I never leave bad reviews but i did not have a good experience. Walked into a musty/earthy smelling room and just brushed it off. Went to shower and saw splotches of black on the ground and realized the water pressure from the shower pushed the black mold in one of the corners out. Notified the front desk and told me that someone would come to “clean it up”. I then asked for a new room cause i didn’t feel comfortable staying in here and they told me they were full and couldn’t accommodate. Not a good experience.

It took me a while to think about what I would write as a review because I am so obsessed with the bartender that works there name Lex She was actually the reason why this was my second time coming back to this location she even remembered me and my sister, which made us feel overly impressed and welcomed!Her customer service, efficiency and hospitality was amazing. 10 out of 10!!!! However everything else was not as I enjoyed the last trip they messed up our rooms as well as Incorrectly charged us that frustrated the whole process of checking in and checking out. This may have been my last time going there. I hate to say but Lex really is the reason I won’t be going into any more details about how horrible the check-in and check out experience was. I hope they keep her and appreciates her as much as we did!

Hotel Zena has a lot going for it. The staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful throughout my stay, and when a small billing error occurred, it was investigated and corrected before I checked out. The location is excellent and very walkable, and I enjoyed the women-empowerment theme and unique design throughout the lobby and hallways. Unfortunately, the rooms felt dated despite past renovations, and the bathrooms could use a refresh. The biggest drawback was the bed and pillows, which were extremely uncomfortable and made it difficult to get a good night's sleep during my five-night stay. Overall, great service and location, but the room comfort needs improvement.

I recently stayed at Hotel Zena in Washington, DC from Tuesday, May 5 through Saturday, May 10. We chose this hotel because of its convenient work location and all the hype it gets on TikTok. Based on the videos, it seemed like it would be a really nice place to stay. Unfortunately, the hotel didn’t quite live up to the hype for me. The location was definitely convenient, but overall the experience felt a little lackluster — especially considering the price. One of the first downsides was the $59 per night parking fee, which felt excessive. The hotel staff also wasn’t particularly friendly or welcoming. One thing that really concerned me was the security issue involving room keys. My friend flew in from Florida on Wednesday, May 6 while I was at work. I had originally planned to leave a key for her under her name at the front desk. Instead, she was able to go to the desk, provide only my first and last name, show her own ID — even though her name was never listed on the reservation — and they still gave her a room key. She texted me afterward saying she was already on her way up to the room. Considering guests also have to use their key cards to access the elevators and floors, that situation honestly made me uncomfortable. The hotel does serve breakfast, lunch, and possibly dinner onsite, although we never ate there. To be honest, there was never much activity or even the smell of food that made it feel like a lively dining area. They also advertised a happy hour from 5–7 PM, but we didn’t attend. Outside of the room key situation, I will say the area itself felt safe. There were National Guard members frequently walking around the neighborhood, and there’s a Wawa and CVS directly across the street. I actually walked over around 10:30 PM one night to grab a late snack after my flight arrived late Tuesday evening. We stayed in a two-queen room, and the space felt pretty tight for DC standards. The room itself also seemed older than expected. We did have a nice view overlooking Thomas Circle and what I believe was the National City Christian Church, which was probably one of the better parts of the stay. Overall, I just wanted to share my honest experience for anyone considering Hotel Zena. It wasn’t terrible, but for the amount I paid per night, I definitely feel like there are better hotel options in the area. Do your research and due diligence before booking.

Stayed at Hotel Zena for two days and had a great experience. From check-in to checkout, the staff was professional, polite, and welcoming. The whole hotel has a true upscale vibe. The room was well designed (especially the shower), and everything from room service to valet ran smoothly. We also had a great city view overlooking a rotunda-style area, which made the stay even better. What stood out most was how respected and taken care of we felt—it had a luxury, penthouse-style feel without being over the top. Definitely worth it.

We recently stayed here on a reservation booked through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, which includes a $100 property credit. At checkout, the process felt rushed and we were essentially brushed off. We were told the receipt would be emailed to us, but we never received it. After traveling home, we had to call the hotel later that day just to obtain a copy of the folio. It was only then that we discovered the $100 FHR property credit had not been applied because the wrong card was used at checkout. At no point during checkout were we reminded that payment needed to be made with the Amex card to receive the benefit, despite the reservation being flagged as FHR. Had the checkout process not been rushed, there is a strong chance this could have been corrected on the spot. There was also no ability for them to unpost the charge and run it with the correct card. While I understand there are program rules, the lack of communication and the dismissive checkout experience were disappointing. If you book through Amex FHR, double check your folio before leaving and make sure you pay with your Amex card. Will be looking elsewhere on return trips to DC and would recommend the same.

Super sweet front desk staff and lovely room! Didn't check out gym or bar but appreciated the in room amenities and quiet place to relax. Easy walk from local restaurants and conference center.

Horrible experience. This hotel is currently ignoring my department's calls to rectify wrongful charging. Hotel Zena charged my incidental card instead of the card on the reservation, and has now proceeded to ghost my department (the sponsor) and refuse to coordinate a very minor error on their part. What’s even crazier about all of this is that they would still get paid regardless. They made a mistake, and refuse to rectify it, for reasons that are beyond me. Now my department must reimburse me directly. On my first night, I discovered that there was a leak that was seeping through the wall whenever the shower was on. I went downstairs and kindly explained what I noticed, and a particular staff member at the front desk was already dismissive right off the bat. She asked if I wanted maintenance to go upstairs in a rather rude and confused way. I said yes, and when I came back to the hotel later that day, she told me they could not find a leak whatsoever. She also stated that they tested the shower for 20 minutes to see if the leak would occur. When I offered photographic evidence (I took a picture and a video of the leak) she immediately cut me off and told me I would get a new room regardless. I am not needlessly interested in an upgrade, and I was made to feel like I was a liar. I went upstairs to pack up my things and get ready for the room change, and out of curiosity, I turned on the shower one last time. And just like that! The leak happened again. I find it hard to believe that anybody let the water run for 20 minutes and did not notice a puddle leaking into the room’s hallway. Over the course of the week, this staff member gave me rude looks and noticeably rolled her eyes at me when I was simply walking by in the lobby. I would not recommend this hotel.

Did not stay at hotel. Visited the lobby/bar area to support popup shop vendors, HERmarket event. Bartender, Alexis and Lorenzo, held me down. Alexis fixed a john blaze Amaretto sour and I paired it with an Amarillo Ceasar salad. Quite tasty...5-star service...

We hosted our annual Women's Entrepreneurship Celebration at the Fig Leaf bar and everything was phenomenal. The entire events team went above and beyond to help make our event a success. The space is so gorgeous and inspiring. The food and drink was delicious. And so many of our event attendees had no idea such a great space existed in the heart of DC! More people should know about and make use this amazing hotel.