Hotels Near First Infantry Division Monument in Washington D.C.

I was staying at the Holiday Inn for a business trip. Overall, it was a good stay. I had one of the higher up corner rooms which had a fantastic view up the street and to the West so I got to see the sunset (07 room). I was in an accessible room so the bathroom was quite large and had a tub. Double queen with extra chair and ottoman and a tiny narrow desk that barely fit my laptop. There was a microwave, mini-fridge, safe that fit my laptop, and a k-cup coffee maker. I did not like the wardrobe as the space for hanging was very short meaning that my dresses and long clothes got folded up at the bottom, plus it was on the lower level (for accessibility I believe). Breakfast was included and had the standard variety (eggs, sausage, pancakes, fruit, etc.). I tried once but on other days we had breakfast at work. There is a lot of construction going on in the neighborhood. It didn't bother me since I was up when it started (7 am) and the windows blocked enough of the noise so that it wasn't too bad. I noticed it a bit more in the afternoon when I was trying to work. The area is alright but it is fairly close to Chinatown (5-10 min walk) so I could see the need to be careful late at night if on your own. The staff was very friendly, somewhat to the point of being too friendly for New England me, but overall very nice and helpful. Everything was extremely clean and in working order - although it took me a bit to figure out the lights. Short walk to the National Gallery and Mall. About a 15-20 minute walk to Union Station.

This was my first stay in a capsule. I admit that I thought one would enter from the side instead of the end, not that this seemed to be a problem. I like the idea of being ensconced in a cocoon but I realise this isn’t for everyone. In dorm room situations I always prefer a lower bunk, the upper bunks can be more awkward. Unsurprisingly, the same applies here. Anyway, I put the pillow down the far end and climbed in head first. You ‘seal’ your capsule by pulling down the blind at the end. I am not claustrophobic in any way but found I had to keep the blind open for ventilation. There did appear to be ways to adjust the temperature but due to a busy travel schedule I didn’t get a chance to ask staff about this. This hotel uses Goki, this app that lets you scan yourself into the building and the rooms instead of typing in a room code. It has other functions as well. It is worth getting the Goki app as the door codes are changed periodically for security reasons but Goki should always scan you in once you’ve set it up. I thought that $5 for the laundry was a little much and I’m not sure how they ascertained who had paid and who hadn’t since you just walked in. Laundry detergent was included in the $5 charge and when I asked where I would find it they said it would be set out but I couldn’t find it anywhere so I had to track down a staff member. I’m glad to have finally checked ‘sleep in a capsule’ off the list.

PROS: Stood here for the weekend with my partner. Aesthetically, the hotel is super artsy, fun, and pleasing to the eye. The decor and appearance screams chic, quirky, and metropolitan. From the lobby, adorned with all manners of interesting books, odd trinkets, and colorful sculptures, to the cute, cozy outdoor sitting space filled with pretty greenery, I could not stop raving about this hotel the entire trip. The style of the rooms could very much be described as a European “take” on the well-known Japanese “Pod” style hotels. The rooms were concise (not cramped) and had a sleek, modern, and minimalistic style of furniture (desk with chair, bench, vanity w/sink, bed-frame with built in storage space). Think “IKEA meets stylish, retro Japanese pod hotel”. If that makes sense. LOL. Plus everything in the room is controlled using an iPad which I think it pretty flipping cool. SMART TV in the room, as well, meaning unlimited access to YouTube, Netflix, or pretty much anything that can stream from your phone/device which is perfect after a long day exploring the city. (You can also change the color of the mood lighting in the room via the IPad which provided my boyfriend and I with hours of entertainment pretending we were post apocalyptic humans trapped in some green-tinted “Twilight Zone” style alien bunker) Also, if you prefer a hard mattress, you will find the hotel bed very comfortable. During our time here, we had easy access to a LOT of good food. There’s 2 restaurants inside the hotel as well as a really great Middle Eastern restaurant directly across the street. (I approve of their falafel and roasted sweet potatoes. Very good). There are so many cultural and ethnic restaurants in the immediate area for those who are adventurous eaters. There’s even a pretty nice Trader Joe’s around 4 blocks away for stocking the hotel room with healthy snacks and beverages (a must). Plus Union Market is pretty close to the hotel. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you. Big hall with lots of food vendors and even a little shopping. Even if you aren’t looking to eat and just want to kill a little time, it’s still interesting to walk around and see the cool and unique foods they sell. Soak up the little local color. Overall, it was a totally unique and memorable hotel experience that was totally worth the cost. Well done. LF

Rooms are large and extremely comfortable. Bathroom was small but highly functional. Bed was comfortable. Staff was friendly. The restaurant was a bit of a disappointment. The reviews were good but when we decided to try the American breakfast we were disappointed. Toast came out cold. Potatoes had no taste. Eggs were fine. Bacon was probably the best part and that was ok. Coffee was terrible. We didn’t return.

We found our room to be very clean and comfortable. The air conditioner worked great. The shower had good pressure but it did take a while for the water to warm up. The hotel is located in a comfortable neighborhood and an easy walk to the Metro subway. We found several restaurants nearby with various choices of food. Overall we felt that we got a pretty nice room for the price.

I came to the Holiday Inn Express with two of my friends and the assistant manager Ibrahim was very helpful when we had some trouble checking in and he was very helpful throughout the process of helping us. Very professional and my friend and I will definitely come back to this hotel because of him.

I was there at the hotel, booking that day because my mother was at Walter Reed. The check-in young lady so compassionate and understanding. Truly outstanding customer service! The hotel is only a mile and a half from Walter Reed which made it extremely convenient to pull right in, and park downstairs in their garage and get out early in the morning. Will be using my Hyatt credit card more often. You definitely get more value for your points than Marriott.

There was only ice cubes but no water, so drinking water was a problem.

I made my reservations on line through the Choice Website and check-in was quick and easy. Once in my room I found it to be clean and the bed comfortable and well mad. The bathroom in my room was one of the smallest that I have encountered with this chain. The room overall as I sad was clean but it was beginning to show it's age. It front cover of my HVAC Unit was loose and quiet loud but after a little work I was able to secure it enough to stop the noise. The breakfast area features the usual waffles, eggs, a meat, with fruit, yogurt, cereals, juice and coffee. The breakfast area can get very crowded but for the most part the attendant keep it clean and well stocked. This hotel features a Free shuttle to the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station which is a little over a mile away. With free parking at the hotel this shuttle is a very nice feature that we took advantage of several times during our stay. When we arrived back at the Metro Station, we simply called the hotel for pickup and in about 10 minute our shuttle arrived. Over all I was very satisfied with my stay and will stay here again when I am in the D.C./NOVA area.