Thompson Washington D.C. by Hyatt [In-Depth Hotel Review]

Updated: March 24, 2024, 7:27am CDT

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Thompson Washington D.C. by Hyatt [In-Depth Hotel Review]

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I had 2 expiring free nights in my World of Hyatt account and wanted to get a new tattoo to commemorate finishing my goal of visiting every country in the world. Looking around online, I found an artist I liked near Washington, D.C., and planned a short trip. As a Category 4 property that opened in 2020, the Thompson Washington D.C. caught my eye.

The hotel’s location was convenient in many ways, and the color palette here was fantastic. Small touches in the room were excellent, as well, but the breakfast left a bit to be desired if you had any allergies or dietary preferences, like being vegan. Overall, though, this was a nice 2-birds-with-1-stone stay, and I would stay here again.

Here’s what my 2-night stay in early February 2024 was like.

Location

The Thompson Washington D.C. is in the Navy Yard district of our nation’s capital. It’s also just a few blocks from Nationals Park, where the Nationals baseball team plays its home games. The Thompson Washington D.C. also sits 1 block from the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro stop on the Green Line, which you can use to get to numerous points around Washington, D.C.

Booking

The Thompson Washington D.C. charged $186 per night ($192.67 after taxes) as its cheapest rate during my stay for a room with either a queen-size or king-size bed for prepaid member rates.

Thompson Washington DC cash cost — Cash costs during my stay. Image Credit: Hyatt

When I looked into paying with World of Hyatt points, the hotel used standard pricing for the nights of my stay, so these rooms were available for 15,000 points per night. Redeeming 15,000 points against the rate of $192.67 would have given me a redemption value of 1.28 cents per point, a bit low for what Hyatt points are generally worth (1.5 cents per point).

When paying cash for a Hyatt stay, consider using The World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt Business Credit Card to earn up to 9x points on Hyatt stays. Our guide to the best credit cards for World of Hyatt loyalists has more great recommendations.

Thompson Washington DC points cost — Points costs during booking. Image Credit: Hyatt

Since I had 2 free night awards for a Category 1-4 stay that would expire at the end of February, using them, even without fetching top-notch value, was better than letting them expire.

When using more than 1 award or a mix of cash, free nights, and points, you can use Hyatt’s Pay My Way function.

Thompson Washington DC Pay my Way options for booking — Pay My Way options at the time of booking. Image Credit: Hyatt

Hot Tip:

You can receive a complimentary Category 1-4 free night award each year you hold the World of Hyatt card. You can receive another of these free nights (for a total of 2) if you make $15,000 or more in purchases on the card within a calendar year.

Check-In

As I was arriving close to midnight, I had a My Hyatt Concierge contact the hotel to let them know I’d be coming late and to hold my room and not mark me as a no-show. When I arrived, the lobby was deserted — as I’d expected. A friendly employee at the reception desk greeted me and efficiently checked me in after asking for my ID and a credit card for a security deposit.

Hot Tip:

My Hyatt Concierge is a Hyatt Milestone Rewards benefit when reaching 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points.

He explained the locations of the hotel’s restaurants and bars, fitness center, and my room, as well as the operating hours for the various amenities at the hotel. As the hotel offered valet parking only and the valet employee was down in the garage performing a nightly inventory, he called down to ask the employee to come up to check in my car.

Overall, the check-in process was efficient and covered all of the necessities.

Elite Benefits

As I was a World of Hyatt Globalist, the hotel gave me a complimentary upgrade to a junior suite. I was expecting this prior to arrival, given that it showed in my World of Hyatt app.

Thompson Washington DC upgrade in World of Hyatt app — The World of Hyatt app told me I was getting an upgrade before arrival. Credit: Hyatt

Beyond the room upgrade, I also enjoyed several other benefits during my stay. I received free valet parking, complimentary breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant each morning, and an offer of late checkout. I didn’t need the last item, given that I had a morning flight on the final day of my stay.

Thompson Washington DC breakfast voucher — My Globalist breakfast voucher at the hotel.

Amenities

While the Thompson Washington D.C. lacked a pool and offered no specific perks for children, it did have several nice amenities.

Smart Elevators

The hotel used smart elevators. On these digital panels, I tapped the floor I wanted to go to. The panel then told me which elevator to use. Guests heading to the same floor were grouped into the same elevator, meaning you wouldn’t stop at every floor along the way, due to the intelligent pairing of riders across the 3 elevators. There were also buttons for the fitness center (underground floor), lobby, and rooftop bar.

Thompson Washington DC smart elevator control panel — The smart elevator control panel.

If you pushed an incorrect combination, such as trying for floor 99 just to see what would happen, the panel displayed an error message. For reference, the building only has 11 floors.

Thompson Washington DC elevator control panel error — An error code on the smart elevator panel.

Inside the elevator, a panel displayed which floors you would be stopping at along the way. There were no buttons inside since guests needed to choose their floor before entering.

Thompson Washington DC floor number in elevator — No buttons, just a sign for what floor you’re heading to.

The inside of the elevators gave me a very changing-room-at-a-spa-or-swimming-pool vibe with the tile floor and navy blue palette.

Thompson Washington DC elevator floor and walls — This reminds you of a pool’s entrance, right?

Only 1 of the 3 elevators could access the fitness center underground, and that elevator had a rear exit door instead of mirrors on the back wall.

Thompson Washington DC elevator — This one had a back door because it went down to the gym.

On the ground floor, the elevator lobby had an open layout and an ATM.

Thompson Washington DC lobby elevator waiting area — The elevator area on the ground floor, including an ATM.

On the guest floors, the waiting area was well-lit and carpeted.

Thompson Washington DC elevator waiting area on guest floor — Elevator waiting area on the guest floors.

Fitness Center

While small, the gym had as much as you could hope for — and even more than what I’d expected from its size. Along one wall were free weights, and the back corner had TRX equipment, kettlebells, and medicine balls. There was also a TV on this side of the gym.

Thompson Washington DC gym weights and equipment — Workout equipment, weights, and a TV in the fitness center.

Aerobic machines like treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes were on the other wall.

Thompson Washington DC gym treadmills and bikes — Some of the aerobic machines in the fitness center.

A station near the elevator had towels, tissues, drinking water, and a trash can.

Thompson Washington DC gym towels and water — Towels, water, and a trash can in the gym.

There was also a set of stairs leading to an emergency exit.

Thompson Washington DC gym side exit stairs — Stairs toward the emergency exit from the gym.

Wi-Fi

Complimentary Wi-Fi was available throughout my stay. The speeds left a lot to be desired, however. I got average upload and download speeds of less than 10 Mbps during my 2 nights at the Thompson Washington D.C.

Parking and EV Charging

The hotel had valet parking only. As I had a rental car, I was glad to get complimentary parking during my stay. That’s because parking here isn’t cheap.

You pay $27 for up to 3 hours of parking, $50 for 3 to 6 hours, and $60 (including tax) for overnight parking. That increases to $75 for oversized vehicles.

After checking in my vehicle with the valet team, I received a text message with a link to use for requesting my car. In-and-out privileges were included.

Thompson Washington DC valet parking text message — The text message I received once valet checked in my car. Image Credit: Parkingmgt.com

When I clicked on the link, a timer showed how long my car had been parked (and thus how much I would’ve had to pay), and the Request Vehicle button was easy to find.

Thompson Washington DC valet parking timer — A timer showing my parking duration and the ability to request the vehicle. Image Credit: Parkingmgt.com

The hotel also offered electric vehicle charging, though it was a pay-per-use service. If you want to charge an electric car, you need to go to the garage with your car to scan your EV charging app or swipe your credit card to start the service. The valet team isn’t able to charge your car on your behalf.

Seating Areas

Near the reception desk (which was, peculiarly, off the lobby on the right) were several seating areas on the ground floor. Along the hallway, which led to the main restaurant and elevators in the back of the hotel, these benches provided seating for half a dozen people.

Thompson Washington DC lobby benches — Benches on the backside of the Thompson Bar in the lobby.

Across from the benches, near the revolving door entrance, there was a long table with 10 chairs that could be great for getting work done or hosting a meeting, though it would be without privacy since this is a hotel lobby.

Thompson Washington DC lobby meeting table — A work or meeting area just behind the reception desk.

To the left was a seating area with sofas around a coffee table.

Thompson Washington DC seating area with sofas near lobby bar — Sofas and additional seating near the lobby bar.

Beyond this were several chairs and another sofa, providing seating for another 7 or 8 people.

Thompson Washington DC seating area near lobby bar — Seating near the Thompson Bar on the ground floor.

Junior Suite

I stayed in room 526, a junior suite at the end of the hall on the fifth floor. Subdued signage on the walls made it easy to know which way to turn when I came out of the elevator.

Thompson Washington DC guest floor signage — Subdued signage for finding my room on the fifth floor.

However, the fact this publicly accessible thermostat was right near the elevator surprised me. I’ve never seen that at a hotel before. I even tested it, and anyone could use it without a key or code.

Thompson Washington DC guest floor hallway thermostat — A publicly accessible thermostat in the hallway … ?

The hallways had a minimalist vibe, and I liked the purple-and-white carpet.

Thompson Washington DC guest floor — Looking down the hallway on the fifth floor.

This group of 3 frames near the end of the hallway was the only thing hanging on the walls in this half of the hotel.

Thompson Washington DC guest floor art in hallway — Art on the wall on my floor’s hallway.

Tapping my key card to enter worked easily, and the entry area inside the door had a wooden closet, a padded seat, and a floor-length mirror.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite entry and closet — My suite’s entry area with a mirror, seat, and closet.

I thought the coat hook on the side of the closet was a great touch.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite mirror and coat hook near entry — I loved the coat hook near the door.

Inside the closet, I found 2 bathrobes, an iron, and lots of hangers.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite closet hangers and robes — Robes, slippers, hangers, and an iron in my suite’s closet.

Below was a folding luggage rack, a pair of drawers, and a safe. Next to the robes, I also had an ironing board.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite closet safe and drawers — The safe and drawers inside the closet.

When I opened the 2 black bags on the top shelf, I found dark slippers.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite slippers — Loved the slippers.

The hotel offered laundry service, with a price list clipped onto one of the hangers.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite closet laundry prices — Pricing for laundry inside the closet.

The junior suite was L-shaped, and the corner of the room held a sitting area with small tables, a sofa, and a leather chair.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite sitting area — The sitting area in my junior suite.

Between the entryway and the sitting area was a large, marble-top desk combined with a minibar. The chair at the desk was very firm; spending a few hours working here wasn’t comfortable.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite desk and mini bar — The desk and minibar in my junior suite.

On top of the desk, a divot held a pencil, and there was a brown-paper notepad, as well as several outlets.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite desk notepad — A notepad and pencil on the desk.

The minifridge under the counter had energy drinks, sodas, and alcohol for purchase.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite mini fridge — Drinks inside the minifridge.

At the end of the counter were small bottles of wine, candies, and snacks for purchase, as well as a bottle opener.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite mini bar snacks — Snacks and wine for sale in the minibar area.

A coffee machine, pods, creamer, sweetener, and disposable cups were nearby.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite coffee machine and pods — The coffee maker and pods in my room.

Next to the coffee machine were coffee mugs, saucers, and bottled water (for purchase).

Thompson Washington DC junior suite coffee mugs bottled water — Bottled water and coffee mugs in the minibar area.

Bedroom

Turning the corner in the room, I found that the bedroom had a king-size bed and a bench at the foot of the bed. While the room was spacious, it was technically not a suite. A suite must have a division (usually a door) between the bedroom and other parts of the room. Thus, this room was more accurately a deluxe room, despite the moniker applied by the hotel.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bed — My junior suite’s bed.

Each side of the headboard had a reading light that could flip out.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bedroom reading lamp — Reading lights at the corners of the headboard.

Each side of the bed also had a nightstand. On the side closer to the bathroom was a phone, notepad and pencil, and a note about conservation.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite night stand — The nightstand next to the bed.

The conservation note gave information about requesting clean towels and sheets and not changing them if the service wasn’t needed.

Thompson Washington DC conservation note — A note about conservation in my room.

Both sides of the bed had multiple outlets — both standard plugs and USB-A charging points — and the nightstand closer to the window had this retro clock radio.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite clock radio — The clock radio on one of the nightstands.

Bathroom

The bathroom was on the interior side of the bedroom, away from the windows and toward the hallway. It was extremely spacious. Up a step from the bedroom, the bathroom entrance immediately led to a marble sink top on a wooden cabinet.

The sink was surprisingly small for the size of the counter around it.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bathroom sink — Looking at the sink and supplies in the bathroom.

On top of the sink, I had a washcloth, a shower cap in plastic wrap, and a small bottle of hand lotion.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bathroom lotion and wash cloths — A washcloth, lotion, and shower cap on the sink counter.

On the other side of the counter, I found a bar of Bowmakers soap, drinking glasses, and a tissue box.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bathroom tissues and glasses — Soap, glasses, and tissues in the bathroom.

Under the sink, I found a hairdryer and an extra roll of toilet paper. Shelves under the sink also held multiple towels.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bathroom hair dryer — A hairdryer and extra toilet paper under the sink.

To the left of the sink, a narrow glass wall separated the toilet from the rest of the bathroom.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bathroom toilet — The separated toilet area in the bathroom.

To the right of the sink, half a glass wall separated the shower from other parts of the bathroom. Note that the shower didn’t have any feature that closed it fully, just the partial wall on the side nearer the showerhead.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bathroom shower — The shower in my junior suite.

Interestingly, both the handle to turn on the shower and control the temperature and the shelf with the toiletries were on the side of the shower opposite the showerhead. Thus, you could turn it on without getting wet, but you had to step out of the flow of water to adjust the temperature or get shampoo. That was a bit strange. The toiletries included shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from Bowmakers, which had a very faint scent I struggled to make out.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite bathroom shower toiletries — The shower control and toiletries.

View

As I was in the last room at the end of the hall, I had windows along 2 sides. Near the desk and entry, I could look across Tingey Square.

Along the bed, most of the view was obstructed by other buildings, but I could look at an angle toward the Anacostia River.

Thompson Washington DC junior suite room view of river — Looking toward the Anacostia River from my room.

Food and Beverage

The Thompson Washington D.C. had 1 main restaurant and 2 bars, 1 of which also had snacks. There was also in-room dining.

Surveyor

On the ground floor, Surveyor was at the back of the hotel and offered breakfast from 6:30 to 11 a.m. daily. Brunch was also available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Surveyor had a large bar, but I confirmed multiple times that the restaurant wasn’t open in the evening. Perhaps it will expand its operating times at some point.

Thompson Washington DC Surveyor restaurant bar — Surveyor’s bar area.

The restaurant had a fun pattern on the tiled floor, and there were both chairs and booths. However, the restaurant couldn’t hold much more than 25 people in this configuration.

Thompson Washington DC restaurant tables — Tables at the Surveyor restaurant.

At the entrance to Surveyor, there was a bakery case where you could order pastries or coffee to go.

Thompson Washington DC surveyor restaurant pastries — Takeaway bakery items at Surveyor.

The brunch menu had offerings not available at other times, such as chicken and waffles or blackened shrimp and grits.

Thompson Washington DC Surveyor brunch menu — Brunch menu at Surveyor.

The drink menu had numerous coffee, tea, and juice options.

Thompson Washington DC Surveyor drink menu JPG — Drink menu at Surveyor.

The breakfast menu, available during the week, had standard items, like omelets, French toast, and waffles, as well as heartier items like smoked salmon on toast and crispy chicken sandwiches.

Thompson Washington DC Surveyor breakfast menu — Breakfast menu at Surveyor.

Despite the many vegan-friendly eateries in and around D.C., the Surveyor had only included 1 vegan option on its menu, which was oatmeal. Boring.

Thompson Washington DC oatmeal — The oatmeal at the Surveyor restaurant during breakfast.

However, those who avoid dairy will be happy to know that the restaurant could make lattes and cappuccinos with various plant-based milks.

Thompson Washington DC Surveyor restaurant latte — A latte at Surveyor during breakfast.

Rooftop at the Thompson

As the name implied, this bar was on the rooftop and was accessible even without a guest key card. As I stayed during winter, the doors to the terrace were closed, but the bar still seemed popular with hotel guests and locals alike.

It had a fully stocked bar attended by friendly personnel, and you could also order food from a limited menu. Snacks included chicken wings, Bavarian pretzels, pizza, and even a few desserts.

Thompson Washington DC rooftop bar — The hotel’s rooftop bar.

To the side was also a semi-private seating area for having drinks with friends.

Thompson Washington DC rooftop bar inside seating — Seating in the corner of the rooftop bar’s inside area.

And the terrace had wraparound views over the city and different types of seats.

Thompson Washington DC rooftop bar view — Outside seating and views at the rooftop bar.

In the rear, there was also a second bar with high-top tables. This area wasn’t in use, given that there weren’t enough customers to need this overflow space.

Thompson Washington DC rooftop bar rear seating area — The back seating area and second bar weren’t being used.

Between the main bar and the overflow area, there were gendered restrooms.

Thompson Washington DC rooftop bar bathrooms — Bathrooms at the rooftop bar.

The rooftop bar was open from 5 p.m. daily, closing at 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and at midnight on Friday and Saturday. However, the kitchen closed at 10 p.m. nightly.

Thompson Bar Room

Off the lobby, the Thompson Bar Room was open from 3 to 10 p.m. daily. As the name implied, it offered a full bar. However, it also offered a limited menu of salads, starters, and a half-dozen main dishes.

Thompson Washington DC Thompson Bar — Thompson Bar, which was a lobby bar on the ground floor.

In-Room Dining

Room service was also available at the Thompson Washington D.C. I found a laminated, double-sided menu next to my room’s minibar. Breakfast was available from 6:30 to 11 a.m., and dinner was available from 5 to 10 p.m.

The breakfast menu included much of what was available for breakfast in the Surveyor restaurant. In contrast, the dinner menu offered a trimmed-down selection from the Thompson Bar Room near the lobby.

Thompson Washington DC in room dining dinner menu — Dinner options on the in-room dining menu.

Service

I had nothing but positive interactions with the staff during my stay. Upon my arrival, the employee who checked me in was friendly and efficient, walking me through necessary information about the hotel and my Globalist benefits without overdoing it. It was close to 11 p.m., after all.

And I loved that he called down to the car valet so I didn’t have to sit around waiting. I saw this woman from the valet both nights, and she beamed with friendliness. The employee who retrieved my car in the mornings was also friendly.

Thompson Washington DC front view — Looking at the Thompson Washington D.C. from across the street.

At Surveyor, I had friendly, efficient service from both the employee who led me to a table while explaining what I could choose from for my free Globalist breakfast and the employee who waited on my table.

With a short stay and not dining at the hotel for lunch or dinner, I didn’t have extensive interactions with employees. I also skipped room service during my stay, further reducing my interactions with staff. However, during my limited interactions, everyone was friendly, helpful, and efficient.

Final Thoughts

As I checked out early to head to the airport, there was no line at the reception desk. And since I didn’t have a bill to settle, the process was a breeze. A friendly woman with a contagious smile took my key card, verified the balance, and sent me on my way with wishes for a safe flight and a speedy return to the hotel for a longer stay.

I wound up at the Thompson Washington D.C. out of convenience but thoroughly enjoyed my stay. If I go back to the city in the near future, I would easily choose this hotel. Service was good, the location was convenient, and everything worked as expected. The hotel didn’t have lavish amenities, but it served my purpose well and would be a good option for anyone visiting the city and planning to spend most of the day sightseeing, not staying in the hotel to be pampered.

The information regarding The World of Hyatt Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Featured Image Credit: Ryan Smith. All images credited to Ryan Smith unless where otherwise noted.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hotel category is the Thompson Washington D.C.?

This is a World of Hyatt Category 4 property.

Who owns Thompson Hotels?

Thompson Hotels is part of the World of Hyatt program. Thus, you can earn and redeem World of Hyatt points here, as well as redeem your free night awards and enjoy elite benefits if you have elite status with World of Hyatt.

How many rooms does the Thompson Washington D.C. have?

This 11-story property has 225 guest rooms.

When did the Thompson Washington D.C. open?

The hotel opened in January 2020. It features a warehouse look on the outside to blend in with the Navy Yard. Inside, the hotel has a nautical theme designed by Parts and Labor Design.

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About Ryan Smith

Ryan completed his goal of visiting every country in the world in December of 2023 and now plans to let his wife choose their destinations. Over the years, he’s written about award travel for publications including AwardWallet, The Points Guy, USA Today Blueprint, CNBC Select, Tripadvisor, and Forbes Advisor.

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