Disclaimer: The stay featured in this article was paid in full by Hilton. I did not pay a single penny.
As today, Friday, May 31, 2019 marks 100 years since the founding of Hilton by Conrad Hilton, not only did I want to celebrate this milestone by listing some of the firsts associated with Hilton as a company; but also a couple of my own firsts with Hilton — including my first stay at a Curio a Collection by Hilton hotel property; and my first stay at a Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel property.
My First Stay at a Tapestry Collection by Hilton Hotel — and The Verdict Is…
The reason why I used Uber for the first time is because Hilton paid for it so that I may travel around the District of Columbia area to some of the events which Hilton had in store; and I plan to write about them in future articles…
…but this Uber ride was the one in which the driver had no idea of how to get to The Graham Washington DC Georgetown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel property, at which Hilton generously arranged for me to stay for three nights. After driving around aimlessly in what seemed like forever while asking me if I was absolutely sure of the hotel and its address — as if I was the crazy person who did not know any better — the driver did not realize that he took the viaduct and overshot the location instead of using the road underneath it to access Thomas Jefferson Street, on which the hotel property was located.
The ride should have taken no more than 15 minutes from Washington National Airport — perhaps 25 minutes with traffic — to the hotel.
So much for my first experience with Uber — but at least my second experience with Uber was a significant improvement.
My Arrival
The driver finally dropped me off near the entrance to the hotel property — although that occurred at night.
A metal plaque with embossed letters — which was mounted on the brick wall to the right of the entrance — proclaims that The Graham Washington DC Georgetown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel property is listed as one of the Historic Hotels of America as part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The lobby was small — yet it was cozy — and the weather was too warm for a fire in the fireplace.
The Room
When I opened the door to the room, I noticed that it was a suite with a living area which was separate from the bedroom. This room is known as a King Studio Suite with a sofa bed; and up to four people can sleep in it.
The living area included a couch which could open up into a bed; a coffee table; a nightstand; and two different types of lamps.
The bed itself was rather comfortable, with two harder pillows; two softer pillows; and two decorative pillows.
Each nightstand had a lamp on top, with a telephone on one nightstand and an alarm clock on the other nightstand.
The alarm clock was equipped with a radio and two USB ports on top.
In fact, USB ports were fairly plentiful throughout the room — but note that if you plug in an adapter for a tablet or laptop computer, you will likely not have access to the USB ports on the electrical outlet itself because the adapter may partially cover them, rendering them useless as long as the adapter is plugged into the outlet.
The furniture in the room was classic and elegant overall, as the room was nicely furnished.
One minor issue with the room is that I could clearly see dust on the 42-inch flat-screen “smart” television and the top of the chest of drawers on which it rests — and the dust was not a thin layer, either.
Two closets are to the right of the desk and chair. A wireless telephone with a charging station rested on the desk — as did a modern lamp, a note pad, and a pen. The dust is again clearly visible on the chest of drawers.
Upon opening the doors, one closet contained an ironing board, a folding luggage rack; an umbrella; hangers; and an iron. The other closet contained two drawers for storage; a minibar; a snack and wine station as an extension of the minibar; a safe; and a coffee and tea station which included sweeteners, stirrers, powdered creamer, four cups, and a coffee pot.
This short hallway is from the bedroom area, with a view of a chair and the door which marks the entrance to the room. The closets are on the left with the doors closed; while the bathroom is on the right, as John Fogerty would sing.
The Bathroom
The entrance to the bathroom with marble tiles is located opposite the short hallway from the closets; and upon walking in is the sink area with vanity and the enclosed shower area.
Several towels and a glass rack — as well as a soap dish — are located in the enclosed shower area.
Two sinks were included in the vanity, with more towels stored underneath it; while the toilet is located adjacent to the door at the entrance to the bathroom…
…but when I opened the lid of the toilet, I noticed that it was not flushed — at least, completely, anyway. I found that odd.
Plenty of amenities by L’Occitane en Provence awaited on the middle of the vanity between the two sinks — as well as a bar of soap with verbena leaves.
The View
Keep in mind that whenever you stay at a hotel property which is located within a neighborhood on a city block, you are likely not exactly going to have the best view which you have ever seen…
…as a view is not why you book a reservation at a hotel property such as The Graham Washington DC Georgetown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton — but I am not sure as to whether the construction was for the hotel itself or for an adjacent building.
A small pool filled with construction debris was part of the scenery…
…but the view showed what is otherwise a quaint neighborhood — and I do not recall being disturbed by noises as a result of the construction.
The Rooftop Bar and Deck
Unfortunately, the Rooftop Bar and its deck were closed when I went to take photographs of it, as it does not open until 4:00 in the afternoon…
…but it seems to have comfortable outdoor furniture and a reasonably nice view of the surrounding neighborhood.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served every morning in the Alex Craft Cocktail Cellar & Speakeasy, which is located at the bottom of the stairs just beyond the front desk near the rear of the lobby.
Offerings included assorted cold cereals, hot oatmeal, several varieties of yogurt and toppings.
A small selection of assorted bread products — as well as coffee — were also available.
Fresh fruit, assorted pastries, and smoked salmon rounded out the remainder of the food items offered for breakfast.
Several tables and interesting decor comprise of the small but cozy place to eat breakfast. A member of the staff checks to ensure that you either qualify for complimentary breakfast — which is basically buffet style — or that you paid for it.
The food was quite good; but there was not much of it. I especially enjoyed the orange juice which resembled that of freshly squeezed. Any food items which were depleted were not replenished immediately.
Miscellaneous
The fancy door hanger sign had Please Do Not Disturb printed on one side; and Please Service The Room printed on the other side.
Fellow “bloggers” who also stayed at the hotel property — and are all busy on their mobile telephones while waiting in the lobby to leave — include from left to right: Rob Burgess of Head for Points; Angelina Aucello of Angelina Travels; and Jennifer Yellin of Deals We Like. The wooden front desk of the hotel is at the extreme right of the photograph.
Summary
Containing 57 rooms, this historic hotel property is located near the heart of the Georgetown neighborhood of the District of Columbia near the banks of the Potomac River — as well as the shopping of M Street and the dining options available at Washington Harbour.
I checked on what a King Studio Suite with a sofa bed would cost per night on a random date which I chose: if I checked in on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 for one night, the room rate would be $324.58 for the night plus tax — which totals $372.61 — on an advance purchase rate for members of the Hilton Honors frequent guest loyalty program. No refunds are permitted with that rate…
…and the least expensive rate I could find for that day is $280.48 for the same rate on a standard room with one king bed — which comes to a total of $321.99 after 14.8 percent in taxes is added.
The member of the housekeeping staff who was assigned to my room could have done a better job, between the dust and the unflushed toilet on the first night; and do not expect a full breakfast in the morning — although it should suffice and was delicious. Other than those minor issues, I recommend staying at this stylish yet quiet and comfortable hotel property…
…unless the room rates are too rich for your budget — and if that is the case, you might not find a rate with a better value at a different hotel property anyway unless you search outside of the District of Columbia.
The Graham Washington DC Georgetown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
1075 Thomas Jefferson Street NW
Washington, DC, 20007
United States of America
202-337-0900
All photographs ©2018 by Brian Cohen.
