I should preface my comments by saying that I was enjoying a govt rate while attending a conference in town, and the family came along to enjoy the sights and sounds of the DC area. I arrived on a Sunday, and as a result I had little difficulty finding the hotel or with the check-in procedure. Front desk staff was quite amenable and provided maps in the welcome materials. I mirror earlier comments that the parking garage entrance is ridiculously narrow. If you are navigating an SUV or mini-van, fold in your mirrors or they will get scratched. Parking is also pretty expensive (though I guess you are paying for location). On the subject of location, the hotel is located on a generally quiet side street and is a short walk to the metro or the Mall. The Mall is deceptively long, and unless you are hanging around the Capitol side or have a family who enjoys walking, the Metro might be for you.

People stay at a Residence Inn because you get roominess, general "home" comfort and the service of a Marriott. That said, the hotel was on par with expectations. The 1 bedroom suite (comfortably fit myself, wife, and three young boys) was well-appointed and well-cared for during our four night stay. Kudos to the cleaning staff, for keeping the place nice with kids running about and a moderately-used kitchen (we brought drinks and snacks primarily) is no easy task. The enviro-friendly AC unit means the room will be warm upon check-in but will adjust in time. The internet is "free" (wired in rooms), but to access higher speeds you need to pay a $9.95 fee. I didn't need to test the wireless in the lobby, because they provided free access to a PC and printer that I used to print out some items.

We were on the 13th floor, and because we had a 1 bedroom suite our view was ordinary. I heard the trains now and then, but nothing at night and noise was not an issue.

The food bars were very crowded for weekdays (in my opinion). The breakfast bar food and service was consistently good. The evening bar had good offerings (by good meaning that even my picky kids would eat it), though food was running out with regularlity. Kudos to the staff for staying friendly and keeping it moving out of the kitchen though. Cookies at front desk and 24/7 coffee in the bar area is nice.

On the subject of other amenities; I had no use of the laundry room. The fitness room was excellent (lots of newer-looking machines and televisions). The pool was small and crowded, and towels were often in short (no) supply. Surprising for a family-oriented hotel.

What else? In addition to a few sandwhich shops in the area (and a SBux), there is the Market Inn which has good seafood but is pricey. They have an early bird special until 6 pm that runs $25 per person though and includes appetizer and desert. Kids run around $10 per.

All in all, it is a conveniently-located hotel that allows you to visit the city during the day and come "home" to renew for the next day's adventures.

My family thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Residence Inn. The staff was very helpful. The hotel is well maintained. Our room was superb a great value for a stay in DC. It is two blocks from the Metro and within walking distance to the Capitol and some of the Smithsonian museums. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone going to DC. The breakfast was good, they had a large variety of food to choose from.
Very satisfied.

This is a great hotel. It is very convenient to the Metro stop (1 1/2 blocks) and to the national mall (3-4 blocks). We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite and it was very clean and updated. It had a large sitting area and full kitchen, with dining table. Front desk staff were very friendly and helpful.

The breakfast and dinner buffets were fantastic. Something a little different each morning. We ate dinner one night - lasagna, salad, soup, and garlic toast. It was hot and fresh and tasted great.

The laundry area was large and clean. The pool was very cold according to my kids.

We ate at Potbelly's (2 blocks away) and it is a good sandwich place with great milkshakes. We also ate at the Market Inn (3 blocks away). It was very good seafood but a little pricey.

Overall, we had a great 4 night stay and would recommend this hotel to everyone.

We recently stayed at the Residence Inn. Upon arrriving, I let the front desk staff know I read unfavorable reviews if you stay in a room near the train tracks.(noise) I was assured by TWO staff members that we would NOT be bothered by the train in our assigned room. Lo and behold , well before 6 a.m., a train woke us up as it rumbeld by the hotel and loudly blew its whistle. The smug front desk staff needs to be more honest with its customers. We travel to DC often and will need to find other accomodations.