Staying at St Gregory Hotel, Washington DC

Image from hotels.com

Our two nights in Washington were spent at the St Gregory Hotel, part of the Independent Collection chain which has a number of boutique hotels located across the United States. We opted for this hotel as it promised a unique travel experience for ‘the independent traveller who seeks authentic and unique experiences’ – that sums me up pretty well and I was keen to see how it would measure up.

On Arrival

Our Virgin Atlantic flight landed at Dulles International Airport at approximately four in the afternoon and after a pretty easy transfer, we arrived at the hotel eager to get into our room and refresh ourselves before heading out to explore Washington.

We were greeted and welcomed by the friendly doorman and ushered into the reception area where we checked-in. This all went smoothly and with a minimum of fuss and in no time at all we were on our way in the lift to our room on the 5^th floor.

I couldn’t help taking note of the various facilities in and around the hotel’s reception which included a separate concierge desk, an inviting restaurant – M Street Bar & Grill – which is apparently well known for its Sunday jazz brunches, a well populated lounge and bar, and signs pointing guests in the direction of a business/ internet corner.

The Room – One Bedroom Suite King

After a long day of travel we were pleased to finally enter our allocated room, our accommodation for the following two nights, and were immediately impressed with not only the generous facilities but also the sheer amount of space in the room – more than 500 square feet/ 55 square metres (according to the hotel’s website)!

On entering the room, we passed a well equipped kitchen area with full-size fridge, a cooker, a microwave and plenty of storage cupboards filled with everything you would need to be able to cater for yourselves throughout your stay. There were also hot drink facilities, offering tea and coffee. The lounge/dining area contained a dining table (to sit 4) and comfortable seating which consisted of a sofa and an armchair. There was also a good-sized desk and a flat-screen TV. We were also pleasantly surprised to find a complimentary bottle of wine waiting for us – a gesture much appreciated and one that made us feel valued guests. A very nice start to our stay!

The bedroom, completely separate from the living area, had as its centre-piece a (very) comfortable king-sized bed and provided plenty of wardrobe space (which for us ladies is an essential!). On exploring we also found another TV concealed behind the sliding panels of the wardrobe itself. Ideal for the Late Show or catching up on the news whilst indulging oneself with breakfast in bed!!

Although the hotel has a somewhat traditional feel to it, plenty of modern elements were added to make sure the bedroom met the needs of the modern traveller – this included stylish artwork, light fittings, soft furnishings as well as internet access. We also found plenty of useful information on the city and immediate locality had been provided in the room, which was really helpful when it came time for us to plan our itinerary/ sight-seeing.

The bathroom also offered plenty of space and offered the guest those essentials so necessary when you’re a Girl on the Move – a bath/ shower two-in-one equipped with upmarket L’Occitane bath products, crisp white towels and the all-important beautifying items (ear buds ..) as well as a handy hairdryer.

The Location

St Gregory Hotel is located on M Street NW in the Dupont Circle area of town. Its handy location means that you can pretty much reach the majority of DC’s main attractions by foot; it’s 20 minutes to the White House and the National Mall and about 10 minutes to Georgetown. If walking is not your preferred option, the closest metro stops (Foggy Bottom and Farragut) are at most a 10 minute walk away – these provide connections to Dulles Airport and Union Station respectively, as well as other destinations across the city.

The area around the hotel provides plenty of choice when it comes to restaurants and shops, and if you intend to cater for yourselves there are also a few supermarkets within walking distance.

The Verdict

Our stay at the St Gregory Hotel provided us with exactly what we wanted – a clean and comfortable room in a central location. The service we received cannot be faulted as all members of staff were incredibly friendly and more than willing to provide information on the local area. They were also able to offer that essential local knowledge which included eatery recommendations and other itinerary related suggestions which very much helped us make the most out of our restricted time in the city.

The hotel’s facilities – restaurant, lounge and bar – were also handy to have access to – and despite the exercise room being a little on the small side – the hotel offers access to Gold’s Gym two blocks away.

My favourite thing about the hotel, was definitely its location, as we were right in DC’s cultural hub which offers the traveller some of the city’s best shopping, art scenes and nightlife.

Another definite positive when it comes to this hotel is also the generous loyalty program that it offers its guests. If you are considering staying at any of the hotels in the Collection I would recommend signing up – it’s completely free and you get all sorts of bonuses including an arrival gift, points that can later be used to redeem against either free nights or merchandise in the IC Shop, as well as ongoing perks such as late check out. – Always handy!

If I am going to be critical at all, I would mention that we could, at times, hear noise coming from the adjoining rooms and the central heating/ air-conditioning systems could be a little quieter when in use. However, little was heard from outside with regards traffic and other urban sounds – so all in all our stay at the St Gregory satisfied most of the important criteria!

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