The River Inn — Hotel in Washington

I stayed at The River Inn in Foggy Bottom for about two and a half weeks, and it truly lived up to its tagline of being a “second home.” This was honestly one of the nicest, most comfortable long-stay hotel experiences I’ve had.

The location is a major plus—just a 3–4 minute walk from the Foggy Bottom metro station, with Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s nearby. The neighborhood is beautiful and quiet, and the convenience factor is high.

The rooms are spacious and homely, not luxurious or ultra-modern, but thoughtfully equipped with everything you’d need for a long stay: a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, essential cutlery, and a coffee maker; a comfortable bed; and a clean bathroom. Everything was neat and tidy. Housekeeping is flexible and based on your schedule, which I appreciated.

That said, I did encounter a few minor issues. I stayed in two different rooms during my stay—while the first room was great with no complaints, the second room had an occasional unpleasant stench coming from the kitchen area. I flagged it with housekeeping a couple of times, but the issue persisted on and off. It seemed to be limited to the kitchen—possibly a drainage or pipeline issue—as the rest of the room was fine.

The rooms are a bit dated overall and could benefit from a refresh, especially if you’re particular about newer finishes or fixtures. But functionally, they work well.

What really stood out to me was the warmth and professionalism of the staff—everyone, from the front desk to the doormen, was genuinely friendly and eager to help. They made a long stay feel easy and welcoming.

Despite the minor issue, I’d still highly recommend The River Inn—just be sure to check the room thoroughly upon check-in if you’re sensitive to smells or specific about freshness. I’d happily return, and I’d book it again in...

My pup and I have stayed in River Inn DC a number of times in the past. The front desk has always been courteous and helpful. Prior to my current two night stay, I've had a good experience from cleanliness to services. However, this may the last time for us. Upon entering the room, the floor is sticky and the rug feels dirty. The kitchen utensil drawer had some type of dirt in the drawer that looked like it came from a result of the condition of the drawer.

Worst part was when we returned to the hotel after a long day out in the evening, I noticed that the AC is not cooling down the room. Waited and tried reducing the temperature further but it was not possible to lower it under 68F. This went on until the room was stuffy at 78F. When attempting to shower, I noticed that the hot water was not getting any hotter, lukewarm at best.

Eventually at around 8/9pm I called the front desk to check on the AC and was told for the first time that they are getting work done with the AC and therefore they could provide a table fam upon request. When asked if this work they're supposedly doing on a Thursday night without notifying guests, is also impacting the hot water in the shower, front desk says yes.

When we were given the table fan that makes a lot of noise, I was told that the engineer team would fix it very soon. Fast forward to around 11pm when I called the front desk to check on the status, I was told that they don't have a set time, and they would have a decision on when the AC will be up and running in the next hour. It is now 1am, we can't sleep with the loud fan and the AC isn't working.

I understand that things happens. My frustration is the lack of communication, lack of proactive measures and lack of...

A solid 3-star, boutique hotel, ideally located in the heart of NW, D.C.. Most importantly, a hidden oasis for those who travel with pets-either as intentional nomads or as visitors-whose tourism would otherwise be hampered by the additional obstacles we so often face in our travel community. We know the struggle all too well-Pets are our family. They are well-behaved and well-trained (more so than many humans we know). Yet, finding acceptable accommodations can be daunting for the countless reasons we, as a community, already know, and all too well.

—Not only does this hotel allow dogs (pets), but they welcome them with open arms and at no additional charge. There is a dog park just behind the hotel (which itself is nestled in the dog-friendly, quiet, charming neighborhood of Foggy Bottom). Perfect proximity for day AND night life but most importantly, dog life. While the immediate neighborhood is insulated from the hustle and bustle of NW, be assured that this is an illusion as a few blocks over you’ll find the Kennedy Center, the Potomac, restaurants, nightlife (George Washington University is also a neighbor) and transportation (much of it complimentary) to and from the KC, Smiths, galleries, memorials, etc.

It may not be the Hay-Adams (but you knew that already). It is however, extraordinarily friendly, clean, accommodating, comfortable, convenient to everywhere, and I suspect, if you are reading this review, you are most concerned about your dogs (cats, etc) and how their experience and welfare will be ensured by forces outside of your control. Rest assured you have found the perfect place. This hotel really is the best-kept, pet-owners secret in...