Arrival/Check-In: We arrived shortly after lunch, before the official check-in time, and wondered if our room would be ready. At the front desk we were told the room was available but if we could wait 15 minutes we could avoid an early check-in fee. That suited us fine, so we spent a short while walking the property to get our bearings. Located on the grounds of Dulles International Airport, the hotel has 364 guest rooms and four suites spread across three floors. We explored the fitness center and both the indoor and outdoor pools. The property also offers nearly 13,000 square feet of meeting and event space, divided into 11 rooms.
Guest Quarters: Traveling with my husband and daughter for a softball tournament, we reserved a room with two double beds. Some rooms have pleasant views of the pond out front; ours overlooked the picnic pavilion, which we used later in the week. The room included a corner chair and a large desk with a second chair, which provided useful extra seating when my daughter invited teammates to hang out.
Because the hotel sits so close to the airport, I worried about aircraft noise, but each room features soundproof windows and we didn’t hear any disturbances. The rooms also come with Revive bedding packages, which helped us sleep comfortably after busy days.
Services/Amenities: Before our stay I called to confirm details about the picnic area shown on the website. It features picnic tables and a propane grill, and I thought it would be an ideal place for the softball team to gather for a barbecue. The receptionist told me the area was available to guests but not reserved exclusively; that worked out fine. Other teams were staying at the property as well, but by scheduling our picnic earlier in the evening we finished before other groups arrived.
The outdoor pool was a welcome spot to cool off after long hours in the sun, and having an indoor pool proved handy when we encountered a few rainy periods. Comfortable seating around the outdoor pool made it easy to relax between activities.
The fitness center is open 24 hours and is equipped with free weights and a mix of cardiovascular machines, which made it convenient to fit in workouts around tournament schedules.
We didn’t manage to dine at the on-site restaurant during this stay, but I appreciated that it serves Starbucks coffee, which was a reliable way to start each morning.
Top Takeaways:
◆ A friendly security guard who regularly checked on the pool area stopped by while we were at the picnic pavilion and offered a ball so our group could play at the volleyball court — a thoughtful touch.
◆ For travelers with early-morning departures from Dulles, this hotel is a convenient choice thanks to its location and ample amenities.
◆ I was concerned that traffic to and from the airport would be a hassle given how often we were coming and going, but we never experienced any significant delays.
WASHINGTON DULLES AIRPORT MARRIOTT
45020 Aviation Drive
Dulles, VA 20166
tel 703 471 9500
marriott.com