Friendly staff, distressed & depressing building
Note to fellow Platinum members: no lounge, no proper suites, no pool.
Stayed here for a week. When I checked in, asked if I had been upgraded as is standard practice with platinum members. Was told that yes I had indeed been upgraded. I was quite disappointed to open the door to a small and cramped room on the 12th (top) floor with a view of the National Christian Church. I called downstairs to let them know there was a mistake with the room as I didn't receive my upgrade and was told that a WINDOW TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD is an UPGRADED (premium) room. What insanity. Never have I seen such a thing in my life (and this coming from a person who spends an average of 200+ nights a year in hotels, mostly SPG properties). My only option was to get a bigger room, but with windows facing the inside of the hotel, quite a dismal option. That said, the small room itself was clean and well maintained. Excellent bed. Excellent bathroom.
Had I known what the rooms were like I would have picked another Westin, perhaps the Georgetown Westin. If you pay anything over $150 for this place you're getting ripped off. Better to spend your money at a 'lower' hotel like the Four Points and get a better room.
The lobby/atrium is very, very dated. The food in the restaurant is decent but VERY overpriced. You're better off to go to a nearby restaurant. 
Front desk, doormen, porters and maids are all very friendly and professional.
It took us about 40 minutes to walk from the hotel to the Capitol, 30 minutes to the Museum of Natural History.