I have stayed at the Embassy Suites - Chevy Chase on numerous trips. However, rather than getting better, they continue to disappoint. I was thrilled to be using HHonor points to pay for this visit, so it didn't cost me a dime. If it had, I would have been enraged!

The location is first-rate. If you're looking for a convenient location away from central D.C., the Embassy Suites at Friendship Heights cannot be beat! It's located atop the Friendship Heights Metro Station. This means you have instant connectivity to the Metro without having to go outside. The Metro is connected via underground access directly to the Chevy Chase Pavilion. The hotel is located within the pavilion, along with shopping and several restaurants (including a Cheesecake Factory). Ahhh, temptation awaits! Unfortunately, the California Pizza Kitchen has moved out and been replaced with a Stein Mart. Oh well, so much for cheap, but decent food on the run. There are many restaurants located nearby, so this isn't a problem. Likewise a quick trip up or down the Metro opens other dining options at Bethesda, Cleveland Park, or all of a twenty-minute ride into the heart of DC.

Given the weather this time of the year, the direct access to the Metro is a real blessing, especially when it is cold and raining. However, location aside, the Embassy Suite has a LONG WAY TO GO to performing up to its brand.

Check-in was quick and my room type was readily available and properly reserved. My previous stay at this location was less than satisfactory. On a previous trip I was checked into a filthy room with badly worn furnishings and incredibly poor carpeting that was stained and odor ridden. I immediately asked to be moved to another room. Rather than volunteering to move me, I had to wheel my luggage up and down the elevator to the next room. Since it appeared o.k., I unpacked and was off to various meetings. However, upon returning to the room I became aware that the bathroom plumbing was not working properly and needed to be moved again! This was ridiculous. Hotel management should have removed both of these rooms from their inventory. The hotel manager apologized and told me that if I was ever to return, to ask for an upgrade.

Well, that's where this most recent visit picks up. Having stayed at two other hotels while in DC since the trip described above, I decided to return to the Embassy Suites to "give them another chance". As stated, check-in went smoothly, but after offering the recap of my previous visit, an upgrade was not made available! I was disappointed that no follow-through on the previous manager's commitment was made, but all said, I really wasn't surprised at this location!

It was my understanding that the hotel had been partially renovated and I asked for one of the newly remodeled rooms. No one at the front desk knew what I was speaking about. As it turns out, the staff was from a Chicago Doubletree and were poorly informed about this property. However, the manager assured me that I would be assigned a remodeled room. As it turned out, the carpet was new (December 2004 installation claimed). The wallpaper was dirty and the ceiling in the bedroom was spotted with black gunk over one of the beds. It looked as though someone had thrown something on the ceiling and management never bothered to clean it up. To say the least, it was unsightly, and who knows how unsanitary? The view, however, was one of the best from this hotel, a corner suite overlooking Wisconsin Avenue and the people activity below.

It's important to be far enough away from the elevator in an Embassy Suite, as EVERYone comes and goes via one bank of elevators. Yet, being located too far away presents a hassle in terms of distance. So, I'd say the room location was perfect!

To check housekeeping's abilities against the last visit, I had purposefully placed a small, brightly colored morsel beneath the window in the bedroom to see if it would be swept up. For a stay of one week, it was never touched. So much for housekeeping! A roommate had inadvertently dropped a candy wrapper in the living room in front of the couch and it was never swept up either. I watched with disappointed and amusement as day by day nothing was done with either of these items.

It gets worse through... since the room had new carpeting and functioning plumbing, I counted myself lucky (compared to the previous visit). But, the exhaust fan in the bathroom was malfunctioning. It would start for 30 seconds and then get stuck, whining as it attempted to circulate air. This is a DANGEROUS situation that can result in a fire. Since the fan is connected to the light, everytime one uses the bathroom, the light is on, and the fan continues to strain (and overheat). I immediately called this to the front desk's attention and had been assured that it would be promptly repaired. After six nights, the situation still existed -- even as I checked out it had not been fixed. It is obvious that management is oblivious to the safety of their guests.

The breakfast that is included every morning was adequate. The food services manager is kind and gracious. One of his short international cooks is very surly and not very good natured. Many guests noted his demeanor and poor attitude. However, one of the Indian bus people is so kind that he makes up for the other's rudeness. This kind gentleman in going about his chores, also roams the Atrium and assists people in every way imaginable. Always smiling, he deserves a medal for going out of his way. The same can be said of the bar staff during the manager's reception each evening. They appear to be taken for granted, yet do a commendable job. It would be nice for management to acknowledge the good work these people do!

Prior to checking out I asked the front desk staff where the closest post office was located. They had no idea. One fellow finally agreed to look up an address for me in the phone book. When asked where it was located, he thought it was only a block away. I asked another front desk member the next day and she told me it was two blocks north of the hotel. As it turned out, it was four long blocks away. I lugged a very heavy parcel those four blocks in a driving rain and did not appreciate the front desk personnel's lack of knowledge. They need a good orientation to the hotel property and the surrounding area. This is inexcusable!

Likewise, when asked about area restaurants, they provided a poor, almost illegible photocopied list of eateries. They knew nothing beyond what was printed on the form. The list had been photocopied so many times that the phone numbers were very difficult to read and I misdialed at least three numbers because it was hard to discern the correct numbers! Outrageously bad! How can management allow this to continue? It certainly is a discredit to Hilton!

On the day of checkout (which is 12 Noon) I sought a three-hour extension and after considerable argument with Mr. Michael Matthews (a front office assistant) was told I must be out of the room by 2:00 PM. As a silver elite member with Hilton, I expect more! I don't believe that I should need to negotiate a reasonable extension when I was a guest for almost a week! I also believe that I should have the recourse of reaching a bona fide manager when a staff member isn't empowered or feels that he just doesn't want to accommodate a reasonable request of this nature. NO manager was available for the ENTIRE day, or so I was told! This is simply unacceptable.

Last, you should note that this particular visit occurred during Spring Break 2005. This meant that kids were roaming the balconies of the hotel and making considerable noise well into some evenings. The hotel staff has an obligation to quiet these raucous youngsters. This is not appropriate behavior for guests of any hotel. Although the hotel can not control the actions of their guests, they have a responsibly to point out inappropriate behavior to those responsible and if it continues, to call the police. Neither happened. Again, management is faulty at this hotel and it shows in SO many ways!

Would I stay here again? I love the location, the kitchen and bar staff and their many good efforts, but given the lack of capable, competent management, the lack of intelligence shown by a disappointing front desk staff, less than top-notch housekeeping, and irresponsible safety issues, I doubt it. There are certainly so many other properties from which to select in DC, better-managed properties, and other good locations, that I will probably go elsewhere without thinking twice about the Embassy Suites - Chevy Chase. Likewise, I will share this information with family, friends, and business associates encouraging them to stay elsewhere.

My loyalty to this brand has been diminished greatly.
Consider yourself warned.