Willard Hotel-Washington D.C.-courtyard views
 

Has anybody stayed at the Willard and had a room with a courtyard/interior view? How was it? Thanks.

You don't go to the Willard for the views. It is an old hotel, but very historic and was elegant in its day, and that is why people stay there (plus the great location). It is two streets away from my office in D.C. and I have occasionally stayed there at the last minute when I have had to work really late and only had a few hours til I need to be back at work. I have also put up out of town clients there. So I've had some experience w/the hotel. Don't fret over the views, it isn't worth the sweat. Personally, I'd take the interior courtyard rooms because the street-front rooms get noisy in the monrings. D.C buildings can't be over like 12 or so floors high (no taller than the Washington Monument is the rule I think) for security reasons, so any floor you stay on is going to be noisy in the morning if it is on the street. I admit freely that I am very noice sensitive in hotels, so that colors my opinion.

Please tell me more about this hotel. I am looking for a nice hotel to spend a week in the end of April.

I have never been there but it's rated number 1 on tripadvisor-and I think that is pretty reliable information. I'm trying to decide if I'll regret taking a courtyard view over one that looks out over Pennsylvania Avenue. I got lower rate by booking the Cherry Blossom Package-still expensive, but only there a couple of nights. Can anyone tell me more about the courtyard itself? Thanks.

The courtyard isn't all that much. There's the entrance to the Occidental restaurant, a coffee shop, a small fountain. It's fairly small and gray.

I'd still take it and hope for an upgrade. Not that many rooms at the Willard have great views from what I can tell. One of the best views in the city is from the Sky Terrace at the Hotel Washington, which is right next door.

Do hit the Round Robin Bar at the Willard for drinks.

Thank you-I appreciate the information. The rooftop terrace at the Washington Hotel....is this a place I might want to take my mother for dinner?

There is a bar and restaurant on top of the Hotel Washington. The outdoor terrace part of the bar may be open in April, and if so it tends to get very, very crowded in the evenings. I would make a reservation at the restaurant for a window table to ensure that you get a view. Go to http://www.hotelwashington.com.

Thank you-I'll check it out. There are fireworks that evening-April 2 and maybe this could be a good plan to watch them. Any thoughts there?

It would depend where the fireworks are being launched from. If from the Capitol (like July 4) then I don't think you could see them, if from the Washington Monument or Lincoln Memorial area, you should be able to see them, though the Treasury Building may get in the way a bit.

Is there some new US holiday on April 2?

laurelee, where are the fireworks being shot off? That place is a great location for the 4th of July foreworks in DC but I'm not familiar w/the April ones and where they are.

April 2 is during the Cherry Blossom Festival. I believe they begin at 8:30 at the SW Waterfront. The information I have read about them states that the best viewing is east Potomac Park or SW Waterfront promenade. I just thought with my mother with that if we could find a place out of the crowds, it would be ideal. What do you think?

Can't vouch for the food at the Sky Terrace. We had appetizers there at a private function a few years ago and they were fine.

http://www.hotelwashington.com/

My guess is that a nice place to watch the fireworks would be to stroll to the Elipse (very close to the hotel) and grab a park bench -- but I'd check with the concierge -- because unlike the Fourth, I'm not sure where they fire them from.

My husband and I had a wonderful experience at the Willard when we stayed there just one night about a year and a half ago. I booked just a basic room through hotwire. When we checked in, the front desk person asked if this was our first stay in DC, we said yes, and she said she would give us a nice room. I though yeah, whatever. Turns out, they upgraded us to a huge suite! It had a foyer, big bedroom, 2 large bathrooms, a living room, dining room, and bar area. It was bigger than our first apartment! We have never stayed anywhere so nice before and we certainly have never had such an upgrade for free. I've heard you are more likely to get hotel room upgrades when you stay only one night. Good luck.

I wouldn't have dinner on the terrace at the Hotel Washington. The food is below average. But it is my favorite place to take visitors for a few drinks on a nice night.

Wow, take the Willard, and whatever you do, forget Hotel Washington. Sure, it has the terrace for a drink, which you can enjoy with the pidgeons. But this is like comparing a Rolls with a Willys jeep. If you cancel Willard for HW, you'll see what we mean. Think Willard, and ignore what you're hearing here.

TravelsHappy,

Chill. No one here is telling Laurelee to STAY at the Hotel Washington. The rec was to stop by the Sky Terrace for drinks because it was convenient to the Willard and offered one of the best views in town. I posted the link to provide info on the Terrace.

Chill, lol? The post involves a place to stay with a view. You misinterpreted. HW is actually a health threat, with the antics of the birds. Laurelee, try the Willard, forget the HW.

OK, find the words that any poster here has suggested the OP STAY at the HW rather than the Willard ...

Obviously, your pigeon (or pidgeon) problems aren't enough to make the place one of the toughest reservations in town on the Fourth.

If you've got proof of it being unhealthy post it.

Thanks for the info. For the record, I am NOT looking to stay at the Washington Hotel-only eat on the terrace to watch the fireworks.
I doubt very much I'll get an upgrade since it is such a busy time of year-so if I want an outside view-I had better request one-of course, for more money. Sometimes interior courtyard rooms are dark and gloomy-maybe it would be worth it-just to be at the Willard-I'll need to decide. If there is any other info., I'll listen. Thanks.

Dining at the HW? Perhaps an investment in a DC Zagats is in order.

My main objective is to view the fireworks without getting into the crowds-I thought this might be a possible way to do it-that's all.

I can't imagine any room at the Willard being unacceptable. Its a grand, beautiful hotel. I stayed there about 12 years ago, and I don't recall what view I had, but the room was perfect. Its your call, but I would be happy with any view. Only you know what you want to spend on a room.

Good to know...with all the positives on tripadvisor it must be wonderful-courtyard view or not. With the Cherry Blossom Package-it is really comparable to many of the other downtown hotels-if not less.

While the courtyard is small, gray and surprisingly dead -- I walked through there today on my way back from lunch at Old Ebbitt's -- there's no question about the quality of the rooms. They are great.

I did notice the coffee shop on the courtyard had closed. (There are plenty of non-hotel places for coffee nearby -- across the street, Borders has a nice little coffee area and their a Corner Bakery there too.)

You'll be fine and end up glad you decided to spring for it.

After 30+ years in Dc I had to read here that there are fireworks for the Cherry Blossom week! If off the SW waterfront, you won't see much from downtown hotels. New Hotel Mandarin would be cool or L'Enfant Plaza. Terrible seafood restaurants on the waterfront (Phillips) and new H2O trendy nightclub with restaurant. Not sure I'd recommend going down there. Willard is one of the classiest in town - Robin's

Robin's bar high class and restaurant is wonderful. Next door is Occidental, also good.

Yikes, haunted by homophones. There's no their there.

I agree about the waterfront places and would like to see a trip report on the Mandarin because at some point I might want to put some visitors there.

Willard Room is good, although it's been a few years since I've eaten there. Not a great value, though, as it seems to carry the hotel dining ``overhead'' to an extreme. There are much better options nearby.

Perhaps if LL's senior mom wanted an old-time, big-room, pomp-and-pretense experience, it might be worth a splurge.

The reason buildings cannot be higher than the top of the capitol dome (NOT the Washington Monument) has absolutely nothing to do with "security" which for some local bureau-in-the-box-crats is the "reason" for everything..it all has to do with so-called aesthetics of the city, etc.

The Willard is no more "pretentious" than some of the people who live here, probably less so than many. Enjoy your stay there; just don't look across the street and wonder if it would have been cheaper to stay at the J.W. Marriott.

I have looked at both Willard and JW Marriott-there's not a lot of difference if you book Willards's CB package. Do you say that because JW M. looks really nice and makes one wonder if they could have saved money for a really nice place too?

Go there for a bloody Mary. they have awesome drinks there, and great snacks in the bar too.

The bar is very beautiful too. Very old style.

Don't second guess the Willard, especially against the JW Marriott.

The JW is a nice and perfectly adequate city center hotel, but it has little charm. It's a big convention hotel -- not a plus for me.

The Willard, meanwhile, is a grand hotel. I don't see the hotel as pretentious and never called it such, but the dining room certainly ladles it out.

We all have different values on how much that difference is worth. It sounds like LL got a good one and is in comfort zone. Bully for her.

BTW, the height restriction has been based on the height of the Capitol for ... 95 years. It's actually based on the width of the street in front of the building site.

Thanks everyone-I've learned quite a bit. I'll lie awake thinking about it all-but that's my problem!

Hey, at least we have a consensus on the Round Robin! :)

You're going to have a great trip and your mom is very lucky to have someone take such care.

Thanks-wish I had some control over the cherry blossoms and the weather-I hear it's absolutely beautiful when it does happen.