Marriott Vacation Club at The Mayflower, Washington, D.C. — Hotel in Washington

My wife and I are owners at several MCVI properties and welcomed the addition of the Pulse concept when it was introduced a few years ago since we don't necessarily like to vacation at spots that offer the full villa experience. As we get older (early 60's), we find ourselves visiting cities more and more and the Pulse fits our lifestyle. Yes they are simply hotel rooms, but they are typically well appointed and in the heart of things.||That said, we spent four nights at the Mayflower two weeks ago and wasn't disappointed. We opted for an Executive room, which is a very large one bedroom. The bedroom was huge, but as others have mentioned, a bit sparse. For all of the square footage that the bedroom has to offer, Marriott decided not to place a dresser in it, which meant that my wife and I lived out of our suitcases for our entire stay. Not cool. ||The rest of the unit consists of a very large living room area and small kitchenette. While it doesn't contain a microwave, there is one available on the floor next to the ice machine. The large, well appointed bathroom's shower had plenty of pressure and hot water. The Mayflower is an old hotel in the grand fashion and it sparkles throughout.||The location of the Mayflower just can't be beat. Situated near the corner of Connecticut and L Street, it's literally steps away from the Farragut North Metro station. There are plenty of restaurants nearby and our favorite was about fifty feet away from the hotel, a French restaurant named Les Desales, on Desales Street. They have a fantastic Happy Hour and their dinner menu was phenomenal. Not terribly far away is Old Ebbitt, where a great meal can be had anytime of day.||My wife and I were so impressed by this property that we are offering our children some points to experience it for themselves.||Some here have voiced disappointment that their Elite status wasn't honored at this property, which should be expected as it is clearly stated in the program rules that Vacation Club properties do not participate in elite benefits (and never have), whether it's breakfast or late checkout. I'm a lifetime Titanium (2,100+ days) and knew going into this property that I would not be entitled to breakfast in the restaurant.||Others have mentioned small rooms, which is to be expected since Pulse properties are in urban areas where space is at a premium. My wife and I have spent at least 40 nights at the Pulse New York and know exactly what to expect in terms of accommodations and service. Others have mentioned the lack of a...

Our overall experience is below my expectation and just 2.5 star. I give 3 stars because there's no option for 2.5. Stayed there during recent Labor Day weekend.

We were greeted to friendly hotel male employee who opens the door for us. Forgot to ask his name, and he also didn't introduce himself. Later we found out he works front desk. As we entered the grand lobby, the first thing we noticed was the unpleasant smell, its like that very old moldy building smell. Though we appreciate the historical building, it just ruin the whole first impression. During check-in, we were served my female receptionist, i asked if our room has great view, and she said yes. So we went up only to found out it had worst view, with small window, only facing another room on the opposite wing. I called the front desk and complain, and she responded that "oh we don't view like facing white house or capital building like that". So, why did you say it has great view in the first place. So we came down and asked for different. This time, we are facing the back street, but atleast not facing other rooms.

The elevators still maintain the heritage, but the lights are very dim and have weird smell. When we got to our floor, the hallway looks old, the carpets, the decorations, the wallpaper. The rooms need new furbish and upgrades. The bathroom looks like got upgraded and clean, new big tv, but the rests of the room are outdated. The still use old wardrobe. The bed frame has stains. Atleast the bed is very comfy and feels clean. There's water marks on the ceiling. Old power outlet on the walls, already discolored.

We did little tour of the hotel, still maintain the classic elegant look, but it just looks dingy. There was one elevator really stinks.

One positive note, the breakfast at the Edgar cafe was really good. The server (veteran gentleman) were very attentive to our orders, and very friendly with all guests. Kudos to him.

When i made the hotel reservation, i mention it was our anniversary and also put notes. None of the hotel staffs acknowledge or greet us. So, what's the purpose of asking that question during reservation? Very different when we had lunch at Limani (at Wharf DC), all the servers greet and congrats us. It's the little things make the difference.

So, yeah overall it was 2.5...

I am a longtime Marriott timeshare owner, over two decades. We own timeshares at the Timberlodge, Ko Olina, Waiohai, and Palm Desert Villas 2. I am also a titanium elite member, which means at least 75 Marriott stays per year. Needless to say, I have a lot of experience with both timeshare and hotel properties owned by Marriott. I have also stayed at the Pulse properties in SF and San Diego. ||||We checked into the Mayflower Pulse today. When I compare this room to other Marriott Pulses, timeshares, AND Marriott hotels, this property hits well below all marks. First, this is NOT like other Pulses or hotels. Other Marriott pulses and timeshares have silverware, dishes, and microwaves etc, as timeshares are meant for extended stays, unlike hotels. This Pulse has None of the above. It’s a tiny hotel room that lacks even basic hotel, and even motel, features. For example, every hotel I’ve ever stayed in has rudimentary furnishings, like NIGHTSTANDS. I have never stayed in a hotel- I have stayed at literally hundreds of hotels around the world- that didn’t even have nightstands. I measured the space beside the bed and went online and found several nightstands that fit the spaces. It really is quite remarkable that a simple, extremely basic, very affordable detail like a nightstand, something that is found in pretty much every hotel, is not even here. I needed to leave this review so that you can plan accordingly and manage, or lower, your expectations. ||For saavy travelers, and for those who are looking to use their Marriott timeshare points at a Pulse, don’t use them at this one. The location is good but that is it. The Metro gets you everywhere so you don’t need a “prime” location if you prefer a bigger space and basic features offered in other hotel rooms, like nightstands. The San Francisco Pulse and the San Diego Pulse are fantastic. For this Pulse, save your points and just book a DC hotel. Internet is also not reliable, either, for those needing...