The Morrison-Clark Inn

We paid for this quaint inn for a romantic weekend get away to warm things up. It was 25 degrees outside with the chill of Winter. The car show was in town!
Upon arrival the interior was recently beautifully renovated with a welcoming bar area and nice restaurant located on the second level. Something was peculiar within the hotel. It was room 608 in the renovated section that we were assigned that had no hot water in bathroom to bathe or shower, that we discovered the following morning. We informed the front desk. They advised us to run it for a while about ten minutes. It didn’t work.
The front desk sent an engineer up that confirmed NO HOT WATER, which he admitted had been an issue that they we aware of. Could it be a health code violation that could affect the dining and bar area? Hot water flows to more that just room 608, I’m sure! They never even offered to allow us to shower in another room. Maybe we should have asked… I stayed dressed in my PJs, we called valet for our car and went home to the comfort of my lovely bathroom with HOT water to take a shower!
Upon checking out the clerk took our bill and said management would make a decision on how they would handle the inconvenience. After several phone calls, no one seemed to have the authority to handle or call me back regarding this inconvenience. Nothing.
I am telling you the truth… I have never experienced anything like this, at any hotel stay, domestic or abroad. The ghost of NO hot water may plague you at this alluring inn.
Poor guest service, on the front desk related to how they handle situations like this, will leave you with a memorable impression to never stay again. They need to make it RIGHT!

I am in DC for a business trip. Stayed here for 2 nights. It is a lot less expensive than Hyatt 5 min away… It is such a nice historical hotel with chic new decoration. The staffs are nice and helpful. Will definitely come back.

I stayed here June 25^th to 27^th for a family trip after attending my bar swearing-​in ceremony.
Having read old reviews online, I was concerned about my reservations getting «lost» having booked through a third party at a discount rate. But the reps at this hotel did no such thing! Customer service was gold! Before I arrived, I messaged the hotel on Facebook and requested 2 renovated rooms which is just what we got. The non-​renovated rooms were all closed off when we got there, so we would have gotten renovated rooms anyways, but I really appreciated them getting back to me and wanting to take care of any requests I had.
Valet parking is $ 38/​night plus tax. If you intend on using your car and going in and out several times a day it’s worth the price. But if like me you want to just park our car for the duration of the stay then I suggest you park at the One Franklin Square Garage (1301 K St NW) which is $ 27 for 24 hours. I’ve done my research and this was the closest parking lot (5 minute walk) to the hotel at the cheapest rate, open 24 hours and on weekends. You can check it out on
.
The hotel entrance is on L street and we were able to park right outside the entrance to unload our luggage. There are stairs up to the entrance so people with mobility issues would have to go in through the other entrance that the bell hops use.
After unloading and parking the car, I checked us in. Upon entering the hotel, I was blown away by how beautiful it is. It’s much smaller than a high-​end chain hotel, but the attention to detail was really impressive and this continued all the way to our rooms (pretty hallway carpets). The hotel has an overall Oriental theme. The front desk person wasn’t very friendly during the check in process which was a bit awkward. I didn’t really mind but a nice welcome greeting really picks up the moods of weary travelers. Just sayin!
We were given two rooms side by side. The room key was a touch card (no swiping), which was pretty cool. Both rooms were pretty much the same, but the one my mom and I shared had a chest of drawers, and was slightly bigger then the room that my dad and brother shared. The rooms were beautiful, clean, clearly very new and the attention to detail was again lovely. The rooms has a large armoire and a safe which came in very handy. I don’t know where I would have put my clothes though if we didn’t have the chest of drawers. Every room should have one! We didn’t have the best view as it looked out to the apartment buildings at the back of the hotel but we didn’t mind. The bathroom was pretty fab ie. very modern, high end materials. They also use Bath and Body Works products which is a nice touch.
Thirty minutes after we checked in the maid came around with 2 bottles of spring water! You get two bottles per night. Wi-​fi is free. The AC was very quiet and easily adjustable. We had amazing sleep both nights as the beds are super comfy and the hotel is quiet!
Keep in mind that they do not provide tea/​coffee maker in the room. If you want some you have to order room service ($ 4 + 20% service charge) or go down to the bar and purchase there. It was strange not having access to something so basic. I feel like they will re-​think this at some point as I am sure guests do not appreciate having to dole out $ 4 for coffee or having to walk to Starbucks first thing in the am.
The White House is 15 mins away if you walk real slow. It took us 10 minutes (easy walk down 11^th and across New York Ave.) The location of this hotel is prime. Close enough to walk to the main tourist area, but far enough out so that the price is decent. The DC Circulator which is the bus service that runs through the tourist spots and costs just $ 1, runs on K St, which is 2 mins away from the hotel.
I can’t comment on the hotel restaurant as we ordered in from some amazing places near the hotel. One was El Rinconcito Café which is 3 minutes walk from the hotel at the corner of 11^th and M! The hotel also has a beautiful patio area which we weren’t able to enjoy since it rained most of the time we were there.
Overall our stay was great, at an amazing price. I think they have great room rates at the moment because they want to draw people in. I don’t think it’ll stay low for long. I’m sure after this renovation, its ranking will be climbing quite steeply, which will be well deserved. My family loved the hotel and I was glad that I was able to treat them to this gem of a place!

I had a good, reasonably-​priced stay at this very nice hotel, but it wasn’t without problems. First, they had no record of my reservation even though I had my confirmation number, and showed them the email from the hotel *itself* welcoming me. I’m just glad I checked in early and that they had a room available. Considering I made the reservation from their website, received emails from them and had the details, it suggests that something is broken in their reservation system.
2^nd issue — the sheets were wet when I checked in. I guess they steam iron the top portion of the bed (where your head goes) for appearances, and they must have just finished up the room. Anyway, when I was lying down to read, I noticed the problem. By bed time it was dry.
3^rd issue — Someone was wandering around knocking on doors late at night. I think it was someone what wasn’t quite able to remember his room number, and may have had one (or five) drinks too many but still frustrating. I called the front desk and they did someone up to investigate but by then the person was gone.
4^th issue — the very nice and modern shower desperately needs someplace (anyplace!!) to put soap, shampoo, etc. The only place was the floor of the enclosure.
This was actually just a really nice place, and despite all the problems, provided an overall excellent experience.

This hotel was OK. My company booked my stay during a recent conference. It was across the street from the main conference hotel, walking distance from several monuments and about a ten minute walk to the Metro. It is well placed. Reading the reviews about happy hour and breakfast, I was NEVER informed about any of these or frankly other amenities. I’m surprised these were even available. When I arrived they asked for my credit card to hold, but they actually ran my card and I was surprised because usually hotels will keep the number on file and only charge you if there are incidentals. Anyway, I settled into my first room and shortly after I felt itchy bites around my legs even though I’d been wearing jeans. I was unsure whether it was the room or some other thing but over the next day I noticed any time I was in the room I was getting bitten. I finally informed the staff and they said they were unaware and they’d move me. So I get back, pack all my things up and take the key to the new room which happens to be less than half the size of the original one. Now I’m feeling like I was punished for complaining. Yet, I’m trying to look out for my health and I have to run to my conference so I concede. Until I get downstairs, and they ask if I’m happy. Well I’m glad I’m not at risk for being bitten but why am I going to have my Company pay suite price for a matchbox room? I explained my quibble and they offered to give me a comparable room after I get back because it wasn’t ready yet. So when I got back I had to move yet again. The other odd thing was how at least twice the housekeeping staff attempted to enter my room but gave NO notice so I became alarmed at what I perceived as an intruder. Only after I called out they identified themselves. Oh and when I inquired about the «fitness center» I was instructed to go to the second floor and it was next to the computer lab. However when I went to the second floor I only noticed a door marked storage closet. I had to listen to the door together that this was the appropriate door for me to enter. I was perplexed as to why there was no signage only a sign saying it was a «storage closet.» It was a small room, it has three machines, a weight set, several mats, but it should have been equipped with disinfectant wipes as well as appropriate signage. It was cute and the décor was nice but Not sure I’d stay here again.

I had my wedding reception at the Morrison-​Clark Inn and I couldn’t have been happier. Bethany, the F&B manager, and Nick, the chef, were incredibly easy to work with. Bethany, especially, was incredibly patient with my questions and budget concerns. She walked me though the details of the event several times, and allayed any fears I had about the event. I only had one month to plan my wedding with a very tight budget! They both sat down with me to help me figure out what foods I should choose to serve within my budget and went above and beyond to give me the best reception possible. On my wedding day, everyone was impressed with the reception that they are still talking about it! Bethany was there making sure everything was smooth and there were no hitches. She did an amazing job. Everyone loved the horsdoeurves that Nick made too. Ultimately, my guests were so impressed that three of them have been asking me about having their wedding reception there too.

Obvious recent renovation and addition to this hotel. The old building is barely used, but those rooms have also been updated.
It’s basically an all new hotel. With that said:
Excellent overall. Great shower/​bath design, fine room, bed, service. I hope the management keeps their head and doesn’t overprice as amenities are not up too 4−5star hotels, sad «fitness center» and pool, weak restaurant, bath supplies, etc. IF the pricing remains $ 135-​$ 160 per night, great deal and balanced cost/​product. If it moves over the $ 160 per night range, not a good deal.

Pros:
Historic and newly renovated, this inn is a hidden gem compared to overpriced hotels.
— Friendly and competent staff
— Safe location for sightseeing and dining
— Charming courtyard
— Comfortable, quiet and clean rooms
— Impressive restaurant & contemporary bar
— Reading room and unique history
Cons:
Instead of arranging the process of shipping a lost item at the time and the expense of the customer, the Inn should already have a well-​defined system in place. Granted, the employee accountable for lost items was very nice. Two months, several email attempts and phone calls, the item was shipped.

This hotel is a newly renovated beauty just waiting to be romanced in. This place is completely off the radar and I am persuaded to think that many have not seen it’s recent makeover. The décor on the main floor is modern contemporary with these elaborate scarlet light fixtures that look like roped tassels hanging from the ceiling. Reminds me of a cute little boutique hotel in Manhattan. The staff was polite, neat, and polished.
To what privilege did I owe this visit? A private book signing for Washington Post’s Robin Givhan’s new book Battle of Versailles Fashion show. For you fashion buffs (you probably already know this)-the first ready to wear fashion battle between the French and the Americans, which debuted African American models for the first time on a Paris Runway. HUGE Moment. ANYWAYS, the event was on the 2^nd story loft area next to the dining room. The mushroom crostini’s and the tempura veggies were fresh and tasty, along with the chicken satay skewers that were served promptly during the cocktail hour. The reception area is Victorian inspired with window treatments and crown molding that really keep with the integrity of the original architecture.
My friend and I had dinner on the other side of the room, in the all-​white dining area. The menu is limited, but filled with sure to please American Bistro selections such as steak, crab cakes, shrimp and grits, and salmon with Caesar salad. The wine selections were perfect; I had the cabernet and a Tempranillo. Thanks to the Unilocal check-​in one of my glasses was on the house! My shrimp and grits were absolutely perfect, and did not necessarily need the bacon, but it was delicious. A magical evening in a hidden gem of a hotel! This is the place to meet up with a friend FOR A, I mean AFTER A, swanky affair *wink*

I’m not sure why I’m rating this place two stars instead of one (or zero)… Oh it’s because I’m a newlywed. I rode my bike by this place for a few months on the way home from work and thought it looked so quaint – I really wanted to stay here for the historic aspect and finally found an excuse when we needed a «staycation» retreat before our wedding. What a mistake.
I reserved a hotel room for two nights– the night before my wedding and the night of my wedding. I booked directly from the website, got a suite so there would be plenty of «get ready» space, and noted on my reservation form that this was for our wedding. It was cherry blossom season but I booked many months in advance. Call me crazy but I didn’t go check the rooms out in advance. I went based on the lobby and the website photos and with a million wedding planning things I didn’t have time.
When we checked in, the front desk person was not friendly at all. I was carrying a 25lbs dress and he didn’t offer to, I don’t know, hang it or make space to have me lay it somewhere while I checked in. He greeted me and my husband-​to-​be with, «Oh, you booked on Expedia.» Stated in a super-​judge mental way. Although I didn’t book on Expedia, I booked directly from their website though I had paid in advance. We checked in in the evening bc it had been a crazy day (day before wedding!) and he did mention they have a HH but said, sorry you missed it. I told him we were there for our wedding and I got a blank stare. I asked for a late check-​out and he just said no. I said again we were there for our wedding and would it be possible to have an extra hour??? He again said no and didn’t offer any congratulations or anything. He then POiNTED down the hallway and didn’t help with any of our stuff or escort us to our room.
I booked this place bc it is a historic hotel and thought I would be getting a historic room. Not so. We were sent down a hallway and through a door to a «new» part of the hotel. Except it wasn’t new, it was like something out of the 80s. The ceiling was extremely low and all of the light switches were at waist-​level or below, which was probably awesome for someone using a wheelchair or someone who is little but was a bit ridiculous for two rather tall guests who almost had to duck walking through the doorways. The mauve décor and shiny silver fixtures were right out of a time-​warp to 1982… nothing historic about it. The crap pine «wardrobe» the tv and safe and fridge were in didn’t have doors that closed properly, which would have been an issue for someone in a wheelchair. The room was very dark and the ceiling was very low, which one would never expect from a historic building. There was absolutely no special touch for a couple for their wedding.
The continental breakfast was gross. Stale Danishes, crappy croissants, no forks NO FORKS! No knives, only spoons to eat your breakfast. Good luck spreading corn syrupy jelly with your spoon on your toast. The fresh juice (OJ and grapefruit) was the only good thing there. The coffee was just set up in a cheap thermos, «serve yourself» way. For the prices of rooms I can’t even imagine anyone thinking this type of meal could be referred to as an included breakfast.
Because we are happy people and were celebrating a great time in our lives, I looked really hard for redeeming qualities in this place. I found none. I would advise them to better train their staff in saying, I don’t know, «congratulations» to newly weds, and to at least walk people to their rooms/​help with bags. Nothing can make up for a crappy room and gross breakfast but at least if people are nice it might seem better. Sadly this is not the case for the Morrison Clark and I will stay far far away from this place in future.

This Hotel is 15 minutes walking from nearly every important building in downtown DC. The price, if you can get it for under 200, is reasonable.
Positives are the upscale dining area and décor, excellent service from the staff, strong showers, and the free continental breakfast.
Negatives are street noise from traffic and construction on the building. My room, #3 had broken furniture and smelled like feet.
Would I stay again? Maybe, but I would be very wary of room location.

Very comfortable hotel and delicious breakfast!

From what I saw of this hotel online and the usual prices (that can exceed $ 400/​night!), I thought this was going to be a really nice hotel.
My arrival did not go very smoothly. I had called ahead to ask about parking and offered valet $ 33/​night. I asked about alternatives and they said to talk to the concierge when I arrive and indicated there would be a place to pull up my car while I check in and unload my bags while I decide what to do. One side of the hotel was completely blocked by construction and the other was completely full of street parking (later I did notice that 2 spots were marked as 15min hotel parking but they were full almost my entire stay, even when no one was in the lobby). I pull onto the corner and call to ask what I should do. They ask if I wanted valet and I asked about alternatives. They suggested a lot down the street, but the lot was full, so I decided to just go back and do valet. I called them on my way to tell them so they would be ready to get my car since there was no place to pull over. They said someone would be there, but no one was there. I pull in a blocked lane next to the construction thinking I’d be more out of the way. I call again. I waited a bit then start unloading my bags to go inside and find someone. Then I see the valet guy in front of the building and apparently he didn’t see me even though I told them exactly where I was. I start walking toward him but he insists I go and move my car on top of the crosswalk, clearly marked as illegal parking at a busy intersection! He doesn’t offer to move it himself even though I’ve already unloaded (ridiculous for valet service at a nice hotel)! They insisted I leave it there unattended and check in first. There was a line to check in so it took some time. They also kept asking me repeatedly if I was a guest of the hotel. It was like they had to verify I already paid for a room first, which was really offensive. I told them I was not comfortable leaving it parked illegally and unattended, as I had recently had my car towed for a far more minor parking infraction but they didn’t care.
They say my room isn’t ready yet, even though it was about 3:20 and check in time stated on their website was 3pm. It only ended up being 10 minutes and they offered me coffee and cookies so not a huge deal but still frustrating. They never actually really welcome me or explain the check in procedure or the amenities, just that my room isn’t ready. So I’m like ok here is my card and ID can we go ahead and do the checkin process and finally they do (and finally park my car).
My room was generally nice, since I do appreciate an antique look to things. I know some on here commented about the small size of the rooms but mine was a pretty spacious suite, even though I picked the cheapest option available. However, the room did appear old and had a slight musty smell. While all the little lamps added to the look, it was rather dim and annoying to turn them all on individually. But even with all the lights on some spots of the room were very dim. The free wireless worked fine. When my room was serviced they only replaced a portion of the toiletries even though I had used them. They didn’t inform me of the happy hour when I checked in so I missed it the first night but went the second night and got a free glass of wine, which was nice, but they chilled it as though it were a white wine. Breakfast was minimal, with no hot items. Also there was no «concierge» I could see as they had indicated on the phone. Everyone was polite and relatively friendly but seemed superficially so. Sometimes they opened the door for you, which was a nice touch, but it was inconsistent.
Fortunately I was not on the construction side so the construction noise was not particularly bothersome though I did hear some of it in the morning. But the rooms were quite noisy in general and you could hear every little sound, from the cleaning staff being loud in the hallway, to people having conversations on the street below (I was on the 1^st floor, just a few ft above the street), to the garbage truck, to cars blaring music on the road. I could also hear the key turning of the neighbor rooms (they used old fashioned keys). They have a nice outdoor patio, which would be nice in warmer weather. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed due to construction.
At checkout, they didn’t ask me anything about my stay and tried to haggle with me about the parking fees, trying to say that the day starts over at 2pm (even though I wasn’t parked until about 3:30) and that if I picked it up at 6 I would have to pay another full day (though it was only 2.5 hours). We eventually agreed on a ½ day fee. Then I find that the valet seems to have the same high hotel tax as the room has, which is ridiculous. I’ve never had my valet fee taxed before!
If this were a cheap hotel this would all be fine, but this is presented as a fancy expensive hotel so I just expected much more.

This hotel is not ready for prime time. Between the construction, the woeful wifi (not to mention phone service) and maintenance problems in general (our a/​c went out during a particularly muggy period in DC, this hotel gives little to recommend it aside from its charming neighborhood.
I booked this hotel for my wife and I for a short stay in DC because we love older boutique hotels. Had a lovely stay last year in le petite hotel in Montréal’s old city. That hotel was a ten, while the Morrison-​Clark is closer to a three. Want to love it, and Maybe next year we can, but not now.

We were excited to be staying in a historic hotel, if only for one night. This one looked intriguing. I had expected elegant, smiling service and beauty. What I got was a super tiny room, an ok hotel staff and a ton of noisy construction.
The Inn it’s self is beautiful. I think that by expanding the hotel it is taking away the charm. The rooms are small but I wasn’t expecting super tiny. The armoire was about 6 inches from the bed so there was no way to open it enough to watch TV. I know that historic Inns are smaller than your average hotel but this was ridiculous. Also, the glasses in the room were dirty. The water pressure in the bathroom was very low, as well.
We had a courtyard room which had a beautiful bay window that was covered in scaffolding and construction junk. I found out the hard way that they started at about 7am and were super noisy. That really didn’t matter because by that time the housekeepers had already started letting the doors slam in the hallway.
I ended up getting up way earlier than expected because of the noise and went to the continental breakfast they were providing because of the construction. It had a variety of whole fruit, cereal, muffins, croissants, bagels, toast, juice and coffee. It was nice, but I was hesitant because of the complimentary iced tea in the parlor the night before had the same problem of filthy glasses like our room. They have a restaurant that I think was closed because of construction, but I would never consider eating there because of the filthy glasses.
All in all, I was hoping for a beautiful setting and a restful night in a historic inn, but what i got was the not worth the money. I wouldn’t recommend staying here until the construction is finished, but even after that the charm will be gone. The rooms will still be small, and if the staff is not more well trained then it is all lost.

Beautiful building and rooms, perfect location, friendly & helpful staff, and a wonderful continental breakfast!
Even though the building was undergoing renovations while I was there, I still had a perfect visit! There weren’t any inconveniences due to construction and the hotel is in the best downtown location… close enough to be convenient, far enough to be away from the majority if the bustle. I can’t wait to visit again!

I am only giving this hotel one star because of one thing: you have to be 21 and over to stay here, and they give you no prior notice about this. I booked a room and paid for it online, only to go to the hotel and be turned away because I’m only 20. Oddly, the Henley Park Hotel, which I resorted to staying at, has the same rule but allowed me to stay on the condition that housekeeping cleaned out the minibar first. I wonder why Morrison Clark couldn’t have done that?
I have no issue with this rule, knowing that it has to do with legal issues surrounding underage alcohol consumption. The thing is that there was no indication ANYWHERE that this is a rule before I booked the room and paid for it. I’ve checked into hotels with minibars before this with no issue, so I had no idea this was a precedent. I really didn’t-and still don’t-appreciate paying a good amount of money only to be told that I couldn’t stay there, and getting a refund from
was a bit of a hassle. All in all, I’m very disappointed that the Morrison Clark doesn’t let its potential guests know that it only takes people 21 and over.

This was the cheapest hotel I could get near the National Mall at the last minute. With taxes, it came to over $ 400 per night. The staff was very kind when I was checking in. I was surprised at how «low tech» the hotel was when I was handed a manual key to open my room. It was initially the wrong key but the staff promptly gave me the proper one. When I entered the room, it smelled like fish and the carpets were damp (I’m hoping from being recently cleaned). The stench was completely overwhelming. I did not ask to switch rooms because I was so exhausted that I thought I could stick it out for the night. I opened all of the windows and tried to sleep. When I woke up, the stench hadn’t dissipated at all. I came downstairs for free breakfast to be greeted with cereal, croissants, and fruit. No trace of a pitcher of water and not a lick of protein besides some milk.
While the staff was kind, the hotel was not nearly worth the cost. Furthermore, it was inaccessible to the metro. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Exquisitely old and beautiful historic inn. Incredible rooms are spacious and feel well preserved. The view from the balcony room is beyond belief, even with the extensive construction surrounding it.
Despite the neighborhood surrounding consisting of ramshackle abandoned homes, the area is rooted in the city’s history and feels like it stepped out of time.
Staff is kind and accommodating and the rooms, though old feeling, have modern amenities and comforts.
I highly recommend a stay if you’re looking for a unique place with a huge and meaningful history, but also want modern conveniences.

Not that impressed. Service at the front desk was passable, room was small, though clean, the bathroom had terrible lighting, the breakfast was overpriced and the restaurant service was good, but painfully slow.
The weirdest thing about my room was the bathroom lighting. The bathroom was basically three smaller rooms in a row, so you walked into the middle room where the sink was, and to your right was the toilet in a separate small room and to the left was the shower, again in a separate small room. However, the only of these three rooms that had lighting was the middle one. So you went to the bathroom and showered basically in the dark. Some light came in from the middle room, but if you were on the pot it was not enough light to read by, and if you were in the shower what little light that did come in was further blocked when you closed the shower curtain. Very odd.
I had breakfast in the restaurant and had a terribly overpriced meal of substandard food. The service was very slow, but it was not for lack of effort by the one server who was there, who was busting her ass and was very pleasant, but it was way too much for one server to do alone.
It was an interesting experience. I am not worse off for staying there, but next time I am in DC I will certainly look elsewhere.