maybe it was the cleaner used to disinfect the room. It reminded me of the smell at a dry cleaner or burnt formaldehyde. I hope they can fix it. I don’t know if it’s like that in every room or just 311.

I first noticed an unpleasant odor in my room and asked to move. The replacement had a damaged window and was on the second floor, which added to my frustration. I planned to formally request a refund and speak with management. I did get a room change, but the next day my key card took seven tries before the problem was sorted out. A staff member also questioned whether I was assigned to my current room, even though I was. I kept documentation of the previous accommodation. When I asked to extend my stay by one day, I was told I’d have to check out and then check back in. That’s inconvenient and disheartening. I’ve seen many negative reviews of this place and want management to address my concerns. I’d appreciate someone contacting me to discuss them. Update: They’ll tow your vehicle even while you have a room there. There was plenty of space on either side of me, but I had to park in front.