Description: "Where on earth is my hotel?" Is all I could think as I walked up Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House. I double-check the print-out I had made myself with pertinent travel information the night before; sure enough, it indicates the address of the building that I am standing in front of. But this does not appear to be a hotel at all, but rather a large office building. I keep walking up Pennsylvania Avenue toward 14th street when I notice an entrance on the cross street saying that this building was indeed the Marriot that I was looking for.
Besides being a bit tricky to find, the JW Marriot is a very nice hotel and is perfect for business travelers and tourists of the nation's capital as well. Guests are greeted by doormen that happily assist with luggage, directions, or any other bits of travel help you should need. Once inside, the grandiose lobby overwhelms guests with opulence; large crystal chandeliers, a nice restaurant, and impeccable styling are just a few of the things that caught my attention upon entering. Starbucks junkies will be happy to know that they could get their fix at the store located on the hotel's lobby level.
I absolutely loved the "smart elevators" in this hotel. Once a button is pushed for the floor, a screen displays which elevator (indicated by number) will be arriving to take you to your destination. Once inside the indicated elevator, you do not even have to push any buttons. This might be bad for people that like to change their mind about what floor they would like to go to, but I thought it was neat that I did not have to guess which elevator would be opening next and going in the correct direction. Perhaps I am easily amused though.
Despite it's outward appearance as an office building, the rooms at the JW Marriot were quite comfortable. Decor was well-done and very tasteful. Marble baths and updated mini-bars also make this hotel seem a bit more upscale than a typical Marriot chain.
The JW Marriot is very convieniently located just blocks away from the Mall and all the attractions of Downtown DC. The White House is literally a block away. It seemed to be in a very nice neighborhood as well; not a lot of riff-raff lurking outside at night thanks to the heavy area-presence of the Capital Police.
Getting to and from the JW Marriot is very easy especially if you are adept at taking public transportation. The Federal Triangle Metro Station is just across the street. However, if you do choose to drive to this destination and use the Hotel's valet service it can be a bit pricey. Unfortunately there seems to be no good cheap options for parking in this area; especially overnight.
I would highly recommend staying at this hotel if it is in your price range for your visit. I would encourage people who are on more of a budget to check out the deals and specials this hotel runs on occasion as well. I was able to get a room for much less than I would have expected to pay for this type of establishment thanks to a last-minute booking deal.
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