Holiday Inn Express Washington DC Downtown by IHG

The front desk staff were fantastic, friendly, helpful, and courteous. Special thanks to Rachael. But the housekeeping was the opposite. My wife and I stayed eight days, and the room wasn't cleaned on four of them, including two days in a row even after we requested it. One time my wife asked the housekeeper to clean while we were out for the day, and she said yes. Seven hours later we came back to an unkept room with no towels. We were on the 11th floor. The breakfast buffet was disappointing too. On weekdays it ran from 6:30 to 9:30, weekends from 7 to 10, but the bread box was always empty and yogurt was rarely restocked. Nearly every time, there was almost no food left half an hour before closing, and staff did nothing. One staff member just stood in a corner with earbuds in. The chef, Dion, was condescending. I'm a Holiday Inn gold member, and this property needs a lot of improvement.

The room was fine and the staff were good, but there were repeated problems during our five-day stay. For our 20th anniversary, we requested a corner room and didn't expect it to be guaranteed, but staff told us several different things. At check-in we were told corner rooms were only for handicap guests, which wasn't true. The sundry shop ran out of soft drinks, and every day we were told they'd be restocked soon. They never were. Laundry detergent was also never available. We were told at check-in that laundry was free, but that wasn't true either. This large hotel has just one washer and one dryer, both in use throughout our final two days. As a Platinum Elite member, I've stayed in smaller IHG hotels with four or five machines. The onsite garage is expensive for guests, and the price changes daily without notice. If you're flying into DC, I'd use rideshare, maybe Lyft. There are places to eat within walking distance, though none are worth writing home about. The Golden Chick Chinese takeout flyer in the lobby is one option worth trying. I find the hotel hard to recommend, though I might stay again.

The location is convenient, close to everything, but I wouldn't recommend staying here. The room was OK for a shower and bed after being out all day, though it hadn't been vacuumed in a while. The water pressure was weak, the front desk rarely picked up the phone, and you have to carry your luggage to your room yourself. The drink machine was usually empty, and there's only one washer and dryer for the whole inn. Ice machines are on just three floors, and breakfast was cereal. Getting something out of your car in the garage was an act of God.

Parking valet costs around $65 or more per night, so I used nearby paid lots instead. The LAZ parking lot and another lot behind the nearby church are the closest, though the church lot is reserved on Sundays. The hotel isn't a bad place to stay, and price drops are worth watching. I was traveling solo and paid $123 a night for a King's Suite for two nights over the Nov. 21 weekend. The clean room had a comfortable bed, a small lounge with a couch and coffee table, and a wall-mounted flatscreen. There were bedside tables with outlets and adjustable lamps on both sides, plus a basic single-serve coffee maker and mini fridge. The bathroom was clean too. My only room issue was that the lights sometimes came on automatically, so I'd have to get up and turn them off. There are several bars, cafes, and restaurants within a 10-minute walk, plus a 7/11 down the block. Breakfast is self-serve, so there were no long waits. I got up early, but I'm sure food remains available an hour or two after service starts. The usual American continental spread included eggs, sausage, bacon, a pancake/waffle machine, fruit, milk and juice, cereal, coffee, and hot chocolate. Nearby museums, attractions, and the National Mall area are about a 15-20 minute walk away.