My husband surprised me with a stay at Salamander Washington DC for our first anniversary. We stayed here the night we got married, so this trip was meant to be sentimental and special. He planned everything weeks in advance and even booked the same suite. Unfortunately, the experience was a major disappointment. From arrival, service felt off. Valet initially assumed we were dining at Dogon instead of checking in, and no one offered assistance with bags despite helping other guests. I’m 7 weeks pregnant, so the lack of attentiveness was noticeable. Check-in was slow and somewhat confusing, but the bigger issue was the special arrangements my husband had carefully planned. He had ordered flowers and specific treats to be set up in the room before we arrived and even called ahead to confirm. Instead, incorrect items were delivered hours later, and the flowers, which the hotel confirmed they received, never made it to our room. No clear explanation was given beyond “miscommunication.” Breakfast, which was included with our suite, was still charged to the room and was very mediocre. The TVs wouldn’t connect for streaming. Turndown service felt reluctant. I wasn’t feeling well enough for our dinner reservation, so we ordered room service, my Wagyu burger was dry and bland. The suite itself is beautifully designed, but beyond aesthetics, nothing about this stay felt five-star. When my husband spoke to the manager the next morning, she admitted there were no excuses, just internal miscommunication. What was meant to be a meaningful anniversary celebration ended in frustration and disappointment. We won’t be returning.

I booked a room at the Salamander DC for my mom’s birthday, and even two days after checking out she’s still talking about how it was the best birthday weekend she’s ever had. That alone made it worth it. The location is perfect, right along the Washington Channel by the Potomac. It feels calm and tucked away from the chaos of downtown, but you’re still super close to the National Mall and The Wharf. It’s kind of the best of both worlds. The service was honestly amazing. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and just really on top of things. The rooms were spotless and really comfortable. My mom kept saying how well she slept, which is rare for her when traveling. I booked through Amex Travel and it came with daily breakfast for two, which was such a nice perk. And the breakfast was actually really good, not just “hotel good,” but genuinely delicious. My parents have already said that next time they come to DC, they want to stay here again. That probably says it all. Highly recommend, especially if you’re celebrating something special.

If this is Salamander reimagined then I don’t want to know what it was like before. The rooms are nice but something with the plumbing is off where the water is either burning you or giving you frost bite. Pool is good for the kids but that’s about it. If you want to eat something at this hotel make sure you order 1.5-2 hours ahead. That’s for room service and the lounge. A few of the folks had a little sense of customer service but most didn’t care. Also don’t try to call if you need anything. They never answer nor do they call you back. I have 1 night left for my stay, I cannot wait to check out. Very disappointing experience for a 5 start hotel. I have had better stays at even 3 star hotels. They really need to hire more staff all over the property and retrain everyone on customer service.

We stayed at Salamander Washington DC from February 13–15 as a family of four, booked through Amex Platinum. Unfortunately, this was one of the most frustrating luxury hotel experiences we’ve had. Prior to arrival, I had been emailing for weeks requesting adjoining or at least nearby rooms for our travel partners. When we arrived for early check-in, only one room was ready — which we understood, as early check-in is based on availability. We were told the second room would be directly across the hall, which would have been perfectly fine. However, our travel partners’ room wasn’t ready for several more hours and ultimately ended up on a completely different floor. When we asked to have the rooms closer together, we were told they could accommodate this — but it required us to switch rooms after we had already settled in. We were told the new room would be ready in 30 minutes; it wasn’t ready for over two hours. We nearly missed our dinner reservation, and my husband had to stay behind to continue working through the issue with a manager. Unfortunately, the room issues didn’t end there: There was urine in the toilet in our new room upon arrival. Our travel partners’ room had a visibly dirty bathtub and almost no water pressure. Our room had no body wash; theirs had no conditioner. We waited three hours for basic utensils to be sent up, calling three separate times for reminders. By the time they arrived, our food was completely cold. We spent an inordinate amount of time speaking with management rather than enjoying our trip. There was also consistent miscommunication among staff. We ordered drinks from Dogon to enjoy in the lobby. Our order was accepted, then a manager came out and said we weren’t allowed to do that — then reversed the decision. It felt disorganized and awkward. At breakfast, they were unable to split our bill by room, which is a very standard request. We also felt strongly pushed toward the buffet and discouraged from ordering off the menu. Finally, despite having guaranteed late checkout through our booking, our key cards stopped working hours before our confirmed checkout time. For a property positioned as luxury — and at this price point — the level of disorganization, lack of cleanliness, and operational inefficiency was extremely disappointing. We spent far too much of our short stay troubleshooting basic service issues. I would not recommend staying here again.

I recently stayed at the Salamander DC for a quick one-night getaway. While the stay was perfectly pleasant, it didn't quite hit the 'luxury status' I expected from the marketing. The service was satisfactory and the staff were professional, but there wasn't that 'above and beyond' intuition you typically find at this price point. The ambiance felt a bit more functional than immersive—it lacks that distinct high-end character that truly separates a five-star hotel from a standard high-end business hotel. Overall a solid choice, but I was hoping for a bit more of a curated luxury feel.

Had a wonderful stay here over thanksgiving weekend, had one of the studio suites which was beautifully appointed and always impeccably clean. Bathroom with a wonderful tub and shower separate was a highlight. Excellent staff and service at every level, and just a few minutes walk to the mall makes it a great location for typical sight-seeing.

One of the most disappointing experiences I have ever had, so much so that we were checked in for two nights and checked out within an hour because it was so terrible. This hotel has so much work to do to live up to its stars, its price point, and any basic expectations. I had originally posted that the $37 resort fee leaves bad taste in your mouth before your experience even begins. The manager replied with words to the effect of “ this is to provide the best experience”. I would expect that this is included in the prices of almost $700 per night. It is price gauging at its worse. But that’s not where it ends. Valet parking (and there is no parking very close) is $80 per night. When we checked in, the “basic” WiFi is free but “ premium WiFi” is $10 per day. Again, a 5 star experience should have the best facilities as part of the baseline. Funny enough, the manager called out “providing WiFi” in justifying the resort fee. There is no consistency among the staff- they are fragmented and it looks like there hasn’t been any training. Our room was basic and the wallpaper was peeling off the wall in some places. The date on our TV said “January 1 1970”- it was Dec 31 2025. Simple but again a sign of the lack of attention to detail. The streaming on our TV didn’t work so I phone down to enquire if this was down to a lack of “ premium WiFi”. The person casually said “oh that may not be working at all actually. It’s broken in a lot of rooms.”. She said she would send an engineer. 15 minutes later I followed up and was told it would be within the next 5 minutes. It was over an hour. For the price point and because it was already such a negative experience, we decided to check out immediately. I spoke to the manager on duty about all the things that went wrong and he was almost resigned to it. He was happy for us to check out and agreed they had a lot of work to do. On the way down in the elevator, another family saw our bags and asked were we checking out. When we told them our experience, they shared that they had been there one night and were having a terrible time- wrong room, bad service and feeling unheard. There may be a cohort that are happy to see their money thrown away but from a value for money, integrity, and reputation perspective, the management at Salamander DC have a lot to answer for in what they charge, what they actually deliver, and the standards they deem acceptable. No doubt there will be a well crafted response to this review from management about “ seeing us another time to ensure a better experience” but they have missed the opportunity and are sewing genuine mistrust with their patrons. This was something we were really looking forward to and it was a huge ordeal. Poor service, no care, hidden costs, and by no means a 5 star experience. Book at your peril.

I recently stayed three nights at the Salamander Washington, DC, and it was an excellent experience from start to finish. The room was exceptionally comfortable, especially the bed, which made it easy to rest after long days of sightseeing. The bathroom was spotless and well-maintained, reflecting the hotel’s high standards of cleanliness and attention to detail. The food was outstanding, and I want to especially recognize Ms. Dolly for her warm, friendly, and attentive service. She truly made our dining experience memorable with her professionalism and genuine hospitality. The hotel’s location is another major highlight—perfectly situated within walking distance of many national museums and the vibrant DC Wharf area. It made exploring the city incredibly convenient and enjoyable. Overall, the Salamander Washington, DC delivered comfort, excellent service, and an ideal location. I would absolutely recommend it and look forward to staying again.

? Elegant Design Meets Staffing Challenges at the Salamander Washington DC ? The Salamander Washington DC is undeniably beautiful. Every corner feels carefully designed, from the grand lobby to the finely detailed suites. It’s the kind of hotel that instantly conveys calm and sophistication — but during my visit, it became clear that the property is still facing operational challenges that impact family comfort and convenience. ? Pros Beautifully Decorated: The hotel’s interior design is stunning — elegant, modern, and soothing. Every space feels curated, from the lobby seating to the suite finishes. High-Quality Furnishings: The suite furniture was clearly crafted with quality in mind — solid, stylish, and built to last. That said, the pieces were extremely heavy. I needed to move a nightstand for my son’s safety, as he tends to roll toward the edge of the bed, and I’m fairly certain I strained my back in the process. Kind, Professional Staff: Every staff member I interacted with was genuinely kind and patient. From the IT technician who tried to fix my TV to the front desk associates managing long lines with calm professionalism, their courtesy never wavered. ?? Technical and Service Challenges While the team’s attitude was excellent, the hotel was clearly understaffed. Check-in took quite a while, with only two employees managing a long line. The same issue arose at checkout — the online system didn’t work, and the front desk line was again overwhelming. I ultimately had to leave and send an email to complete my checkout and am still waiting to hear back. The in-room streaming system didn’t work, which was disappointing. As a tech-savvy guest, I could tell the problem would take time to resolve — if it could be fixed at all. The IT technician was wonderful and escalated my concerns to management, resulting in a fair discount that I appreciated. Unfortunately, although staff offered to help with my luggage, no one ever came. After traveling with children, that lack of follow-through was frustrating. Adding to the disappointment, the children’s playroom was closed, removing one of the few on-site family amenities that had influenced my booking decision. ?? Cons Understaffed Front Desk: Check-in and checkout both involved long waits due to limited staffing. Streaming System Issues: The in-room streaming did not work, and troubleshooting required IT support. Closed Playroom: The hotel’s children’s playroom was unavailable during the stay, which limited family-friendly options. Heavy Furniture: Beautiful but extremely difficult to move — inconvenient when traveling with young children. Missed Assistance: Although help with luggage was offered, no one arrived. ? Overall Impression The Salamander Washington DC is visually impressive and staffed by kind people who genuinely want to help, but it’s not currently suited for family getaways. Between the closed playroom, limited streaming access, and staffing shortages, the experience felt more stressful than restorative. I appreciated the team’s professionalism and the gesture of a discount, but until operations stabilize, I’d recommend this hotel for solo travelers or couples rather than families with children. — #1 Maryland Homeschool Oversight Program Reviews are created and managed by St. Virgo LLC.

What a lovely hotel. The betting was extremely first class. I love the mattress and the robe. The area that it's situated is wonderful. We walked to the mall and we walked to the spy museum and the wharf. We did park two blocks away instead of the hotel though. It was $16 a night. The room was beautiful the staff was lovely The restaurant breakfast was very good, the service was a bit slow though. We did eat at Dogon which was exceptional. Jessica the concierge there was able to get us a last minute reservation. She was very helpful through our whole stay. It's definitely would stay there again.