Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel

My family and I stayed 1 night at this hotel during the Christmas 07 holidays (12-21) with the intent to get close to DC but not actually stay in the city. That was accomplished, however, not without drama. Bottom line... this hotel is nice, clean, quite and comfortable. The rooms are very modern including a flat screen t.v., frosted closet and bathroom doors (very nice), and Egyptian style window coverings. However, the overall room is small and the bathroom is small too. It is the smallest hotel room I've ever stayed in. You wouldn't be cramped but again, it is small, not medium sized - small. The in-house restaurant is above average prices and there aren't restaurants just out the door. The issue that we had was location. This hotel is close to DC (10 min) but getting back and forth from the hotel to DC was a major problem. It's not a hotel issue, it was our issue, but just to let you know, it is "very" tricky getting around. The hotel is in the midst of business buildings and other hotels but yet tucked away. It "does not" have a stand-out front street presence at all. If you plan to rent a car like we did and see the city - get ready to get lost.

Stayed there for 5 nights in early Sept.2007

My wife and I drove my elderly parents up from Atlanta for a yearly meeting of dad's 99th Infantry Division (WW2)reunion.

Good: Nice rooms, very modern and clean.(a bit strange bathroom-wise...it has an unlock-able frosted glass door). Comfortable beds. Nice wide screen flat tv. Friendly staff and Concierge. Close to DC. The hotel shuttle makes going the 4-5 blocks to the Metro subway pretty easy. Plenty of elevators, that were even able to do an ok job with a big convention.

Bad:

The $23 per night parking & required valet parking.

For the computer addicted, it falls a bit short. Any Motel-6 in Anywhere USA now has free high-speed internet. Not so here...they charge $9.99 a day for a somewhat slow wireless connection. The "computer" desk has a glass top which won't work well with an optical mouse (I use a travel mouse). The desk has nowhere available to hook up a laptop security lock.

For those with any mobility issues, like my 87 year old parents, the hotel is somewhat isolated. There are no restaurants within walking distance (4-5 long blocks is ok for me, but not for older folks). Therefore, you are trapped into eating at one of their very expensive in-hotel restaurants. A rooftop dinner for 5, consisting of only 5 appetizers and 3 glasses of house wine cost us around $160. The two lower restaurants were also high-priced, though not as bad as the rooftop. To go out to eat, it requires getting the car brought around, and a drive somewhere.

STRANGE: One night, there was a blaring fire alarm, sounding like the "dive" horn on a submarine and a voice demanding that we immediately leave the hotel. This occurred at 3:00 am. Finally, after an ear-splitting 1/2 hour, we were given the all clear. Some jerk apparently pulled an alarm.

ALSO STRANGE: From the glass elevator we watched a guy about 85 years old tumble all the way down a 2-story long long escalator, head over heels, finally landing on his face at the bottom. He was bleeding from his head, both arms, and leg. Never saw him again at the convention.

Overall, I would find a different hotel if there happens to be a next time. Somewhere with free internet, and close-by restaurants.

Probably one of the best hotels that i have ever been next to the Omni International in DC and the Wyndam in New york.

The check in was beyond speedy, I needed a pair of PJ`s they went to Brooks Brothers and purchase them.

Spotless hotel, i could eat off of their dock. Breakout rooms beautiful.

I could fill volumes of comments.

6 Stars out of 5

It is a nice place, very busy, but with good rates for DC.

This hotel made me feel content: They were always there to assist.

They have great rooms and good service. The bar was too expensive and slow and there were not enough bartenders.

This hotel made me feel comfortable: The newly renovated rooms were great and the bedding was a vast improvement.