Hotel Helix
, Washington DC, United States
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Hotel Helix
, Washington DC
Rooms: 178
1430 Rhode Island NW
- Washington DC - District of Columbia - 20005 - United States
Hotel Website |
202 462 9001
679
Traveller
Reviews - Hotel Helix
Read 679 additional reviews of Hotel Helix at TripAdvisor.
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Historical Traveller Reviews of Hotel Helix
The worst
from A TripAdvisor Member
I loved Topaz so I decided to try another Kimpton hotel. The Helix was the worst from start to finish. The person checking us in was rude, my request for a room away from the elevator was ignored-it was just an overall horrible hotel experience and I will not be staying there again.
Attractive and friendly
from A TripAdvisor Member
Hotel Helix is not a central as some (getting to the Metro is a minor workout) but they make up for that shortcoming in style and service. The staff was pleasant and helpful, the rooms were fun, and the bar downstairs is hip and the food is good. I would definitely stay there again.
Must like kitsch!
from A TripAdvisor Member
I stayed at Hotel Helix last minute. I was completely unfamiliar with D.C. The hotel has a great staff. Truly, the staff were a great bunch of people. However, the hotel is extremely kitsch in that the decor is very retro and in my opinion, a bit tacky (but you may like hip portaits of barbie and ken, faux fur, bright colors like orange & lime green, a mini bar of pez and other such candies, etc.) The hotel bar was sort of a mix between 007 & Barbarella - lots of white and brightly lit. Also a local hangout which is good. The room was a decent size but the mattresses were shorter than the wooden bedframes which resulted in more than one bruise before I learned how to navigate the room. The shower was very youth hostel-esque. Did supply Aveda products, had a CD system, tv/cable, great air conditioning. Beside the personal dislike of the decor, the bedframe & shower, it was a nice room overall. Didn't have Internet access but a sister Kimpton Boutique hotel down the street and around the corner - Hotel Rouge, I think - provides it. Walking distance to Whole Foods, Starbucks, another coffee place, Drugstore & 711. Hamburger Mary's is a cool, local place to get a drink and within walking distance. Not a great hotel if you want to be walking distance to alot of places. If you stay, please tip the housekeepers, as I know they have bruises too (we shared legs)...
Mixed bag but OK overall
from Big4_Traveller
I looked through the reviews on this web-site prior to making my reservation at Helix. I was staying for one night only at the suite. 400sq feet. Ask for AAA rates for I booked it for $159 which, comparatevely speaking, is a good deal. The colours are funky and groovy indeed so don't expect to see business travelers.
Good things: flat-screen TV rules, actually there were two TVs in suite. CD stereo system so bring your CDs if you want. Both wireless and high-speed Internet. Bathroom supplies are "Aveda" (for some reason, it is a big deal for women) :) We were greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne. The bed is comfortable and room features all regular amenities (iron, iron desk, hair dryer, etc)
Not so good things: Location - 10 min from Dupont circle subway. There was no bathrobes in the bathroom even though they were in the description of the suite. I wouldn't count too much on breakfast...it is mainly coffee and juice. Staff...well, they are very friendly but somewhat disorganized. Helix is a *** hotel after all.
My guess the hotel would appeal to younger people/couples to get shagadelic in Washington, DC :)
Good things: flat-screen TV rules, actually there were two TVs in suite. CD stereo system so bring your CDs if you want. Both wireless and high-speed Internet. Bathroom supplies are "Aveda" (for some reason, it is a big deal for women) :) We were greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne. The bed is comfortable and room features all regular amenities (iron, iron desk, hair dryer, etc)
Not so good things: Location - 10 min from Dupont circle subway. There was no bathrobes in the bathroom even though they were in the description of the suite. I wouldn't count too much on breakfast...it is mainly coffee and juice. Staff...well, they are very friendly but somewhat disorganized. Helix is a *** hotel after all.
My guess the hotel would appeal to younger people/couples to get shagadelic in Washington, DC :)
Incredible service, great room
from nick_jo
Stayed at Helix summer of '03. This hotel has the finest, most cordial and intelligent service of any hotel I have ever stayed in (and we travel a lot). The room decor was fun, but not wierd and completely comfortable and functional. We have booked again for this year.
Certainly My Cup of Tea!!!
from A TripAdvisor Member
The Helix is the place to stay to get away from the hum-drum green carpet and wooden furniture type accomodations. If this is your "downtime", and you're used to staying in "blah" hotels for business, this is the hotel that one should stay at to remind you that you are now on "your time"! The energy of the hotel staff is upbeat, ready to assist and positive & the service - nothing less then super! I am quite demanding when spending my own money to stay in a hotel (not for business purposes) and the clean decorative Helix left little to desire as I was completely satisfied, felt safe, comfortable and enjoyed the atmosphere of layed back, happy, giggling folks that visited and/or hung out there in their lounge. Again, I've gotta hand it to the staff - very accomodating and inviting. I would stay there next time without even shopping around - I've made the Helix "MY PLACE" now.
Okay...
from A TripAdvisor Member
This hotel was okay overall. Very colorful. The beds were two full size beds and the room seemed very small. The hotel was a bit out of the way. There are no bathrobes as stated on their site.
Not as advertised! Would not recommend
from A TripAdvisor Member
I booked this hotel for 4 guests, seeing that it had 2 Queen beds in the Deluxe room. This was advertised both on Expedia and through their own reservation service. However, when I got there, the beds were full-sized beds and not Queen.I asked 2 different clerks about it and they gave me different answers. One clerk said they "appear" smaller due to their arrangment in the room. The other clerk said that they only have king or full-sized beds in this hotel, no queen beds. Obviously, contraindicating what is clearly advertised.I even took pictures of the 2 beds in the room as proof. I was very disappointed with this and feel like I was mislead. Doesn't this count as fraud when you pay for something that was misrepresented? Not only that, but the high-speed internet service wasn't working during the weekend I was there.There are lots of hotels in D.C. area so look elsewhere. Hotel Helix is all hype and doesn't deliver.
ll find in DC
from A TripAdvisor Member
I've stayed at the Helix twice -- both stays were a lot of fun.
I trave A LOT (Platinum Marriott and Platinum Starwood), and really enjoyed getting out of the standard Marriott family of hotels. The first time that I checked into Helix, it was still pretty new, so they upgraded me to a gigantic suite free of charge. The suite was incredible. A funky, mod living room with a gigantic entertainment center with VCR. A great desk area. Mini bar stocked with Twizzlers and Pez. The bed had a fun faux fur bedspread, and I loved that they had bedroom lighting controls on the headboard, so you could turn the lights on and off while I was in bed. A second beautiful flat screen TV was in the bedroom, which was nice. The bathroom had limited counter space, but I loved the stainless steel sink and the bright orange color scheme all over. The hallways of the helix are painted a poison green, which just continues the color therapy. The elevator has lighting that continues to change colors as well.
What's great about Hotel Helix: 1. Color therapy. The rooms are like sets from Austin Powers. Bright, primary colors throughout the hotel, which puts you in a great mood. A very nice change from the ominpresent neutral colors at the establishment hotels.
2. Price. You'll probably pay less for a lot more amenities that you would at a comparable Renaissance or W. Including: Starbucks or gourmet italian coffee in your room (same as W or Westin), Free high-speed internet (same as Westin), Beautiful, flat-screen TV's, Sometimes VCR's or DVD players too, Cordless phones, Aveda toiletries (same as W).
What's not so great about Hotel Helix: 1. Location -- It's a long walk to Dupont circle, where most of the restaurants and nightlife are, as well as the Metro. 14th Street is very close, but that whole area is still "up-and-coming". For those of you who travel a lot, Scott Circle is DC's equivalent of Wicker Park in Chicago or Dorcester in Boston or the East Village in NYC. At this point, I've stayed at three of the four Kimpton properties in the Dupont/Scott Circle area -- Hotel Helix, Hotel Rouge, Hotel Madera -- and, until the Scott Circle area improves, my money is on Hotel Madera.
It's vibe is more corporate than Helix, but it has all of the same amenities and it's only a 1-minute walk to everything. Location.
Location. Location.
2. Valet Parking -- They often ran out of parking, even for guests.
This is simply inexcusable in my book. They had to park my car at their sister hotel "Rouge" several blocks away, so the retrieval of my car was anything but timely. They also have a terrible one-car circle drive that constantly gets backed up.
3. Food -- Pretty uninspired room service. Breakfast is continental and limited.
4. Check-in/Check-out. As others have mentioned, the staff who man the glowing check-in/out "pods" were often missing in action. It seemed like they didn't have staff assigned to be at those posts all the time, and that the same staff members doubled as bellmen or valets.
I trave A LOT (Platinum Marriott and Platinum Starwood), and really enjoyed getting out of the standard Marriott family of hotels. The first time that I checked into Helix, it was still pretty new, so they upgraded me to a gigantic suite free of charge. The suite was incredible. A funky, mod living room with a gigantic entertainment center with VCR. A great desk area. Mini bar stocked with Twizzlers and Pez. The bed had a fun faux fur bedspread, and I loved that they had bedroom lighting controls on the headboard, so you could turn the lights on and off while I was in bed. A second beautiful flat screen TV was in the bedroom, which was nice. The bathroom had limited counter space, but I loved the stainless steel sink and the bright orange color scheme all over. The hallways of the helix are painted a poison green, which just continues the color therapy. The elevator has lighting that continues to change colors as well.
What's great about Hotel Helix: 1. Color therapy. The rooms are like sets from Austin Powers. Bright, primary colors throughout the hotel, which puts you in a great mood. A very nice change from the ominpresent neutral colors at the establishment hotels.
2. Price. You'll probably pay less for a lot more amenities that you would at a comparable Renaissance or W. Including: Starbucks or gourmet italian coffee in your room (same as W or Westin), Free high-speed internet (same as Westin), Beautiful, flat-screen TV's, Sometimes VCR's or DVD players too, Cordless phones, Aveda toiletries (same as W).
What's not so great about Hotel Helix: 1. Location -- It's a long walk to Dupont circle, where most of the restaurants and nightlife are, as well as the Metro. 14th Street is very close, but that whole area is still "up-and-coming". For those of you who travel a lot, Scott Circle is DC's equivalent of Wicker Park in Chicago or Dorcester in Boston or the East Village in NYC. At this point, I've stayed at three of the four Kimpton properties in the Dupont/Scott Circle area -- Hotel Helix, Hotel Rouge, Hotel Madera -- and, until the Scott Circle area improves, my money is on Hotel Madera.
It's vibe is more corporate than Helix, but it has all of the same amenities and it's only a 1-minute walk to everything. Location.
Location. Location.
2. Valet Parking -- They often ran out of parking, even for guests.
This is simply inexcusable in my book. They had to park my car at their sister hotel "Rouge" several blocks away, so the retrieval of my car was anything but timely. They also have a terrible one-car circle drive that constantly gets backed up.
3. Food -- Pretty uninspired room service. Breakfast is continental and limited.
4. Check-in/Check-out. As others have mentioned, the staff who man the glowing check-in/out "pods" were often missing in action. It seemed like they didn't have staff assigned to be at those posts all the time, and that the same staff members doubled as bellmen or valets.
Something out of the ordinary
from DCTraveler14
The Helix was a very pleasant discovery that I would choose again. I selected it based on the hotel's website and ended up with a large specialty room that included a DVD/plasma TV setup, high-speed internet, and a decent stereo. The decor is great and the room was in good shape. Overall, it was a great value. The neighborhood is fine, although there's not much close by. The hotel has a few rough edges--the website promised things like bathrobes and in-room safes that weren't there. It didn't bother me because the room was such a nice place to come back to, but why advertise extras if you don't have them? On the whole, the Helix is different and fun, definitely worth a try.
Top Local Tips for Washington DC
Use taxis if possible Taxis are everywhere in DC so if you can, use taxis and public transportation. Parking is difficult and expensive.
Taking Hotel Bars to a Higher Level There are a number of Kimpton Hotels in the DC area -- Helix, Rouge, Monaco, Topaz, etc. Each of these properties has a distinctive, stylish bar/restaurant area that is definitely not your father's hotel bar.
Georgetown Eating....Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries Head to Five Guys at 1335 Wisconsin Ave, NW (202-337-0400) for a good value on burgers, fries and peanuts! For a hamburger (which translates into double patties- fresh ground beef) for $4.59, regular fries (more than enough for 2 people- get them cajun style) for $2.29 and refillable soda fountain drinks for $1.79...it's the best deal in the Georgetown scene. The burgers come with all the toppings for free including mayo, relish, onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, fried onions, sauteed mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, a1 sauce, bbq sauce, and hot sauce. Plus you can keep refilling your bucket with shelled peanuts for free....a great place to stop for lunch while you're strolling the Georgetown area!
- (hotels)
Other names for Hotel Helix
- kimpton washington dc
- hotel helix
- Address: 1430 Rhode Island NW - Washington DC - District of Columbia - 20005 - United States
Candid Traveller Photos
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