Fairmont Washington DC, Georgetown

Asthmatics/MCS and allergy sufferers - BEWARE! Overpowering strong scent in lobby that has made me sick from the moment we arrived. My husband asked if it could be toned down but that was a negative reply. On researching I found that it’s Fairmont’s signature scent, manufactured for them in conjunction with another company Not all the USA Fairmont locations use it, it’s by choice. I’m allergic to just about every ingredient in it. In today’s age, it’s beyond my understanding why they’d pick such a strong scent, rather than something very subtle. It is nauseating and can actually be smelled when sitting outside in Juniper, their restaurant, when the door is opened and you’re well over 6 feet away. I have not been able to sit in the lobby and during a hot and humid few September days, spending so much to stay here for a vacation, this is not hitting us well. One size does not fit all. Fairmont should know this when it comes to people’s health concerns. Other luxury hotels use much subtler scents that aren’t even noticeable. It’s our first time treating ourselves to such a luxury as staying in a Fairmont hotel. Unfortunately it will be our last because of their insensitive choices. I hope this review helps others who suffer with these health issues to avoid going through this. A waste of money - actually paying to suffer on vacation. Not happy.

We stayed one night at the Fairmont in Georgetown (D.C.) and were disappointed with the quality of the room and the quality of the staff. There were four major issues we encountered, which is really quite a surprise in light of being at the hotel for less than 20 hours. (1) It took more than 10 minutes for the front desk clerk to check us in, and she was unable to the complete the process. The big holdup was the credit card scanner that would not recognize our credit cards, despite multiple attempts to swipe, insert, etc. We concluded that the technology glitz was with the Fairmont because 30 minutes after checking in we used one of the failed credit cards at a local museum. The front desk staff member at the Fairmont seemed overwhelmed and wasn't trained in how to manage such an occurrence. (2) The thermostat didn't allow us to turn the temperature up by one degree from 72 to 73. We had to make multiple phone calls and eventually maintenance staff tweaked a setting in their computer to allow us to adjust our temperature. Again, another 10 minute consumption of time that seemed entirely unnecessary. (3) The electrical outlet on the nightstand desk lamp was broken, so instead of waking to a fully charged mobile phone I awoke to a completely drained mobile phone. Luckily we had about 90 minutes to recover before needing to leave for our flight (should have printed our boarding passes the night before as a backup!). (4) Despite paying for a "Signature Room" upgrade that was advertised as fully remodeled, the bathroom wallpaper was filthy and damaged. The experience at the Fairmont did not feel like a $400 a night experience. At checkout the staff member gave us a $100 discount, but I'm left feeling like each of these problems should have never taken place. I offered to share my experience with the manager on site, Joe, but the staff at checkout declined this. I debated whether to go with my Fairmont reservation or my reservation at the nearby Canal House. While Canal House reviewers note the rooms are small, maybe we should have given it a shot anyways!

Our family of 8 ranging in age from 5 to 73 visited Washington D.C. Our stay at the Fairmont was fabulous. The concierge, Eric Davis coordinated an evening tour in a Sprinter van and driver with his favorite tour guide, Christian Martinez. Mr.Martinez personalized the tour so even the 5 year old boy had a wonderful time. His restaurant recommendations were spot on! Our package included the breakfast buffet and the servers greeted our party and gave us fabulous service. Our only disappoint was the pool was more a lap pool in the fitness center than a fun pool for kids. But who goes to D.C. to swim?

Fairmont. THANK YOU! Thanks for allowing this frazzled college mom with a full car load of dorm items to have a very seamless 1 night experience. Thank you for allowing my son who flew in ahead of me to check in early too. Please acknowledge your bell person- Adem. He is the absolute kindest and most helpful person on this planet earth!!! Your hospitality all around makes me keep coming back. Fairmont DC is a special place!!

We stayed at the Fairmont Washington and had a wonderful time. Before our arrival, Ian Fraser had already been very helpful by making sure our suite and connecting room were ready, and even arranging an upgrade to an Ambassador Suite. When we arrived, Mr. Hunykey welcomed us warmly and the suite he gave us was beautiful and very comfortable, especially the bed. A nice surprise came from Mr. Mark Huntley, the General Manager, who kindly upgraded us again to a Superior Suite. This made our stay even more special. The Fairmont Gold Lounge was closed for maintenance, but the alternative offered at the bar worked perfectly for us. Breakfast in the Juniper restaurant was varied and tasty, and we enjoyed the complimentary appetizers in the Loggia Lounge every evening. The gym was huge and very well equipped. The location is quiet but still close to the main things to see in Washington. A big thank you to Mark Huntley, Ian Fraser, Patricia Carré, Aaron Banks, and Mr. Hunykey for their kindness and professionalism. You all made our stay memorable.