For families, connecting rooms are HUGE wins, for obvious reasons. We'll be doing our best to chronicle connecting rooms as we see them. Have questions about getting connecting rooms? Let us know. Know of a good hotel with connecting rooms? Please do share it!
When it comes to where to stay in Washington, D.C., there's actually quite a few great options. From posh spots like the Four Seasons out in Georgetown or the St. Regis to economical posts like the Pod Hotel or grand historical hotels like the Willard Intercontinental and the Hay-Adams, D.C.'s got a very healthy hotel scene (And it's about to get even better in 2020 with several boutique hotels set to open.)
But for our recent trip there we opted for the W Washington D.C. based on three reasons—it's location near the White House, a good recommendation from another family who stayed there, and price.
During our stay from December 26-30, rooms were $200 a night, making it doable for us to book two rooms without much guilt. Compared to New York, where rooms were going for nearly triple that for one room, we felt it was a steal. And we do love racking up those Marriott Bonvoy points.
While we booked rooms online, we communicated with the W's Insider/Concierge immediately after booking to ensure that we would have connecting rooms along with a crib. When we arrived, after a long car ride from New Jersey, we were whisked away to our two rooms and this is what we found.
(As you can see, we shot this video right after we dropped our bags in the room and with three kids, it's not our best camera work. Also, not sure what the toddler was doing with the toilet paper but he didn't do any damage.)
WHAT WE LIKED:
We loved a lot about this hotel.
- Dining spots: The restaurant, Cherry, is where we had breakfast every morning and dinner twice because it was that good. From the restaurant's dining room you have a great view of the Washington Monument. Upstairs on the roof is the POV bar and restaurant which has the best views in the city. It was a perfect spot to have a martini after a long day of sightseeing. And yes, kids can hang out there too. Even better, the hotel gives preferential seating to hotel guests.
- Hanging out: The lobby has plenty of seating that's made for lounging. We sat here one afternoon and played Frozen II Monopoly with the kids while sipping gin martinis and watching a football game. A photobooth stand is nearby, adding to the fun. There's also a Bliss spa on-site but we didn't get the chance to experience it. (Wipes away a tear.)
- The In-Room Amenities: In the rooms, the W has a great mini-bar selection of snacks, drinks and booze. We also adored the Bliss toiletries including the foaming face wash but sadly, these will be phased out for some random new brand. You can also borrow a dress for a night, thanks to the hotel's new partnership with Rent-the-Runway. Fun! Another perk was being able to log into our Netflix account from the TV, even though we already had five iPads with us. Lastly, the beds were delightful and we were well-rested despite being pushed to our limits with kids and museums every day. Two martinis also probably helped.
- The Staff: While the W brand isn't exactly synomous with family-friendly, the staff here was always helpful and engaging with our kids, offering kids menus and crayons at Cherry and giving them warm welcomes when we returned.
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE:
- The Room Layout: We know we can't be choosy when booking connecting rooms but the parents' room had a strange layout. Our bathroom sink was TEENY TINY and there was hardly any shelf space. The bathroom in the connecting room/kids' room was larger since it was an accessible room and had more shelf space, so we could have a spot to wash the bottles. There was also very limited closet and dresser-drawer space.
- The View: Or lack thereof. Our rooms were interior rooms which looked out onto another part of the building. There were no peeping Tom concerns but it was dark and just kind of a bummer. On the flip side, it was super quiet. Rooms that face out towards the street and which are closer to the top of the hotel end up hearing a lot of noise from the rooftop bar, which is quite a popular spot on the weekends.
GOOD TO KNOW:
The hotel has a great location across from the White House, making it easy to knock that off your To See list. (Another way to press the easy button in D.C. Booking a private SUV tour.) It's also within walking distance to the Washington Mall and shops and restaurants. However, if you bring your own car like we did, there is a $59 daily valet charge.
BOTTOM LINE:
As we mentioned, compared with hotel rates in New York, D.C. was way more within our budget and allowed us to book connecting rooms. Rooms were just $200 a night, plus we were able to get daily breakfast and a $100 resort credit. More on that below!
**BOOK WITH TRIPS + GIGGLES!**
If you book with Trips + Giggles, we can get you daily breakfast at Cherry, a $100 resort credit and a fun welcome amenity. Send us your dates and we'll get started on checking your rates right away.
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