Journeys and Jaunts The George Hotel- Updated Review (Not What it Used to Be)

Location: Washington D.C.

While The George Hotel was once our favorite place to stay in Washington DC, I don’t think I could recommend it any more. The review that follows was from our first visit in 2018 and I couldn’t wait to bring the family. When we returned in 2024, it was a completely different experience. Scroll down for the updated review.

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Review of The George Hotel from 2018

Discover refined elegance and exceptional service at the Kimpton George Hotel in the heart of Washington, D.C. This boutique gem combines classic charm with modern amenities, creating a stylish retreat for both business and leisure travelers. The rooms, designed for comfort, boast a perfect blend of luxury and tradition.

As you can probably see by now, my love for Kimpton runs deep. It is my go-to hotel wherever I am traveling. Lucky for me, there were several Kimpton hotels to choose from in Washington DC.

Although Kimpton is a chain, each hotel is completely unique with their own funky decor. The only thing that is similar is the superior quality, excellent service and, most importantly, free wine hour.

I chose The George Hotel because of its close proximity to the Capital, which is where we began our walking tour.

The George Hotel was also having an amazing deal that was too good to pass up. If you booked a three night stay, the third night was free. That brought the average cost per night down to $112 per night, which is basically highway robbery.

Our room was very spacious- two queen sized beds and a sofa that had a full size pull out bed. My son tends to sleep sideways and kicks me in the gut, so the extra sleeping space was a big plus.

The bathroom had a full size tub and stand up shower. I am so used to having closet-sized accommodations in major cities so the space was really appreciated.

I loved the decor of the George Hotel. Our throw pillows were made to look like George Washington’s lapel. It was so fun for my son to have the presidential theme while staying in Washington DC.

There is a nice French restaurant in the lobby which provides room service. They were very accommodating and made my picky eater buttered pasta just the way he likes it.

We also walked across the street to Union Station for cafeteria-style meals because there was so much variety offered. DC has such great eateries that are considered fast food but they are still very healthy. We loved the salad bar Chopt and Cava Mediterranean.

Right beside the hotel, there is a breakfast place called The Corner Bakery. It was so handy to run down for coffee and bagels each morning.

We loved our stay at The George Hotel. We try to visit Washington DC each year and I am already torn whether to return to the George or try one of the other Kimpton properties.

Review of the George Hotel from 2024

My family of five arrived after a day of driving. We were so happy to reach the hotel because everyone was tired and hungry. First of all, the neighborhood has gone down the tubes. I had to walk my kids through bodies of people sleeping on the sidewalks and openly doing drugs.

As IHG card holders, we are entitled to a free upgrade at check-in, but there was nothing available. My daughter had to go to the bathroom, so we went down to the basement. The one old elevator took so long, we gave up and I had to carry her up the stairs with a broken ankle.

We were actually in the same room we stayed in 2018, and beside vacuuming and dusting, nothing had changed. It has just lost it’s shine. The bathroom door didn’t even shut all of the way. Once the fold out couch was open, it was impossible to move around the room without tripping over bags.

We went down to have an easy dinner in the hotel, but the restaurant had decided to close an hour early that night. Since it wasn’t a safe place to walk around at night, we had to Door Dash food.

The halls of the hotel smelled like there was a septic issue and the walls were so thin, we felt like the party next door was in our room. Every time they slammed the door, our walls shook. We had very little sleep.

When we talked to the front desk, they offered us $30 off breakfast. Which was good because the hotel breakfast cost over $100.

It was such a bummer because I had talked about this hotel for years. I would say it is still a good budget option but it doesn’t live up to Kimpton standards. Next time, I would go for the Kimpton Monaco which is a big step up.

Sadly, we won’t be back to the George Hotel.