I read all the reviews before booking it and I took the risk and don't regret it. I assure you most of them are overreacting. The rooms were very clean and comfy. The attention was good and they even give a nice breakfast. I stayed at the infamous "garden level" and it's not bad at all. Although if you expect jacuzzis and room service this isn't the hotel for you. But if you're a turist and need a good night sleep it's just perfect.

If I had written this review within the first 2 hours of my stay, I would have given it negative stars (which is not exactly the best time for bad impressions considering that after traveling, what you really want to do is relax and settle in when you finally reach your destination). Even now after leaving and returning home, giving this place 2 stars feels like a bit of a stretch. I will start with what I liked about the place. First, the location is great. It was fair walking distance (for me - I am an urban pedestrian though and walk quite a bit) to a lot of restaurants, stores, bars, etc... located on 17th and 18th street. Connecticut Avenue and DuPont Circle were also within a fair distance, and actually there were cool or useful things in many directions and the neighborhood felt safe and was quite charming. After a while, the place did grow on me a bit and I did have a decent view - if you care about such things. Now here's the bad. First of all, my roomwas booked at the Embassy Inn, which is a part of the same hotel group. When I arrived, I was told there was an issue with the plumbing and that I was being moved to 2 blocks north to the Windsor - a minor inconvenience but this would set the tone. Upon arrival at the Windsor, there was an odd odor in the lobby and a cat (i like pets but it gave me pause,later sort of winning me over). I was told that I was getting a "garden room." Refer to other reviews regarding "garden rooms." Mine was tiny and dank and should have been called the "creepy basement with locked gate to outside laundry area next to the boiler room." If you at any point in the reservation process hear the phrase "garden room," work on getting that switched or run. After 2 hours in my "garden room," I went to the front desk and complained. Thankfully, I was given a much better room. As a side note, I don't think the hotel was actually full, so if that's the case, then I am really annoyed I was given a "garden room" at all. They should be emergency acts of desperation on the part of the occupant and the management - as a manager I would be embarrassed to put anyone there unless absolutely necessary. The next worse thing about this place is the internet connection. The wireless internet never worked in my room for more than twenty minutes and I had to go down to the lobby for every little thing - I use the internet a lot. I find this to be highly unacceptable in 2012, especially if you use it as a selling point and I saw other people have the same issue so I know it wasn't just me. And even in the lobby, which is bull crap that I have to leave my room to use the internet, the connection was spotty. I feel like this is a byproduct of lazy ownership/management and indicates that customer comfort and need is not a priority. The breakfast was mediocre. My room was clean. The decor was so/so. The only way I would stay here again would be as a last resort (maybe price because I am on a budget but I think if you plan in advance you can get better deals on much better places) and I would want the same room or one comparable.

It's interesting that this place is called the Windsor Inn, because I had the distinct impression that they were trying to mimic an English B&B -- although perhaps not the best English B&B. More like one of those B&B's near Paddington Station, in London. Fine for a night or two, but you wouldn't want to stay there for two weeks. Anyway, the room was small, but clean. (By "small" I mean that you had to put your suitcase on the bed, unpack, close the suitcase, and stand it on the floor in order to lie on the bed. There was no other space in which to open your suitcase.) The towels were not plush, but they also were clean. The location is excellent, but I wondered if you might not get a bargain at a slightly nicer place through judicious searching. Maybe not. The breakfast was acceptable -- not special. There was a "hotel cat," which was a sweet touch. (Sounds more like England all the time, doesn't it?) One of the men who worked at the front desk was very nice and helpful; a second man acted as though he would rather have been somewhere else and that my presence was pretty-much an annoyance. I might go back to this hotel, just for the fun of it, but I'm not sure that I "recommend" it.

You don't stay here for the ambiance, that's for sure. However, if you are looking for a deal in a great location, this is your place. The hotel is blocks from the action in Dupont Circle and an easy bus ride to nightlife in Adam's Morgan. The front desk staff can be surly, the internet is quite iffy, the decor outdated and there are other minor annoyances, like there's an extra charge for a second person in the room and there are no peepholes, but we paid significantly less than we would have anywhere else, besides perhaps the Red Roof Inn in Chinatown. The location was close to our friends and the restaurant and bar mecca that is Dupont Circle.

We've stayed there twice, but it's better if you know what you are getting into.

Note: If you are traveling two to a room, the standard-sized bed may prove a bit snug.