We stayed 4 nights in the Hotel Lombardy in March 2008. The hotel is quaint and has a historic charm that cannot be found in the newer chains. We found the staff to be friendly. We had no issues with the manual elevator, but chose to take the stairs to our third floor room when we were not carrying our luggage. The elevator operator informed us that the hotel would be replacing the elevator in the near future due to complaints about the speed of operation. The room was fine, but on the small side. The carpet and bed skirt were somewhat aged, but clean. As other travelers noted, the beds were comfortable with several types of pillows from which to choose.

Cons were:
1) We were on the back side of the hotel where the restaurant dumpsters and the trash compactor for the adjacent building are located. The dumpsters and the compactor were emptied by the waste management company at 5 or 6 a.m. each weekday morning. Very loud! However, we were usually awake anyway due to the issue noted in #3 below.
2) The shower did not drain well. By the end of a short shower, you are standing in 3-4 inches of water. This may not be an issue for some people, but it bothers me for some reason. We left a note for housekeeping about the issue, but no luck in getting it resolved. The issue is likely due to the age and build up in the piping.
3) The amorous couple in the room directly above us that decided to "wake up" around 3 or 4 a.m. each morning.

All in all, we had a pleasant stay. This is an adequate hotel. However, we will probably try somewhere different for our next D.C. visit.

This hotel was a great stay for us. First off, the location is superb--2 1/2 blocks to the Metro but also walking distance, if you are walkers, to lots of things--Vietnam Memorial, Georgetown, etc. Right on the edge of GWU campus which was always enjoyable to walk through.

We had a nice room with a view on the 10th floor. Definitely necessitated using the elevator but we never waited for more than a very few minutes for the operator to take us up. The room was on the small side but had everything we needed. The bed was extremely comfortable. All of the people at the hotel are very friendly and want to make sure that you're having a good stay.

We did not want to spend an arm and a leg on food--we're not foodies--and were happy to find pubs close by for dinner and Au Bon Pain across the street which became our first morning stop.

I had never been to DC before and of course had a list a mile long of things we wanted to see. We did everything that we wanted. We were lucky to have pretty decent weather for Feb. which allowed for lots of walking--a great way to get a feel for the city. The Metro is also great for that.

This will be a trip that we always remember and this hotel and its great location, price and service made it all the better.

This was the best Christmas surprise ever and the most charming hotel we've ever stayed in. We were there from December 24 to December 28, and from checking in to departure, the service was smooth and seamless, without being obsequious. On the first morning, we left the room for 45 minutes for breakfast, and when we returned, the maid had come and gone, leaving everything perfect. On the one day she left only decaf, we called the front desk, and THREE people arrived with regular coffee in the space of ten minutes. We had a view of the little park across I Street, and we parked our car right in front of the hotel (yes, we had to replenish the meter, but that was a minor inconvenience, and valet parking was available). The elevator reminded me of the one in the apartment house in NY where I lived in the 1940s, very quaint, manually operated with brass controls. Many restaurants and shops are within easy walking distance even in wretched weather, and there's an ATM on the corner. Everything was spotless, the linens were luxurious, there was WIRED Internet access (did that other reviewer ever hear of that?--it's far more secure!) and the place has the charming ambience only found in big cities. Both restaurants were 5-star quality, with intimate surroundings and friendly, attentive waiters. We paid more while driving there on the Interstates! We understand that we got a real bargain because it was Christmas and there were no business clients----but even at three times what we paid, it would have been a bargain.

This hotel was a real find. The rate was exceptional. Every single member of the staff was extremely courteous and just went out of their way to make our stay a first rate experience. We even had a couple of requests out of the norm and they just took them in stride and got it done immediately. The room was quaint and the king size bed was wonderful. Anytime I hear of anyone going to DC you can be sure that we will recommend the Hotel Lombardy.