Extended Stay America - Washington, DC - Gaithersburg

the staff was great. however, the hotel was smelly and there wer bugs on/in the bed, on counters, etc.

It wasn't the Ritz but staff was very friendly, clean and it was a great location for all that we did. It was also not priced like the Ritz!

Attended a conference, then a promotion party for a former colleague. There were minor broken items in the room, #237, and the tv remote needs (?) batteries. The bathtub had an odd not-clean looking wooden contraption attached to the wall (drop-down bathing seat?) with some kind of stains at the base where tub-top meets the wall. Disturbing, so I didn't use the tub. Really dirty stairways (yes, probably construction-workers tracking in mud; not a deal-breaker). However, somebody kept propping open the rear doors with the trash barrel; a real security red-flag for women to know anyone can enter (no electrical system to monitor the doors?). Wonderful front desk staff -- very helpful; the only positive feature similar to other ESA's I've stayed at. I once stayed for 5+ weeks at a Germantown ESA (near Father Hurley Blvd), as well as many happy intermittent short-term stays there and elsewhere.

Luckily, I didn't spend much time in the hotel as I had a busy schedule. The room was okay, the hotel smelled of smoke and the room as well. I kept my window open the whole time and blasted the heat. It was not the best experience but it was affordable and I was in for maybe two hours (minus the time I slept) the whole time I was there.

We traveled over Thanksgiving and were more than pleased with the staff. We had checked in on Wed. evening the 25th, but by mistake went to the ESA in Germantown where we had stayed before. The staff there called to check to see if our reservation was for Gaithersburg and found it was so we went there. The staff at both hotels was very helpful, BUT on Fri. morning my wife realiZed she did not have her wallet. We called the ESA in Gaithersburg and the girl on duty explained she was very busy, but would check when she could and call back. She did and was apologetic she could not find the wallet. When we called Germantown (since we had stopped there first) the girl said she was the only one working and could not look. We explained we had parked the car right in front of the door and couldn't she please check to see if it was laying there since it had been over THanksgiving and I knew there probably wasn't very many people walking around. She was very rude and would absolutely not look. I had been very pleased with the ESA, but will think twice before I stay in Germantown again. I realize the girl was busy, but a little help goes a long way with customer satisfaction.

The location is just perfect. I attended a meeting at the NIH and taking the Metro from Shady Grove is very convenient. The fully equipped kitchen was what I always need when staying on the road. I plan to come back when I come to the states January 2010. I wish this type of hotels will spread all over the country.