My wife and I recently stayed at the Hotel Monaco Washington D.C. and we had an excellent stay. Here are details if they are helpful to other Kimpton InTouch “Inner Circle” members:
LOCATION: The hotel location in Penn Quarter is very convenient, with close access to restaurants, shops and Metro.
TRANSPORTATION: Upon arrival at National airport, I took a Metro train from the airport to the hotel. This was very convenient and cost effective. The hotel is just across the street from the Metro Station.
CHECK IN: My wife arrived earlier in the day and checked in. She tells me check in was friendly, professional and efficient.
HOTEL BUILDING: Hotel Monaco Washington D.C. is the former Tariff Building, a completely renovated Registered National Landmark built in the mid-1800s and the city’s first all-marble building. The building is unique and has lots of charm. The lobby is relatively small but beautiful; the hall ways are wide and inviting. Overall, the Hotel Monaco Washington D.C. has the distinctive feeling of a boutique hotel that we wanted (vs. the cookie cutter approach of a larger branded corporate hotel chain).
OUR ROOM: We were upgraded to a “Robert Mills suite”, which was a large two room suite, with 20 foot ceilings and ornate molding. The room was ultra-clean, comfortable, and decorated tastefully. The living room area was comfortable, with a TV, stereo with surround sound, a desk — and free high speed internet access. The desk had easy access to a power strip, the design was well thought out for the business person who would need to use the desk. The bathroom was fabulous: large, clean, well-lit, lots of counter space, a separate shower surrounded by three walls of glass, and a very nice extra: a deep Jacuzzi tub. Like Starwood’s W Hotels, there were a variety of Aveda bath products, which we liked and appreciated. I should note that the suite was much larger than the standard rooms we saw being made up by housekeeping; if you get a standard room it might be a little small, similar to a small room in NYC. Comparing with the W Hotels, our suite at Hotel Monaco Washington D.C., particularly the bathroom, far surpassed what I’ve seen at several different W Hotels.
SPECIAL AMENITIES: Hotel Monaco Washington D.C., like all the Kimpton properties, has an evening wine hour, during which guests can socialize with each other. I really like this concept. The fitness center room is small but well appointed.
RESTAURANT: The hotel’s restaurant, Poste, was very good. I won’t spend a lot of time on the restaurant review except to say that our party of six enjoyed a dinner in a private dining room, all Inner Circle benefits were recognized and fulfilled, service was excellent, and we enjoyed the food. Bravo! (Also, across the street is Rosa Mexicana, a fabulous upscale Mexican restaurant that I enthusiastically recommend. Be sure to order the Guacamole en Molcajete, prepared tableside for two.)
HOTEL STAFF AND MANAGEMENT: The staff and management were very attentive, friendly, courteous and professional. On several occasions, they went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable stay. There were a few lapses in service and execution, but those were quickly fixed or professionally handled to my satisfaction. To the staff’s credit, they seemed to genuinely want feedback and have a desire to continue to improve the guest experience, and I don’t think you can emphasize the importance of those qualities.
ESPECIALLY HELPFUL: Angel, the guest services manager, who deserves special recognition for being customer focused and committed to customer satisfaction. It is because of employees like Angel that I will be shifting my business from a competitor to Kimpton properties.
CHECK OUT: fast and efficient.
WHEN BOOKING YOUR ROOM: Although not the hotel’s fault, each night we could hear a significant amount of street noise from our third floor room, particularly cars driving by with their radios on loud, and what seemed like a constant thumping of the bass notes in the music in their cars. Recommendation: if you’re sensitive to noise of cars with loud radios blaring, I would suggest a room overlooking the inner court yard of the hotel, instead of the exterior room we had. Also, be aware that if you get a standard room it might be a little small.
THE VERDICT: Yes, I would stay at Hotel Monaco next time I visit Washington, D.C.
