Hotels Near Smithsonian Institution Archives in Washington D.C.

PROS: Stood here for the weekend with my partner. Aesthetically, the hotel is super artsy, fun, and pleasing to the eye. The decor and appearance screams chic, quirky, and metropolitan. From the lobby, adorned with all manners of interesting books, odd trinkets, and colorful sculptures, to the cute, cozy outdoor sitting space filled with pretty greenery, I could not stop raving about this hotel the entire trip. The style of the rooms could very much be described as a European “take” on the well-known Japanese “Pod” style hotels. The rooms were concise (not cramped) and had a sleek, modern, and minimalistic style of furniture (desk with chair, bench, vanity w/sink, bed-frame with built in storage space). Think “IKEA meets stylish, retro Japanese pod hotel”. If that makes sense. LOL. Plus everything in the room is controlled using an iPad which I think it pretty flipping cool. SMART TV in the room, as well, meaning unlimited access to YouTube, Netflix, or pretty much anything that can stream from your phone/device which is perfect after a long day exploring the city. (You can also change the color of the mood lighting in the room via the IPad which provided my boyfriend and I with hours of entertainment pretending we were post apocalyptic humans trapped in some green-tinted “Twilight Zone” style alien bunker) Also, if you prefer a hard mattress, you will find the hotel bed very comfortable. During our time here, we had easy access to a LOT of good food. There’s 2 restaurants inside the hotel as well as a really great Middle Eastern restaurant directly across the street. (I approve of their falafel and roasted sweet potatoes. Very good). There are so many cultural and ethnic restaurants in the immediate area for those who are adventurous eaters. There’s even a pretty nice Trader Joe’s around 4 blocks away for stocking the hotel room with healthy snacks and beverages (a must). Plus Union Market is pretty close to the hotel. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you. Big hall with lots of food vendors and even a little shopping. Even if you aren’t looking to eat and just want to kill a little time, it’s still interesting to walk around and see the cool and unique foods they sell. Soak up the little local color. Overall, it was a totally unique and memorable hotel experience that was totally worth the cost. Well done. LF

The trip was great and the stay at the hotel totally contributed to this. I would recommend the hotel and will also stay here again.

On Monday, May 30, Memorial Day, I purchased two day passes to the Ven's Rooftop pool. It was great weather and the DC public pools were, for the most part, closed. Rather than spend 2k+ on a pool membership in the region (cannot afford that), my son and I have set a goal to hit as many hotel rooftop pools that offer daypasses. The Ven was a nice experience. So, I could totally recommend the one-off visit to the pool and to check out the views of DC. Totally fun to see the Dupont circle Metro stop glass roof (being repaired) and a number of other cool buildings. Always a plus-- my son didn't bring any devices, so he read books and lounged by the pool. It's not really a great lap swimming pool there at the Ven. But, I once had someone teach me how to ”Aqua-jog” and no one there made me feel like I was an idiot for doing that. The package supposedly includes the hotel's gym. But that's in the basement of the hotel. It felt like it was a little understaffed at the hotel and I didn't feel comfortable asking for access. Anyway, I was there for the pool. I also was not offered my ”canned cocktail of choice.” I could have demanded it, but the very sweet gentleman tending the pool food bar/drinks was on his third day, and was a little befuddled that I didn't have a room number to charge things to. HOWEVER, I will admit, I tipped the gentleman and he helped us manuever getting two loungers. THAT WAS WORTH IT. He was super helpful. It was crowded and I was not excited about spending the day there sitting on benches. I asked and 20 minutes later he helped us make it work. THANK YOU. So, for a one-off-- totally worth it! Will I pay a monthly membership fee. Maybe not. Unless people somehow hook me up very clearly with that air hockey table...

The price of the hotel has an advantage, and it is basically clean and tidy. However, the air conditioner is too old and noisy all the time. In addition, the underground garage is being partially repaired, and the parking spaces are very limited. The parking spaces and aisles are very narrow, and the upper pipes in some places are too easy to scrape the roof. Friends who drive large cars should pay attention.

We stayed at the Omni Shoreham for 5 days in September, attending a conference which was hosted at the hotel. The building is huge, with hundreds of rooms. The public areas were grand and it felt well kept. There was a decent sized pool and restaurant. Bar prices were a disgrace, so we tried drinking at the nearby bars and restaurants which were a fraction of the price. I would strongly recommend doing the same. Food during the conference was OK for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not mind blowing but plenty of options and all cooked fresh. Conference facilities were extensive and the location of the hotel was ideal with its proximity to the mall and airports. I would stay again but would definitely avoid the bar and restaurant unless I win the lottery.

I came to the Holiday Inn Express with two of my friends and the assistant manager Ibrahim was very helpful when we had some trouble checking in and he was very helpful throughout the process of helping us. Very professional and my friend and I will definitely come back to this hotel because of him.

We usually stay at the one in Rosslyn, one Metro stop away. However, this time we wanted a two-bedroom suite and Rosslyn did not have availability. First, the rooms. This includes two bathrooms, so it could easily be shared by two couples. The living room is compact and includes a TV, as does each bedroom. The kitchen has everything except a toaster or an oven, so a toaster-oven would be great, but hazardous, I imagine. The dining room table is comfortable for 4-5 people. The bed is comfortable. The bathroom has a tub. The room was quiet. We have yet to try more of the common areas, such as pool, laundry and gym. Breakfast is standard with plenty of seating. The front desk staff is very helpful, with directions to the nearby pharmacy and food store. The area is very safe. We did not bring a car so cannot comment on the garage.

Great location! There are so many restaurants right around the block on King Street. This is a very nice hotel. An oldie but goodie. Very large atrium where you can sit and enjoy the included breakfast every morning. VIP happy hour was perfect. We would definitely stay there again. Clean and friendly.

I stayed at this brand new hotel at the University of Maryland and had a wonderful time. It is conveniently located to visit the university, but it is also very simple to go to DC using the Metro, which I did. The rooms are very comfortable and quiet. The WiFi is strong enough for video calls and work. The staff was very kind, including the cleaning staff.

Facilities: Good, big room Sanitation: OK Environment: In the city center, 10 minutes walk from the White House, not far from anywhere Service: Nothing, breakfast is the same every day, no vegetables, no free mineral water, the price is OK