I have been staying at the Hawthorn in Alexandria off and on for about 5 years. My last vist was back in May and I was a little reluctant to go back, but after hearing about the change in management and remodling due to take place I decided to give it another try. Totally different hotel! The rooms look great with the new furniture. It seems like they are still working out the kinks, but it will get there. I am definitely excited to go back for my next trip in October to see the finished product.

I stayed at this hotel during 10 days.

Television was not working and it took them 5 days to replace it.

The "free internet connection" was a joke: it worked for 3 min than it was lost and you could not connect again.

The room was not well cleaned (one day there was even a small roacher walking around) and I sent an email to the manager complaining / asking for providences. She did reply but the problems persisted.

At the time I was leaving, there was a "surprise" for me: the rate, that shoud have been 120.00 + tax as I have in their confirmation email (6 nights x 120.00 = 720.00) was changed to 131.00 + tax !!! They charged 120.00 for the first 2 nights than all other nights were at 131.00 rate. It should have been 120.00 for 6 nights anf IF they wanted to change the rate during my staying, 131.00 for the 4 remaining nights.

Maybe it was a "special rate" because I complained about the hotel?

I sent an email to the manager asking for providences (I would like to receive the amount I paid more back to my credit card) but I didn't get a reply till the moment.

I would like to complain at the USA Tourism Office but I don't know to whom I can address my complain. I have the email they sent to me with a 120.00 rate and the receipt of what I have paid (131.00).
It's not all about the "money" it's about a bad hotel charging more than was already dealed.

Don't stay at this hotel. There are SEVERAL better options in Alexandria, and the city deserves a visit, it's a beautiful and safe place to travel

I just returned from my trip to Washington, DC. I stayed at Hawthron Suites with my husband and we had a great time. The hotel was only a few minutes from Washington DC and we took the metro in to see the sights with no problem. Also, the hotel is in a safe area in Alexandria. The hotel was in the process of finishing a renovation when we were there. We got to stay in one of the brand new suites and it was very nice. Very spacious clean rooms, with big comfy beds and a big kitchen. Great Deal!

Overall, our stay in the Hawthorne Suites in Alexandria was positive. We stayed for two nights while sightseeing in Washington D.C., and got a great rate on a room through Expedia.

The hotel is in a quiet and safe part of Alexandria. We left our new and nice-looking car parked there for three days. The parking lot is frequently travelled or surveyed by hotel staff, which added to our comfort.

The room was smaller than a standard "suite" hotel, but still had all the necessary amenities (including easy free wireless Internet access). Refrigerator, microwave, electric stove (no oven), and basic utensils were all provided. The room was 3.5 stars; it needed some paint in a few places.

As of June 2007, the continental breakfast is being served on the second floor in two converted guest suites while the dining area on the main floor is redone. The food selection was standard for a continental breakfast (although no waffles) and the hours were reasonable.

Our main problem came with the Metro shuttle. On one hand, the hotel is "only" a mile away from the nearest Metro stop (the Van Dorn street stop on the Blue line). The hotel runs a shuttle back and forth during the day, but after 7 p.m. or so, you have to call to be picked up. Well, one night we went to a Nationals baseball game and so didn't get back to the station until close to midnight. We called the hotel only to be told that the shuttle driver had left and they had nobody to come pick us up. They suggested we hail a taxi, but we didn't have any cash. So we had to walk one mile (maybe a mile and a half) through downtown Alexandria at night. NOT a pleasant experience. In fact, this was a major problem to us. The regularly-scheduled shuttle was also late other times we used it. If you're depending on the Metro to get into D.C. and you're staying here, make sure to take some cash for a taxi in case you get stranded.

If not for the Metro shuttle experience, I would have given the Hawthorne great marks. If the Metro bit doesn't bother you, don't hesitate to stay here. If you're using the Metro, be wary of the Hawthorne's iffy shuttle service.