DC aLoft Hotel Dulles Airport IAD North

[amerigo88]

Did not like the Aloft Dulles North overall.

Pluses: New (commissioned in December 2008), bar next to lobby, big windows in the rooms, deer browsing next to parking lot. Most of staff is very attentive.

Minuses: Driving distance to EVERYTHING, no place to walk to. The shuttle service was TERRIBLE. (See below) The only nearby restaurant is the one at the Hilton Garden Inn next door. I washed my clothes only to learn neither of the dryers works and had not since they were installed. Cleaning staff kept forgetting to provide a coffee cup for the in-room coffee maker and the lobby coffee was minimum 3 dollars per cup. The swimming pool is so tiny as to be humorous. The hotel bar is a local "hot spot", so the lobby area is noisy and pretty :) on Thursday-Saturday nights.

SHUTTLE PROBLEMS: They have a single Chevy Tahoe that comfortably seats 3 passengers to serve a 5-story hotel. The shuttle broke down one day and I got picked up a half hour late by the Embassy Suites shuttle. In frustration with the Aloft shuttle, I finally booked a rental car (Hotwire) which I would pick up at the Dulles Airport. The lady on the "Aloha Desk" basically said I could not get a ride to the Airport that morning because another guest had paid to run the shuttle to a business site 11.9 miles from the hotel. So much for "5 mile radius" for those of us who didn't think to buy an exclusive for the shuttle service. She also said I couldn't ride on the adjoining hotel's shuttle, even though it is owned by the same company. The adjoining hotel is a Hilton Garden Inn and these guys also own a nearby Embassy Suites. The manager fixed me up with some snacks by way of an apology. So instead of spending 4 dollars per day on shuttle tips, I got to spend 30 dollars per day on a rental car and gas (took zero insurance). But hey, I got some soda and chips.

Lesson learned, pay the extra money and get the hotel walking distance to the business site. I ended up spending the same amount and wading through Northern Virginia traffic twice a day. I would not choose the Aloft Dulles North again.

[amerigo88]

Did not like the Aloft Dulles North overall.

Pluses: ... Most of staff is very attentive.

Additional minus: I mailed a bill payment and daughter's birthday card by handing them to the person on the Aloha Desk on Monday, March 9. Today is the 19th and neither one has reached its destination. Another bill I mailed via the front desk of the Hampton Inn (22700 Holiday Park Dr, Sterling, VA) has already had the check clear. I called the Aloha Desk recently and they said "It should have gone out..." Again, I would not recommend the Aloft.