Capital Hilton — Hotel in Washington

5/10

A+ location, D- execution.

Basics: Amenities felt more basic than other Hiltons I’ve stayed at. On one cleanup, the bathroom was left with cleaning solution in the toilet—an avoidable miss.

Tech woes: The TV remote arrived DOA. Engineering brought a new one, but the TV then locked itself on a dead HDMI input with no way back. Not a night-ender, just an unnecessary hassle.

Shower expectation mismatch: Many review photos show a handheld “telephone” shower. Our king room had a fixed, fairly small shower head despite a decently sized bathroom.

Front desk & ops: This is where things slipped. We asked about the handheld shower feature; the response shifted from “someone tomorrow can help” to “those don’t exist—please provide proof.” That puts the burden on the guest and came off as dismissive. Across multiple touches, there was a lot of handoff and very little ownership—no proactive follow-up, no apology. I’ve never been in a Hilton where I had the front facing doorman let me carry my own bags and push my own trolley… the bellman helped alleviate the situation but the damage was done. Also… we booked on booking.com and we got slapped with an additional fee of a compulsory $30 credit imposed on us to spend daily at one of the hotels dining options. This was not aligned with the American values of freedom!

Housekeeping: Credit where it’s due—the room was kept neat and tidy. But they start early (first knock 8:00am, back again 9:00am), knock softly, and then enter shortly after. At 8:00am many guests are still asleep or just getting moving; a later pass or clearer knock would help.

Staff highlights: The evening bellman (I believe Yifrid) had an excellent mindset—professional, proactive, genuinely kind. The bar team was welcoming and remembered guests, which gave the space a hospitable feel.

Noise: Our final night coincided with a loud corridor crowd, which made a restful dinner tough.

Value: Given the rate and the hiccups above, the value felt off, despite the stellar address.

Tragically, Techmo seal of disapproval. Go somewhere...

The location is excellent. We can take the metro blue line to the hotel from the airport, of course we have other choices like Uber (take only 15min as the app). Finally we choose metro as our first time in the DC. The room is awesome, the light is warm and great , the bedroom is clean, everything is clean and comfortable in the room. For the breakfast, we have upgraded before we stay. However when we go to the breakfast Buffett with excitement (usually I loved this most), but they just lead me to a table that I don’t like , I told them there are a lot of seats, can I sit elsewhere I liked(a lot of empty sittings). However, the staff is not happy and insist me to stay in the same desk next to a wall , my first time have no freedom to choose my desk to sit 😕and she gives me a menu ; I told her again I have paid for buffet already with upgraded and give her my room number; she is unhappy and take away the menu. The I got a bill …. 😞I need to double paid ? Also the money in the bill is less than the one I upgraded 😟I received the upgraded as they say they have discounted, why my in restaurant bill is less than my promoted upgrade options? Seems a bit discounted. I still need to have the buffet for 2 more mornings as I pre-paid. I want to have my freedom to sit and have a good morning. My first time in Hilton and my first time to have something special in the breakfast buffet …. Hope they can do the same as the other hotel brands … as I am not sure if other Hilton hotels do the same as this one I. Breakfast , the hotel is excellent in rooms, which is the most clean and comfortable. The food is great but the service is terrible 😞 then I went to front desks and chat and chat , then they know the issue and give me the vouchers ( as I check-in with app and did not contact any front desk yesterday night . I am thinking it’s so good and high-tech, and I don’t like talking as usually), and go back to the restaurant to give them the vouchers… hope I am not double paid for my breakfast...

I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Capital Hilton, and I must say, my experience was greatly enhanced by the exceptional customer service provided by Frank. From the moment I arrived (as well as every time I stopped by the front desk), Frank greeted me with a warm smile and genuine enthusiasm that instantly made me feel welcomed and valued as a guest.

Throughout my stay, Frank consistently went above and beyond to ensure that I had everything I needed to make my visit enjoyable and comfortable. Whether it was helping me with changes to my room/reservation, making sure I had enough water or that I'd eaten, or promptly attending to any requests I had, his dedication to delivering top-notch service was evident in every interaction.

Interestingly enough, I've stayed at the Capital Hilton before, a year or two ago, and I remember Frank. I don't think he remembered me, but it didn't diminish his level of attentiveness or hospitality in the slightest. This level of consistency and dedication speaks volumes about Frank's professionalism and his genuine desire to make every guest's experience memorable.

Frank's customer obsession is truly commendable and serves as a shining example of what exceptional service looks like. His positive attitude, attention to detail, and genuine care for guests like myself are the reasons why I will undoubtedly choose to stay at the Capital Hilton again the next time I'm in DC. Thank you, Frank, for making my stay...