The Courtyard Embassy Row seemed very geared up for economy business travellers needing a quick stopover in DC but is not especially nice for a vacation. For the tourist the location is far from ideal; we found the walk to the White House to be a very long 6 blocks, and the National Mall even further. The nearest Metro is not particularly near either, which is a shame because the Metro is clean, cheap and efficient, but taxis were easy to hail from the hotel and from central DC.

On the plus side the room was clean, had a nice High Def TV set, was spacious and the beds were comfortable. We were next to the elevators but the air con drowns that out- and you need the air con when DC gets steamy in the summer, as it was when we were there. We also found the bar atmosphere to be convivial and the breakfast adequate. There are food and drink vending machines in the lobby for a quick snack. The fresh complimentary cookies were a nice touch. The area felt safe, if a little too quiet at the weekend.

Downsides included unfriendly front desk staff, $25 a night valet parking and long walks to the sights. Our room had a drab alley view, and furnishings were adequate but not delightful. The bathroom was also functional, but not pleasant.

On balance, if need a hotel for a business stay but the budget is tight you will find the hotel to be adequate, but don't expect to be be pleased.

Stayed here for a conference in DC -- brought my family to stay a total of 5 nights.

I stay in Marriott hotels frequently, and this one was a pretty good value for the city during a holiday, considering that I booked it directly through the Marriott Rewards website. I paid 229/night for room 518 -- which had two queen beds and a pull out sofa bed. We also requested a crib, which allowed us to separate our three young daughters (much easier to get them to sleep!).
The room was pretty big, and had enough room to park our beefy stroller without collapsing it, along with a portable crib, and pull-out couch. Still plenty of room to walk around and store luggage, etc. Very handy with kids to have this much room for gear. Our room was clean and the pillows had a mix of mushy and firm down pillows. TV was the LG Flat Plasma HD... nice. Also nice that there was free WiFi and ethernet (not the case for many Marriott hotels). Lots of outlets for charging devices and laptops. Free fresh-baked cookies were served each afternoon at 3-ish -- a hit with my kids.

Fitness room seemed adequate if a little depressing (basement... no windows, and kind of a converted stair landing).

The room price included a breakfast voucher at the adjoining restaurant each morning for two adults (which would have been about $10-14 apiece... a bit pricey).

Our AC wasn't so noisy, as other reviewers commented.

Ok... now for the downsides.


Valet parking is a little steep at 25/day. A hassle if you forget something in the car -- we did twice, and tipped the valet each time. There's no sign on the front of the hotel that designates this the Embassy Row Courtyard Marriott, and with 15+ Marriott hotels in the area, it'd be worth putting a sign up...

Bathroom lacked a fan or drying lamp. With a family of five, this meant lots of damp towels. Not enough drying bars or hooks. Not enough hangers in the closet for a 5 day stay with a family.

The walks to the metro stops (Farragut North or McPherson Sq) are about 5-6 blocks. If you're using the metro to get where you're going (and you should in DC, as driving is a nightmare) it adds a little time. But it's a nice area to walk in, if a little dead on the weekends.

The staff was... ok. Not helpful in navigating the breakfast deal at all... had to bill it and get it sorted out afterwards on the first day.

There's a great free coffee/cappucino machine in the lobby. The staff couldn't keep it working though.

The pool, as another reviewer writes, IS depressing and very small. My kids were oblivious, in some ways, but there is very little deck space on to use, and it is dimly lit. Hot tub was a little gross, but they often are... Pool had to be drained the first night because of its awful smell. To their credit, though, they had it refilled by the following day. Deck is slippery, my daughter wiped out walking.

Our room overlooked Scott Circle, and it was a little noisy at night with traffic. (I'd rate the hotel a 3-star if it hadn't been such a good value at 229 incl bkfst.)

My husband and I stayed overnight on a Saturday night- and left on Sunday. This was our first visit to this hotel although it was not our first trip to D.C. Here are our observations:

Room - We stayed in room 309, which had a King sized bed. The room was one that faced Scott Circle and had a view directly opposite the Australian Embassy. G'day Mate! Despite the room being located on the Circle, you don't hear traffic noise. However, I thought the air conditioning unit was noisy so this might be an issue if you're a light sleeper. The room also had a plasma television with High Definition which was nice since we watched an Indy Racing League race there.

Amenities - Parking at the hotel is valet only and is $28 including tax. There is free internet access in the lobby which was helpful when a breakfast recommendation wasn't open. There was a downstairs pool/spa/excercise room but we didn't get a chance to evaluate.

Location - On the weekend, the downtown area it's in seemed to be dead. Alot of the shops/restaurants are closed. Perhaps this hotel is better for Monday thru Friday business customers and not so much for weekend leisure ones. It would be a good option if one has business with either embassies or the Human Rights Council because they are literally across the street. This hotel makes up for it because it's walking distance to the Metro.

Service - The valets are helpful and friendly. The daytime front desk staff are also helpful and friendly. Upon arriving, we received free candy for being Marriott Rewards customers and a "how is everything?" phone call. Upon exiting, we got good directions to the expressway.
However, the evening and late night staff could use some help. It appears that they had little knowledge of the neighborhood. At 12:35 a.m., my husband and I were in the mood for something to satisify our sweet tooth and cockatil cravings. The front desk clerk proceded to send us to a fast food restaurant Fuddruckers. (Only after asking around Dupont Circle, did we find Kramerbooks and Afterwords Cafe on Connecticut Ave. )This same clerk also gave us bad directions to Connecticut Ave itself. None of this really ruined our stay, though.

Overall, my husband and I liked our stay and would return.

I stayed here 3 days during the Easter wknd. Got room 402, which is tucked away in the back corner, a bit difficult to find due to lack of directions.

I picked this hotel because of its location, 2 blocks away from Conn Ave & Dupont Circle, short walk to the Whitehouse, easy access to 2 metro lines.

The 42" flat panel in my room was the icing on the cake. Watching the animal channel was a joy. Bed & pillows were comfy. Decor was rather bland, nothing to write home about. There's no fridge in my room.

Because of where the room was situated, it faces the alley and the UC building. I can hear dump trucks and the waterpipe constatntly.

There's a fitness center & an indoor pool on the P level.

Overall, I had an enjoyable experience and will definitely come back.