Kristi

I ended up with this hotel on Priceline for mid October, after looking at a map it seems like it's a little further from the Crystal City metro than I thought. If anyone has stayed at this hotel, can you tell me if the hotel is walkable to the metro with wheeled luggage? Is it safe to walk at night or am I better off taking a cab? Thanks.

obxgirl

I believe it's at the south end of CC and the Metro is situated more toward the north end, maybe 8 blocks if I am recalling correctly. It's walkable in that there are sidewalks and traffic lights to cross with but it's a hike. If I were a woman on my own, I probably wouldn't do it at night particularly during the week (after working hours when parts of CC can empty out). I'd shell out the $ for a five minute cab ride. There is often more pedestrian activity on the weekends where tourists are in the CC hotels for reduced rates.

I've stayed at this hotel, also acquired through PL. It's an older Hyatt property and a bit tattered showing its age. I'd stay there again for a cheap rate. Just don't expect shiney and new!

obxgirl

Just to add, I don't think there's anything inherently unsafe about Crystal City. But I would be uncomfortable looking like a visitor (hauling a suitcase) making a relatively long walk after dark in an urban environment.

Does the hotel have a shuttle to the Metro?

Kristi

Actually I'll be hauling the suitcase at 10 am but I was thinking more about traveling at night going back to the hotel after dinner.

The hotel does have a shuttle that comes every 1/2 hour, but it looks like you can also call them when you get to the metro.

I've read some bad reviews about this Hyatt but for $50 I won't complain if it's a little worn. The rates inside the city were out of this world for that weekend! For my last night I got the Westin Embassy Row for $85, a better location, but I couldn't get anything for the Fri and Sat

Anonymous

Hi Kristi, is that the weekend of Oct 16/17? I had a heckuva time getting a PL hotel for that weekend, myself. It will be my first PL 4* hotel (a $90 splurge at the Omni Shoreham), I'm looking forward to it.

I've stayed in Crystal City, those various shuttles are plentiful at the Metro stop, there must be lots of hotels (including the Embassy Suites that I once stayed in) that offer them. The underground component of that Metro area goes on forever it seems, includes mall stores, etc. Your hotel is about a half to 3/4 mile south of the Metro stop along safe, paved sidewlks in a commercial area.

Kristi

Thanks Anon, that's what I thought. I'm sure it's fine, just want to know what to expect.

It is the weekend of Oct 15-17, I bid up to $90 and then stopped, a lot of hotels are booked that weekend, I think it has something to do with a couple of marches (Million Worker March?)

Anonymous

Eeek, thanks for the heads-up! Million Worker March is Sunday, focusing on the Lincoln Memorial. I think we'll be glad we're not staying downtown after all!

Michelle_Morse

We recently stayed at this hotel for two nights. We had a terrible surprise during our first night there. We found a globule of feces on our bed sheets as well as a brown streak close to it. We contacted the front desk and the manager agreed to move us to another room immediately telling us that they would transfer our entire luggage as well. We did receive a key to the new room but no one came to move our luggage so we did so ourselves. The manager John Houston promised us a refund for both of the nights we stayed there. We never received the refund and Mr. Houston will not return our calls. In addition to the sickening discovery in our room we found that the hotel valet parking took 30 minutes on average to retrieve our automobile whenever we left the hotel. There is a self-park garage around the block but the cost was similar so we opted for the valet parking. This was definitely a mistake. Hyatt has always been my hotel of choice. This experience was so incredibly disgusting and frustrating that my husband and I have decided we will never again choose Hyatt. There is absolutely no excuse for finding a chunk of feces in one’s bedding.

nytraveler

It seems to me that this deserves a letter directly to corporate - as well as a report directly to the local Health Department. I don't think the issue is this single incredible incident - but what it means about the overall standards at the hotel - obviously they aren't changing sheets between guests.