Stay at the Hotel Helix if you need a break form the norm. I usually hit Washington, D.C. a couple of times a year, and after a while, the major brand hotels become a blur. The Helix, on the other hand, stands out. As affordable as it is funky, the property has a “pop culture” theme, with bright colors, front curtains instead of a door and a distinctly retro style. In this regard, though, the Helix tries too hard; a tiny bit of subtlety would have been nice.
The style is stretches to hallways and guestrooms, where there is plenty of lime green, orange and brown. While I’ve read other reviews that complain of small guestrooms, I found mine to be large enough. But, hotel rooms in my hometown (New York) are notoriously small, so my standards for size are not that high. The room was clean, and the bed was comfortable. The bathroom was a bit cramped (not enough for two people to brush their teeth at the same time), and there was a shower stall instead of a shower/bathtub.
This is not a full-service hotel, which was not a big deal to me. But, I was not thrilled to find a Chinese menu slid under my door. The Helix does have an indoor-outdoor bar and lounge, which does get busy. If you are into a party scene, this will work for you. The Helix did strike me as a younger, party-driven spot (particularly bachelorette), so expect to find the occasional drunk in the hallway or outside having a cigarette.
The Helix was a bargain (I paid less than $90 a night via Hotwire); it got the job done for an inexpensive weekend out of town. And, I would stay there again, though it wouldn’t be my first choice.
TripAdvisor has free and easy resources to help you enhance your listing and promote your property.
- Start Here - Visit Your Owners' Center
- Add Photo
- Add Video