Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square

We stayed at the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square over the Easter long weekend, in a Prestige One Bedroom Suite. I chose this hotel over the Fairmont for the location, and that really was its biggest advantage. The location is excellent—right by Lafayette Square and very close to the White House. We were able to walk everywhere, including the Smithsonian museums, all the memorials, and even all the way to The Wharf. Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab is just across the street and is definitely worth visiting—we were glad to have a reservation. The suite itself was nice but had a very awkward layout. It felt long and narrow rather than spacious. With the sofa bed open, it was difficult to pass through the living area to get to the bedroom. From there, you had to go through the bedroom to reach the bathroom, which had a pocket door that could not be locked—definitely not ideal. The bathroom itself had Balmain toiletries, and there was both a bathtub and separate shower. Service overall was mediocre. Housekeeping was adequate but lacked attention to detail. As an Accor Diamond member, the welcome amenity was very minimal (a small sparkling water and a tiny dessert), and there was no real recognition beyond that. Breakfast was quite disappointing, especially over a busy holiday weekend. There was no buffet at all—only a very small à la carte selection. The restaurant was overwhelmed, with long waits (we waited nearly an hour), and the service felt disorganized. The hostess seemed lost, although our server was friendly. After the first day, we chose to have breakfast elsewhere. We did try room service one day. The French onion soup and chicken Caesar salad were decent. The kids had macaroni and cheese and chicken fingers, which were good, and the fries were especially well done. Cocktails at the bar were also good, with a nice selection available. Overall, while the location is outstanding and very convenient for sightseeing, that was really the only aspect where this hotel stood out. In hindsight, I regretted not choosing the Fairmont Washington, D.C., which offers a Gold Lounge and typically better elite recognition and perks.

I don't normally post reviews but this is so outrageous, I feel I need to warn other travelers. I read great reviews about the hotel and Sofetil has, or had, a great reputation so we decided to stay here. However, it has been very disappointing thus far. We checked in around 7:30pm after a long and hot day. It was record high 80's today. 1. The room was extremely hot when we walked in. The AC was OFF. No air, no fan, nothing. Stagnant air in the room. Not a good way to start the stay as it has been super hot out and we had a long day. 2. The room we have is for 3 adults. We had requested a rollaway, however, it was not in the room. I called front desk to have it brought up. 3. We decided to shower, but there were only 2 bath towels in the bathroom. We have 3 adults in the room, so we had to call down for extra towels. 4. Two hours in, the room is still at 77 degrees. I called downstairs and the repairman is here now, as I’m typing, to try to fix the AC. Apparently "hot water" was mixed in with the "cool water", hence the air wasn't coming out cold. I don't understand what that means, but hopefully the room will be cool soon. All this transpired within the 3 hour time window since we checked in. Extremely disappointing.

This was my first visit to the Sofitel, and I was impressed. Great value, terrific location, easy to get to, very nice rooms, a great fitness center, and located near everything! I'll be back for sure and highly recommend it.

The hotel was very nice and the food was amazing. Elsadig Elsayed at the front desk was so helpful. The room service phones were done and he gave me his cell phone number so I can contact him to put in my room service order. I had breakfast each day I was at the hotel and everyday Paul M was my server. He was always pleasant, took good care of me and rememebered me each day I came in. It made a great way to start my day.

Great hospitality. Comfortable room. Close to everything. Restaurant was good (but they close early incl. room service closes at 10PM). Parking was a little hassle and sometimes valet can get busy. Great outdoor space with lots of tables on sidewalk. Fast internet and HDTV.