Days Inn by Wyndham Washington DC/Gateway

The basics are there for eating and sleeping, but comfort is another matter. Walking into the room, I was hit by stale cigarette smoke. The smell seemed soaked into the walls, lamps, and furniture, probably after hundreds of people smoked inside. There were a few towels, toilet paper, hand soap, a fridge, and a microwave, but the microwave was badly banged up and didn’t work. The fridge barely got cold. The sheets had what looked like cigarette burn holes. I didn’t feel clean or comfortable at gateway hotel, and even for the price it wasn’t worth it. I’d rather pay a few dollars more somewhere I won’t feel like I need to scrub my skin with bleach afterward.

The front desk staff were really nice, and our room wasn’t bad. You can tell some things have been updated. The exterior is very dated, though, and the stairs to the upper levels had rust holes. We were there a whole week and never got room service. My boyfriend and I ended up sleeping in separate full size beds because that was the only option we were offered. He pushed them together after moving some furniture. Under the beds and other furniture needed a serious cleaning, the floor was disgusting. At least we never saw bugs. It’s not a bad spot for getting into DC without dealing with the traffic, and we used Uber, which was really convenient. The location itself is okay. Parking is gated overnight, which I liked. It doesn’t look like somewhere you’d want to stay at first, but if you’re after a cheap place where you’ll be left alone, this could work.

The location was handy, with convenience stores and restaurants next door, and DC’s center was only a 10 minute drive. But the whole place felt so weird. I guess the price makes it worthwhile. My spouse and I needed to check in around 5 AM. I called three times on different days beforehand and spoke to different people each time. I explained the situation, and they said it was fine and the early check-in fee was $25. When we arrived, the workers were asleep. After they got up, they charged us $50, saying “the prices raised,” even though the printed terms in front of us also said $25. Our key stopped working too, so we had to get a replacement. I’ve never had that happen before. The rooms were dirty, with stains on the headboard, walls, and hairdryer. You get exactly what you pay for here.

The road and surrounding area can be confusing, and getting into the property from the road is a tight turn that’s easy to miss if you’re not watching for it. There are a couple of fast food places on the property and a family style Chinese restaurant right beside the hotel. Staff were nice, the rooms were clean and good, and the location was okay.