Hampton Inn & Suites Washington DC Navy Yard

Opened in 2015, the Hampton Inn is housed in a 13-floor modern building with moderately stylish contemporary interiors. The lobby features elements like blond-wood floors, framed photographs, and large windows, and guests relax here at the communal table and on sofas to read and work on laptops. They also congregate at the free breakfast buffet and the seasonal rooftop bar, overlooking the Washington Nationals’ stadium and the surrounding area. The hotel has a family-friendly, energetic atmosphere, particularly on game days and nights. It also gets a number of military guests in town who want accommodations near the navy yard.  

The Hampton Inn is a little less than a five-minute drive off the I-695 freeway in the Navy Yard area. The hotel is next to Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals baseball team. There are numerous restaurants and bars near the hotel, but the area can get empty out at night when there isn't a ballgame. The Navy Yard metro station is a one-minute walk from the hotel and there are several bus stops within a five-minute walk. The Yards Park is a seven-minute walk away, and Washington Navy Yard, U.S. Navy Museum, and Cold War Gallery Museum are all about 10 minutes by bus or 15 minutes on foot. 

Reaching the National Mall, National Museum of the American Indian, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum takes about 10 minutes by metro. It's a 20-minute metro ride to Capitol Hill, the Library of Congress, Supreme Court, Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Washington Monument. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is 15 to 30 minutes by car or 25 minutes by metro from the Hampton, while Dulles International Airport is 40 to 75 minutes by car or about 90 minutes by metro.

The guest rooms and studio suites at the Hampton have a contemporary look, with dark-wood furniture, framed photos, all-white bedding, and a color palette of muted gray, beige, tan, brown, and light green. The look is moderately stylish, but decor still has a chain-hotel flavor. The main asset of the rooms is their size: all are 345 square feet or larger. Some units overlook Nationals Park and/or the Anacostia River, and all come with comfy beds with thick mattresses and soft sheets, 40-inch flat-screen TVs with HD channels and HBO, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi, and suites add microwaves, wet bars, and sofa beds. Another neat feature is the downloadable phone app that allows guests to open the room door via Bluetooth technology. The sleek and spacious bathrooms feature showers or shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and toiletries. 

The rooftop bar is the hotel’s centerpiece feature. Open during baseball season, it has a prime view of Nationals Park and field, the river, and surrounding area. The menu is mostly bar food like burgers, wings, and nachos, with happy hour and daily specials. Some previous patrons have grumbled about the high prices. But guests are enthusiastic about the free breakfast buffet, with its ample spread of eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, and wide range of cold items. Takeaway bags with cold items are available on weekday mornings, and free coffee and tea are available around the clock. There is no full-service restaurant on site, but several dining spots are within a short walk of the hotel. The hotel lacks a swimming pool, which some other properties in the area have, but there's a fitness center on-site with weight machines, free weights, and several cardio machines.

Other amenities include coin-op laundry, meeting rooms, business center, 24-hour lobby convenience store, and 24-hour front desk. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building. There is no self-parking, but valet parking is available for a fee, and it’s a bit pricey. Up to two pets, 50 pounds or under per pet, are allowed in each room for no fee.