Great Rooms, Service Not So Great
I lead a party of 22 at a conference here recently and booked everyone into this hotel. 
No complaints on the room front....strange shell like shower and all. Bed was AMAZING...I wanted to take it home! Comfortable room with lounge chair, mini bar and plasma TV. 
The general service standards in the hotel are poor though, with staff never seemingly knowing the answer to any questions asked, and never really getting much done. The mini bar was never restocked in the seven days I stayed (cheaper to buy drinks etc at the CVS Pharmacy across the road which is open 24 hours)
Main issues were around the reception and the restaurant which was extremely poor...we returned a dirty plate 4 times! Food took an age to arrive, and wasn't great when it came! Eat at one of Washington's excellent restaurants instead.
The pool area is great....nice pool Hugh it looked a little murky on a couple of occasions. The pool bar though often seemed devoid of any of the ingredients needed to make the drinks in the menu...this really started to bug after a few days.
The downstairs bar though is brilliant...Ram the barman mixes a lethal yet lovely drink and makes his own lemonade. He was by far and away the best ambassador for the hotel...always friendly, polite and efficient.
I'd stay again but wouldn't eat here.