Hyatt Regency Washington DC on Capitol Hill: Bottom Line Review

Last November, I spent a couple of nights in Washington DC, in between a work trip and some personal time with friends in Pennsylvania. I’m a big fan of DC and have spent quite a bit of time there over the years, but I’d never been to the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, which has been standing guard 1,287 steps (or so they claim) from the Capitol for years.

The hotel had partially emerged from a long-needed renovation, so I thought I’d give it a try. I should have waited.

Hyatt Regency Washington DC Bottom Line Review

The Hyatt Regency Washington DC has an enviable location, steps away from the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol, as exemplified by its unique mix of convention traffic and lobbyists. That’s about the best thing that I can say about my visit, unfortunately. The hotel is still in the midst of a long-overdue renovation, and construction sounds echoed throughout the hotel during the day. There were essentially no elite benefits beyond a breakfast voucher; the service was among the worst I’ve experienced from Hyatt in a while. The folks at the front desk seemed clueless about Hyatt even having an elite program. The breakfast was subpar; the gym and pool oddly share the same open space (at street level), making for a steamy workout experience or far-from-relaxing pool time. Frankly, I didn’t enjoy this stay.  Thumbs down

• Price: A Hyatt Category 5, 17K/20K/23K points off-peak/peak/standard. Like many hotels in DC, the cash price varies widely by season. When I was there in November 2025, the cash rate was ~$340/night for a midweek stay.
• Value: During high season, this is a decent “value” redemption, sometimes yielding over 2 cents per point. In the off-season, it’s often that.
• Location: Depending on why you’re in DC, the location could be magnificent, as it’s about two blocks to the National Mall and the Capitol Building. It’s not the best neighbourhood for dinner or nightlife, but it’s still an easy walk to much of the tourist circuit. It’s also about a five-minute walk from Union Station for those arriving by train.
• Room: I booked a 300 sq ft “newly renovated” standard room and wasn’t upgraded, even though there was ample availability for other room types. The room was small and, although the interior was obviously new, it seemed less-than-commercial, as though the furniture came from Ikea and was assembled on-site.
• Parking: Valet parking is $54 per night, plus tax; there’s no self-parking. Parking fee is waived for Globalists on award stays.
• Resort/Destination Fee: $20/night. It includes a bunch of limited-use coupons and a $10 daily food credit from the grab-and-go.
• Internet: Surprisingly poor in my room, but good in the lounge and in other public spaces.
• Service: Subpar across the board, from check-in to restaurant service to housekeeping. The guy checking me in had no idea what a Globalist was and told me that late checkout and other benefits couldn’t be provided because of the renovation (which I later found out wasn’t true). The servers at the restaurant were upset that I didn’t want the buffet; there were no refills, no follow-up, and I had to hunt down my check both mornings. Housekeeping disregarded my “do not disturb” sign without knocking because they thought that I was checking out after my first night. After I left, I found odd charges on my folio and had to call to have them removed, which was a fitting end to the whole stay.
• Turndown service: None.
• Dining:
  • Article One: Primary hotel restaurant serving quality breakfast daily from 6:30 am to 11 am M-F (12 pm on weekends), lunch from 11 am to 2 pm M-F (starting at 12 pm on weekends), and dinner from 5 pm to 10 pm M-F (from 3 pm on weekends).
  • Travel Traders: Grab-and-go counter offering espresso drinks, pastries, and sandwiches. Open daily from 7 am – 10 pm.
• Spa: None.
• Fitness Room: There is a combination fitness/pool area on the street level in a large solarium. The combination of the pool and workout space is a little strange and creates some tight corners, but there’s enough equipment to get a reasonable workout in.
• Hyatt Globalist Benefits: 
  • Room Upgrade: I booked a standard room and, despite ample availability in higher-level rooms, was not offered an upgrade. The front desk agent told me that it was “due to the renovation.” I wasn’t going to be spending much time in the room, so I didn’t bother asking him to check with a manager.
  • Free Breakfast: Served at Article One. Globalists can choose to order off the menu or partake of a modest breakfast buffet. I ordered an omelet one day and a bagel with lox the next. Neither was very good, and both dishes looked as if they were thrown onto the plate from a couple of feet away.
  • Lounge: There is now a renovated club lounge open on the lobby level, but it was still closed when I was there. I wasn’t offered anything as a replacement, even after double-checking.
  • Late Checkout: The check-in agent told me that late checkout wasn’t possible. I found out the next day, when I spoke with a manager, that this was incorrect (as I was checking out).
  • Parking: Self-parking is free on award stays.
• Would I stay again?  I can’t imagine that I would, despite the excellent location. At the very least, I wouldn’t come back until the renovation is completed. Even then, for the same award price, I’d choose the Grand Hyatt down the road.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Great location, right down the street from the U.S. Capitol

Cons

• The hotel is undergoing a substantial (and much-needed) renovation, which limited some amenities and created a lot of noise
• One of the worst elite receptions that I can remember at a Hyatt property
• The gym and pool share the same space, making for a steamy workout with some odd sightlines
• Breakfast quality was subpar
• Service overall was much more hit than miss

Image Gallery

Hyatt Regency Washington DC King Room

Hyatt Regency Washington DC Restaurant – Article One

Hyatt Regency Washington DC Gym and Pool Area

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