Thompson Washington DC Review
The Thompson Washington DC is the newest Hyatt property in DC, so I was excited to finally check it out. I have now stayed here a couple of times and experienced different rooms. Overall, the Thompson DC made for a pleasant stay at a good price point. Unlike other Hyatt properties, the Thompson is away from downtown and the National Mall, around where most other Hyatt properties are located. In this Thompson Washington DC review, I show why this hotel is a welcome addition to Hyatt's portfolio in DC.
Location
The Thompson is in the Navy Yard neighborhood, near Nationals Park and Audi Field. The vibrant neighborhood has lots of dining options and fun bars, but not many hotel options. The neighborhood is particularly lively when the Nationals are in town during baseball season.
Yards Park nearby can be a nice spot to hang out on a warm day, and the hotel isn't too far from the Wharf either.
The closest Metro stop is Navy Yard-Ballpark, just a couple of blocks away. This stop is either one or two stops away from the National Mall depending on which side you want to reach.
Valet parking is available with a daily rate of $27 and $57 for overnight.
Thompson Washington DC: Booking Cost
The Thompson Washington DC is a Category 4 property in the World of Hyatt program. This hotel was one of the few Hyatts in DC spared from the price increases in March 2024. Here are the award costs for a standard room:
- 12,000 points off-peak
- 15,000 points standard
- 18,000 points peak
Prices fluctuate a lot for weekday and weekend stays. Like other hotels in DC, pricing depends a lot on the time of year and on whether there are any big events taking place in DC. Calculating the cents per point value for any potential redemption is a quick and easy way to check whether you're better off paying cash or redeeming points.
Thompson Washington DC Junior Suite
The junior suite is by no means a suite, but rather a larger L-shaped room with a big seating area. The door opens up to a long hallway with a closet, full-length mirror, and a desk. Next to the desk is the minibar and fridge.
The corner of the room has a sofa and chair around a coffee table. The room has floor-to-ceiling windows along the entire perimeter offering nice views of the neighborhood.
The bathroom has a single sink flanked by a door-less shower and a toilet. The water pressure was on the weaker side and the lack of a door made showering an unpleasant, cold affair. A rainshower could have helped, and I was surprised not to see one in a modern new property like this one. A door-less shower also meant wet bathroom floor due to the shower head's angle.
The room fits the usual Thompson aesthetic of industrial chic, with lots of dark furniture and brass accents. This property in particular emphasized the industrial look more than other Thompson properties, with greater reliance on exposed concrete.
The Thompson DC opened in January 2020 and still looks quite new. I did not notice any signs of wear or tear in my room or anywhere else around the property.
Thompson Washington DC King Deluxe Room
I was pleasantly surprised by size of the king deluxe room on my second stay. Since the junior suite wasn't really a suite, I expected the king deluxe room to be rather small. Thankfully, that was not the case.
The king deluxe room is spacious and the efficient use of space makes the room feel even larger. A good-sized lounge area features an L-shaped couch against the wall with a marble table. Next to the couch is a counter with a Nespresso machine and complimentary coffee pods. The cabinet beneath has an empty mini-fridge. It was odd to not have a minibar in this room considering the junior suite did.
The closet next to the bed felt rather narrow and tight, with barely enough room for a backpack or duffle bag. In the corner of the room by the window is a small writing desk, which again exemplifies the good use of space.
The bathroom is almost identical to that of the junior suite, with the same shower issues.
The decor and aesthetic of the room is consistent with that of the junior suite and the rest of the hotel. My one complaint for this room was that it lacked any significant source of light. The room had no shortage of different lamps and sconces, but they were all way too dim to replace overhead lighting.
Overall, I was quite pleased with this room, especially when compared to the junior suite. Given the small different in size between these two rooms and the fact that the junior suite is by no means an actual suite, I would avoid redeeming a suite night award at the Thompson DC.
Property/Amenities
The gym is in the basement and was surprisingly small for a new and modern hotel like the Thompson. The gym has some great equipment but only one bench. The tight quarters make it impossible for more than three people work out with weights. The gym also has one Peloton bike, two elliptical machines, two treadmills, and one rowing machine. This was a big miss on the hotel's part and the space dedicated to the gym make it seem like it was an afterthought. The Thompson DC does not have a pool.
Thompson DC Globalist Breakfast
Breakfast is at Surveyor, the hotel's restaurant on the ground level. The Surveyor is only open for breakfast every day and for brunch on weekends. The spacious restaurant is tucked away around the corner from the elevators. I do not recall seeing any signs pointing towards it.
Globalist breakfast consists of coffee, juice, and one entree for up to 2 adults and 2 children. The menu offered a good variety of breakfast staples and some creative dishes. During my first visit, service was friendly and efficient. The restaurant's manager came by and checked in with every single table, which was a nice touch.
During my second visit, service was on the slower side and not nearly as attentive, having to flag down servers for coffee refills or to get the check.
Thompson DC Rooftop Bar
The Rooftop at the Thompson offers bar bites and drinks with views of the Navy Yard neighborhood. Guests can catch a peak of the tip of the Washington Monument but unfortunately barely get to see Nationals Park, which is just a block away but obstructed by another building. The Rooftop has a good amount of seating indoors and lots of seating outside on the balcony, which wraps around almost half of the building. The indoor space has floor-to-ceiling glass panels, some of which are pulled open when the weather is nice.
Thompson Bar Room
The hotel also has a bar in the lobby, which hosts happy hour specials on weekday evenings and also offers lite bites. The Bar Room has lots of different seating areas, including sofas, couches, bar seating, and regular tables. This bar was not as lively as the rooftop bar but still had a good amount of patrons at night.
Thompson Washington DC: ToP Thoughts
The Thompson Washington DC is a solid option for Hyatt loyalists in our nation's capital. I would only caution families with children about staying here given that the suites appear to be on the smaller side and the hotel certainly doesn't cater to families. Families could consider the Grand Hyatt or the Hyatt Place Washington/National Mall, both of which have larger rooms.
