W Hotel Washington, DC is located in the Beaux Arts building of the historic Hotel Washington built in 1917. The W Hotel has renovated and redefined most of the historical elements of Hotel Washington such as the original hotel sign, moldings and chandeliers that are present throughout this chic DC hotel. Designer Dianna Wong has also added elements unique to W such as a lobby jewel box bar and a retro roof top bar.

The W Hotel’s central location in “old downtown” makes it close to the monuments in Washington DC. The White House is a block away, while the Washington Monument is just a stone’s throw away. Even the Reagan International Airport is nearby.

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First Impression/Lobby: The large lobby of the W Hotel displayed a fine balance between classic architecture and contemporary style. The chandeliers have been refitted with color-changing LED lights to change the lobby’s mood and color in the evenings. Contemporary lounge furniture coupled with techno music gives you a distinct lounge vibe.

Reception: Check-in was exceptional, I felt as though I was a superstar coming to the hotel for a return visit.

The Room: Our WOW suite was fabulous and had a spacious living room, dining room, bedroom and bathroom. The living room was furnished with a velvet sofa along with a flat screen television and iPod docking station. A work desk was equipped with high speed internet access and a cordless phone with voice mail and speakerphone facilities. An oval-shaped dining table for four with leather-upholstered chairs and a sofa were the highlights of the dining room.

The bedroom featured the cozy signature W bed with pillow-top mattress and 350-thread-count sheets. A marble-topped bathtub, waterfall shower and a double vanity were the highlights of the bathroom. Also, the views of the Washington Monument from our suite were simply gorgeous.

Room Service: Room service did an exceptional job. If you are prepared to overlook the high prices, extra service charges, fees and taxes (16% Service Charge, 5% Administrative Charge, $5.00 Delivery Fee and 10% Sales Tax) our suite was the perfect place to enjoy a meal.

Housekeeping: Housekeeping did a horrible job, definitely not what you'd expect from a five-star hotel. During the first night of our stay, the staff barely did anything during turndown service. During the second night they totally skipped the turndown service. On a good note, the daily daytime service was executed flawlessly.

Concierge: The concierge service was just average at best. They were excellent with recommendations and failed miserably with others (are there really no bombastic breakfast places in DC?) And on one occasion they even failed to confirm our reservation as promised.

Restaurant: The Living Room located in the hotel lobby served light fare and W’s signature cocktails in a trendy atmosphere. The Wine Bar had a cozy tavern feel with its slated floors and aged brick walls. Old and new world wines, cocktails and beers from around the world as well as tapas were served here.

The P.O.V. Roof Terrace located on the eleventh floor had a trendy and chic atmosphere with red banquettes and steel-framed daybeds. The P.O.V. lounge, a destination lounge is also located at W Hotel’s rooftop. Breathtaking views were the main highlights of P.O.V. Roof Terrace and P.O.V. lounge.

The J&G Steakhouse served steaks in an elegant atmosphere. The tall double arched windows of this steakhouse offered breathtaking views of the city, the White House Gardens and the Washington Monument.

Pool/Spa/Activities: The BLISS Spa at W Hotel offered a number of beauty treatments and massages. The SWEAT fitness center featured state-of-the-art equipments along with a Yoga Essentials set, speed and boxing bags and jump and speed ropes.

A wired business center equipped with high speed internet access, workstations, laptops, printers, scanners and fax machines was also available at this hotel.

Check-Out: Checkout was quick and efficient as the bill was 100% accurate. It was just a matter of swiping the card and signing my name.

Overall Impression: It would have been lovely to hear the walls of this historic hotel talk about the bygone era. W has all the makings of a Fantastic Bombastic hotel, but with the mishaps from housekeeping and concierge service it just didn't make the cut. But, overall, W Hotel is a trendy hotel situated in an incredible location. Our rating for this hotel is Bombastic.

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