St. Regis DC Hotel Highlights
I’ve been on a bit of a heater – by my standards, at least. After a remarkable stay at the Rosewood DC in Georgetown, and an economical, enjoyable one at the Ritz-Carlton downtown, I spent the last night of the trip at the St. Regis DC. My wife and I had previously stayed there more than a dozen years earlier, firmly in our Starwood top-tier elite days. That stay was satisfying but not particularly memorable. I figured it was time for another visit, as I was curious to try the property again after several years, and more importantly, I found a solid award option. At 52k Bonvoy points for my desired night, I booked with a 50k free night award and topped off with 2k points. But could the stay live up to this outstanding rate?
Bonvoy Platinum Recognition Exists
Overall, I’m probably underwhelmed more with Bonvoy Platinum status than similar levels with other hotel loyalty programs. Therefore, I value (perhaps overly so) any obvious gestures related to said elite status. As I had just received tailored treatment at the Ritz-Carlton the day before, I didn’t think lightning would strike twice in as many days. But I was happily wrong here.
St. Regis DC Lobby.The check-in experience at the St. Regis DC is impeccable. Tucked into a small room behind curtains adjacent to the throwback lobby, I arrived to two individual check-in desks. I came in about 1 pm, and the rep completed the check-in process without hesitation. Similar to the Ritz-Carlton the night before, she offered a 4 pm late checkout due to my Platinum status, which I accepted. My suite upgrade had been confirmed prior to my arrival (more on that in a bit), and the agent walked through a couple different options within that suite level. Long story short, I received the suite at about 1:30 pm.
The check-in rep summarized a few hotel features, answering my questions before I asked them. The ability to predict my wants and needs separates higher-level brands from others, in my view. The stay was off to a great start, and it went up from there.
A Striking Suite
I anticipated this stay even more when my Nightly Upgrade Award (NUA) cleared a few days before. Even better, I received a St. Regis Suite confirmation. This was the highest-level suite I could pick from the upgrade list, where I had actually selected two other smaller suites as options, as well. This was a home run of an upgrade.
At check-in, the agent offered my pick of a recently-renovated St. Regis Suite or “classic” version. The classic style was immediately available at my 1 pm check-in, while the refreshed one wasn’t. I opted for the latter and received a call from the front desk about 15 minutes later that the suite was ready.
I received a gigantic suite on a corner of the seventh floor. Upon entry to the wide foyer, the powder room is immediately on the right, with a large closet on the other side. The dining table is directly ahead, with a large living room to the right. To the left after entry are the bedroom and large bathroom. Marble floors are throughout.
Cabinetry covers the entire wall facing the king size bed, with plenty of storage for those who shell out for longer stays. The bathroom is opulent while not overly cavernous, offering a double vanity with a variety of bath amenities, functional bathtub (unlike the night before), separate shower, and powder room.
The dining, work, and living area is one large room, with a desk separating the dining from the living spaces. I primarily hung out on the couch in the living room while watching college football, avoiding the two pretty-to-look-at-but-awkwardly-uncomfortable chairs bookending the sofa. Sitting in one of the chairs briefly, its back wasn’t sufficient. I got a falling sensation every time I tried to lean back. No, thanks.
White and cream colors are everywhere, distinctive but not exactly my cup of tea. But overall, I enjoyed the extravagant space and furnishings, even if just for one night.
A Pleasant Breakfast
The St. Regis DC serves breakfast in its sole restaurant, Alhambra. Upon entry to the hotel, Alhambra is on the left adjacent to the lobby. From that area, one sees the bar and a small seating area. But the restaurant is much larger than it appears. A hostess seated me in the big dining room behind the bar and next to a window.
At check-in the day before, the rep advised me to ask for the “Astor Breakfast” menu, as this is the complimentary option for Platinum and above Bonvoy elites. The considerably-sized menu includes the Astor Breakfast, but these few selections are tucked into the bottom-right corner. Fortunately, what’s offered are staples – a traditional American breakfast, pancakes, and a few others (see above).
I went with that first one. I liked my waitress bringing fresh fruit to enjoy before the main meal. My over-medium egg order was a bit over-easy, but I didn’t send it back. I’m happy enough with that compared to overdone eggs. Sausage links were stout, toast lukewarm, and potatoes appropriately-portioned. Perhaps most importantly, coffee was strong and kept coming.
While Marriott’s elite breakfast benefit is convoluted, I successfully leveraged it once again for a fulfilling start to the day.
St. Regis DC – Conclusion
I definitely threaded the needle on this one. For this single-night stay, I found an attractive award rate, applied a free night award, triggered a huge suite upgrade via NUA, and enjoyed a solid all-around breakfast, not to mention happy hour at PJ Clarke’s across the street the day before. This is clearly a brag, albeit a dorky one perhaps only our niche points and travel community can appreciate. And I’m sure many roll their eyes, anyway. But that’s fine.
Occasionally, we take losses in our hobby. Sometimes, those are foreseen a bit, while others not. In certain instances, other considerations make up for those losses. But when my family and I have wins, we enjoy them, no matter how simple or small they are. And, once in a good while, those can be bigger.
I’d definitely visit the St. Regis DC again sans the dozen-year break if the price is right. For most of the year, though, that’s not the case. But I’m in DC more often than any other big city – for concerts, museums, etc. My St. Regis DC return is an inevitability, and I look forward to it.
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