The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City — Hotel in Arlington

I have stayed at this property many times as it is one of the few Ritz-Carltons in the area that it is easy to get within U.S. Government per diem (the other being Tysons Corner, and having said that we only got this reservation at the per diem rate because I am on official orders with a spouse which increases the per diem, otherwise the property would have exceeded per diem - such is life after the pandemic [as I have said in other reviews].

This hotel was designed for beneficiaries of the military industry complex – it’s really just a glorified 4-star hotel with 5-star branding (I used to see the late Colin Powel dine here occasionally). The rooms, as you may see from the photos, are fine, but nothing impressive. As mentioned, I have stayed here multiple times, and every single time I had some sort of Marriott status (at least platinum or higher), and yet I have never been upgraded to any larger/special room (this despite the fact that I am a bearer of the expensive and now no longer attainable Chase Ritz-Carlton card). Just from a quick glance online I do not think this property has many different room times, so that may be why.

The rooms are both average in square footage and overall style, but are well appointed and comfortable in typical Ritz-Carlton fashion. What this hotel does do well to adhere to with regard to the Ritz-Carlton brand standard is the service. Request are generally responded to very promptly (and without question), and as I was staying at the hotel for a very long duration (19 nights), I was constantly greeted by my last name by the front desk staff which was appreciated. The bell and valet staff are also very attentive and were very friendly and helpful throughout my stay. I needed a spare refrigerator to store medication, and they promptly brought after our arrival at around 6 in the evening (albeit for a $50 fee).

The hotel gym is very nice, although – and this is a big criticism of the property, the indoor pool is not in service and from what I can recall from past visits, and does not appear to have been in service for years. You can sort of see the pool through gym and it looks like they are trying to do repairs on it, but at this rate – maybe it will never re-open. I should have asked about the pool to the front desk, but forgot to ask (although it would not have changed anything).

Critiques: the person who checked us in was very nice, but did not 1) acknowledge my status with the Marriott, 2) did not explain any features of the property, 3) was not aware of our $30/day breakfast credit – I had to return 3 times to the front desk to ask them about these features. Again, nothing that I would say ruined the experience, but it should have been better – and to be fair to her maybe she saw that I had stayed here before so I wouldn’t be interested in hearing about the property amenities – but I think it is better customer service to ask if guests want to hear about them. Housekeeping is daily, but a few times because we stayed in the room later than normal housekeeping hours we had to request that they come later, usually it worked, but a few times despite three requests they never showed up – much to the apologies of the front desk. One could also tell that the housekeeping staff had varied over the stay as there was inconsistency in replenishments of certain items.

At the end of the day, I like this property – it’s connected to a mall, it’s connected to a metro station, there are a lot of restaurants and shops in the vicinity, it’s just a good location; and as mentioned the service from top down is generally excellent. However, its bonafides as a 5-star hotel are questionable. I like this hotel for the purpose it serves which is to be a great business hotel – do not come here expecting 5-star luxury, nor should you come here wanting some sort of pampered vacation – it’s a very nice business hotel, nothing more,...

The best Ritz Carlton we've ever been because of the PEOPLE WHO WORK at their hotel in Pentagon City! All Ritz hotels have nice rooms & amenities. People who work there are very professional & cater to their guests' needs. At the Ritz at Pentagon City, we highly commend Virginia T. & Jennifer Q. for their exceptional work ethics, going above & beyond, and by simply being genuinely nice, sincerely willing to help us to make our stay in Washington DC a special one.

Virginia T., from concierge recommended and booked us tours that are more private so we can make the most of our stay. Her restaurant recommendations are excellent. She is not just a concierge performing a "booking agent's" task. She is a gracious hostess who loves Washington DC and would like to present it to her guests in the most impeccable manner. She made sure we had umbrellas & Metro tickets when we go out, to ensure we are well equipped when we explore the city. She understood practicality and did not present options that are not worth considering. She follows up with us to make sure we enjoyed our day. Her moves are not calculated but very candid & genuine. We see how she helps other guests with the same enthusiasm, vigor & sincerity. When we hesitantly attempted to take the Metro to DCA for our departure, she arranged for our transportation to the airport on the spot to make things easier for us. She truly has a mission to help.

When we checked in, we were told that we will not have a roll away bed in our room due to fire codes. We were disappointed because when we booked our room by phone we were quoted a rate plus the fee for the roll away bed. Just like any front desk person, this lady told us "sorry" with a smile, and that's it. She did her job just what is expected of her but it lacked the willingness to help.

When we went to our room, it was tight for a family of 4. We went down to the front desk and spoke with another front desk staff, Jennifer Q. She was VERY NICE & understood our preference to have my 2 young kids to be in 2 separate beds. We told her that my son has eczema and needs to have feather-free bed. She took the time to find a suite that will accommodate our needs. She showed it to us first to make sure we like it. She was very professional in presenting to us the upgrade rate to ensure we understood the rate increase. She made sure all the feather pillows were replaced in the suite and arranged to have all our luggage transferred from the small room to our suite. She left a very nice note to my kids wishing them the best time in DC. She gave my son words of encouragement in dealing with his eczema. She is such a genuine & sincere host. She was not a mere front desk person performing tasks per her job description. Jennifer IS A GENUINE & GRACIOUS HOSTESS, who loves her job and loves making people happy.

We would also like to commend Ben, one of the doormen. He just does not open doors or help carry things for guests. He is more than that. He is a gracious host who sincerely welcomes the Ritz Carlton guests with a genuine greeting & smile.

Another employee we would like to commend is Ed B. of Bell Service team. He is another genuine person who is willing to help and make guests feel at home & welcome. He sincerely would like to make things easier for the guests by providing assistance going an extra mile.

We thank Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City, for hiring exceptional employees who made our Washington DC visit a truly special one. Please extend our gratitude to Virginia,...

For a two-night staycation, my wife, seven-year-old daughter and I checked into the Ritz-Carlton, one of Arlington's only luxury hotels. Right outside the Pentagon City Metro and connected to the Pentagon City Mall, here's our experience.

1. Check-In: With the app, it's easy. Our stay was in the app with all the details. Check in went smoothly. Upon check in, you can choose a mobile room key or physical key cards. Staff offered to help with our luggage.

Next to the check in desk is a Ritz Kids kiosk that my seven-year-old daughter enjoyed. After filling out a few questions, she was given a coloring pad, crayons, a scavenger hunt map, a stuffed animal, and gummy bears. "I feel like a princess," she said.

2. Rooms: We stayed on floor 18, the club access level, in a double bed room with views of D.C.'s monuments. We could see the Washington Monument, the National Cathedral, and nearby Air Force Memorial (in Arlington).

The room came with a desk, luggage stands, a closet, a small bathroom, a mini bar, and a snack bar for pay.

There were enough outlets and the bathroom came with a shaving kit, a dental kit, and more. The water pressure was great and the water can be turned to soft or hard.

For the three of us, the room's beds were small. Both moving around a lot, my daughter and I shared a bed and didn't sleep well. The second night we got a mattress for the floor so we each had a place to sleep.

3. Amenities: The hotel has a third floor gym with weights, machines, a sauna, and steam room in each changing room area. The pool was closed for renovation.

There's the Sante restaurant and bar on the ground level near meeting rooms.

The Club Lounge on the 18th floor offered five meal times throughout the day with quality food, views of the monuments, and plenty of tables to sit and read. They also had wine, drinks, and a candy bar.

In the lobby, there's a postcard area to send free postcard to friends and family.

The hotel offers valet service.

4. Service: The Ritz is know for the "Ritz-Carlton Way." Every staff member was genuinely friendly, remembering our names, and treating us like family. At every step, they offered to help. When we bought dumplings that needed to be frozen, they stored it in the hotel freezer for us.

Our daughter felt special throughout our stay. At dinner, the restaurant Sante placed a stuffed animal on her plate. The valet service let her pick a toy from their toy box. She loved staying here!

5. Area: It's near the Metro and the mall is connected with all types of shops and a food court. For good coffee, walk two blocks to Commonwealth Joe. The Metropolitan Park and Long Bridge Park are close with trails, public art, and views.

(Disclaimer: The hotel hosted our stay, but views are my own. They didn't ask for...