OverviewLocated about a 6-minute drive from the Potomac River just off Highway 1, the Best Western Mount Vernon is geared toward business or leisure travellers who require a well-priced hotel with easy highway access, a free breakfast and meeting/banquet space.
Each of this smoke-free hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms and suites comes equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, an in-room safe, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a hair dryer, an iron and ironing board and a desk. Rooms with a kitchenette, a separate bedroom and a living area with a sofabed are also available, as are wheelchair-accessible rooms.
Hotel amenities include a fitness room, meeting/banquet space, a business centre, laundry services, a sightseeing desk, a free breakfast and free parking. Pets are not permitted.
George Washington's Estate & Gardens at Mount Vernon is about an 8-minute drive from the hotel, while Sacramento Center offers shopping 4 minutes away on foot. Washington, D.C. can be found roughly 30 minutes away by car and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is a 25-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets not permitted, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: October 24, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with praise going to the hotel's rates, location, rooms and breakfast.
Many guests were pleased with the hotel's rates. They were described as affordable, excellent, cheap and decent.
The hotel's location was a source of numerous compliments by reviewers. They found it close to Mount Vernon, Fort Belvoir, restaurants, highway access and a convenience store.
Several lodgers enjoyed their accommodations at the hotel. They described their rooms as clean, well equipped, nicely decorated and quiet, with comfortable beds. Some patrons had complaints about their lodgings, however (see below).
The hotel's breakfast was praised by several travellers, who described it as superb, plentiful and frequently replenished, with a large dining area. One guest noted, "The best part was breakfast. They boasted about a hot breakfast and it was but what variety. They had not only the usual waffles but also scrambled eggs that were moist not dry. Bacon one day and sausage the next, home fries, croissants and real butter".
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were some common complaints about the staff and the rooms.
Although some guests found the staff to be professional and helpful with recommendations, several reviewers were disappointed with the level of customer service they received. They characterized the staff as rude, indifferent and unhelpful, and reported they felt like an inconvenience when asking for assistance.
While several lodgers enjoyed their clean and quiet rooms, some guests complained about their lodgings. They reported poor water pressure, dated decor, small-sized rooms and noisy in-room air-conditioning units.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.1 out of 5 with a 90% recommendation rate from 195 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #29 of 50 Alexandria hotels with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 from 99 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8 out of 10 from 9 reviews.
The author called the hotel on October 24, 2013 to verify some information.
