Crystal Gateway Marriott

“Will be back”

Excellent location. Easy to take metro from Reagan to hotel. Metro stops at the hotel so easy to get to DC and Alexandria. Friendly staff, clean rooms, and had a very enjoyable stay. The conference rooms were comfortable and an overall delightful experience. The restaurant at the hotel also had fri… Mehr

Excellent location. Easy to take metro from Reagan to hotel. Metro stops at the hotel so easy to get to DC and Alexandria. Friendly staff, clean rooms, and had a very enjoyable stay. The conference rooms were comfortable and an overall delightful experience. The restaurant at the hotel also had friendly staff and good food.

Weniger

“Relaxing Stay”

The Crystal Gateway Marriott is a decent hotel near DCA airport. We had a chance to stay for two nights to avoid a winter storm, and it was pretty comfortable. As we arrived, we were upgraded to a junior suite, and a surprise was waiting for us as my spouse celebrated his birthday. Quiet, peacef… Mehr

The Crystal Gateway Marriott is a decent hotel near DCA airport. We had a chance to stay for two nights to avoid a winter storm, and it was pretty comfortable. As we arrived, we were upgraded to a junior suite, and a surprise was waiting for us as my spouse celebrated his birthday. Quiet, peaceful, and with easy access to the Crystal City train station, this hotel was worth it. The lounge has excellent omelets in the morning, and evening appetizers were decent. Overall, it is a nice hotel to stay near the airport. Special thanks to Chris S. for his attention to detail, ensuring we were comfortable, and recognizing a special occasion. I would recommend and consider this hotel for future stays.

Weniger

“OK Stay”

I stayed here for a few days in February for a company meeting. Definitely some good things, but also some things that need some improvement. Check-in/check-out was very smooth, and the few times I had to interact with the hotel staff, there was nothing but smiles and a feeling like I was the most… Mehr

I stayed here for a few days in February for a company meeting. Definitely some good things, but also some things that need some improvement. Check-in/check-out was very smooth, and the few times I had to interact with the hotel staff, there was nothing but smiles and a feeling like I was the most important person in the hotel at that time. Customer service was hands down, second-to-none. This includes my reporting a leak under the toilet at the shut-off valve. It was quickly and competently addressed, with no further issues. I had a double room up on the 16th floor of the Arlington Tower. It was *almost* spotless, with only a broken zip-tie on the floor near the door, and there were a couple strands of stray long hair in the shower. Otherwise, I was pleased with the cleanliness of the room, and there were no strong smells/odors, good or bad. Plenty of hot water was available. I never ran out in the shower. And it got there fast, with no pressure fluctuations either. The HVAC had my favorite "always on" setting, which while not super loud, was sufficient to help drown out any stray noises. Of which, there weren't many. Yes, I could hear the volleyball kids from time to time in the hallway, but that wasn't very often. Yes, you could hear the occasional siren in the street below, but hey, it's Arlington. That happens. (And there was a double-shooting at the apartments across the street while I was there, too! No, I never felt it was a safety issue for us in the hotel.) The pillows on the bed were a little more on the softer side, but certainly not as soft as I've had at hotels in other stays. And there were plenty of hangars for my clothes, something which can be an annoyance at times. The conference areas were clean, organized, and well-kept. The little "convenience" shop next to the front desk had a lot of items, but they were out of toothpaste (which I had forgotten). No problem! The front desk staff went to the back and gave me some toothpaste, gratis. Very nice touch. However, if you do get something to eat there, it's going to be pricey. A Drumstick was calling me one night, and that was $7. The hotel is connected to the Crystal City Underground. Back in "the day" that meant a lot. Now... not so much. It means you can get to the Metro system easily, which also means easy transport to the airport. But CCU is only a very empty shell of what it used to be. It is a ghost town. From the hotel, you can find a Subway Sandwich Shop, a Sushi Shop, a Nail Salon, and a couple of other places. More on that later. OK, now for the not so nice... In the Arlington Tower, one of the 3 elevators was out of service the entire time I was there. Two elevators during a busy time doesn't provide a decent level of service. This led to some occasional longer waits for a car. Several of the buildings escalators were out of service as well. I can walk, no problem there, but there were others that were forced to wait for elevators because they couldn't or wouldn't use the steps or the broken escalators. Things seemed kind of "dark" in the common areas. Like they needed to install brighter lights, or turn up the ones that are there. The restaurant in the lobby (15 & Eads, I believe it's called) is convenient, but be prepared to spend some money. A salad ran me $16, and a flatbread pizza (think something a little bit bigger than a Stouffer's French Bread Pizza, but with a flat crust) ran $15. And, I had an Old Fashioned that was probably the most expensive mixed drink I'd ever had. I remember joking with the person I was sitting with that for about $5 more, I could have bought an entire bottle of Old Grand-dad! :-) The internet is only free if you are a Bonvoy member. Look, this is 25 years into the 21st Century. A hotel like this not offering free internet for every guest? Maybe I'm missing something, but that seems a bit on the chintzy side. OK, let's talk CCU, and this is NOT a knock on the hotel; this does not at all factor into my rating. Back in the day, there were lots of shops, eateries, a theater... lots of places to go. It's all gone with the exception of what I listed above. Any map you find will likely show the hotel's section of the CCU connecting to the section near the eateries around 21st Street. This is wrong. The section of the CCU that runs under 20th St is closed off. You'll have to go outside for a little bit to pick up the underground again. See the map I uploaded to this review; the purple highlighted area is closed off. The red arrow, upper right, points to this hotel. Overall, the stay was pleasant enough. You're in the middle of "the action" in Crystal City, and you're very close to the airport. I honestly had few complaints overall, but I feel like, for the money, the value wasn't totally there. Elevators & escalators out of service. Pricey meal options. Free internet only if you are a Bonvoy member. It was an OK stay. Not the worst, but not the best.

Weniger