inDeCent exposure
The proprietor of this location owes a huge apology not just to the guests, but also to the staff. I have rarely stayed at a place where everyone was as keen as these people to make sure I was happy.
It is also in a fantastic location: four blocks from the convention center. An easy walk to the National Mall or public transportation.
But here's the let down: the rooms. OK, they're small. Not a deal breaker. But they're dismal. I couldn't tell if the carpet and bedding were old, or just not well kept. The wallpaper was scarred, peeling, and bubbling - not just in the bathroom, but the main room, too. The paint on the bathroom ceiling was bubbling: the sign of painted over mold. Then there's the smell. The first day it just seemed stale. But as the days progressed, my room had a growing sense of damp. A colleague had an even worse odor in his room. Another oddity was the placement of the hair dryer - right over the sink. One last oddity - a lamp on the desk wouldn't work and i assumed it was the bulb. Investigating a couple of days later, I discovered that it wasn't plugged in ... as there was no outlet anywhere near the lamp.
The positives ... the bed was very comfortable. And the lounge/dining area in the basement was well decorated.
The pictures on the hotel's website were obviously taken the day the renovations were completed - however many years ago that was. This could be an excellent place to stay. But it isn't.