I vascillated between the Mandarin Oriental and Sofitel for my trip to Washington, D.C., but ended up going with the Sofitel due to lukewarm TripAdvisor reviews of the MO.

In truth -- I would give the Sofitel a 4.5, but since TripAdvisor does not allow half-ratings, I have rounded up to 5 because I feel it would be unfair to give a 4.

The Sofitel is a beautiful hotel ideally located in the heart of the city, just a few blocks away from the White House and close to most of the major monuments. (It is also just one block away from the metro -- very convenient for folks without a car!)

The hotel is very nicely furnished with a mix of traditional and modern furniture. The front desk service was exceptional -- the staff was extremely friendly, accommodating, and knowledgable about the area.

We arrived a couple of hours early, and expected to wait -- but were given a room immediately, and were even upgraded to a better suite.

The hotel has a "business center" on the ground floor where you can check your e-mail, and even print out what you need. That was great. I find many hotels offer Internet access, but no printer!

Our room was very nice -- on the 11th floor... a good size with a fantastic view of the city. The bathroom was VERY nice -- with a separate tub and shower stall. The toiletries were good (a hotel rarity) -- you also get a robe and slippers. But... BEWARE! The bathroom lighting is universally unflattering. As soon as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I was seized with panic and an urge to run to the nearest dermatologist's office.

The rooms come with plenty of closet space, a big desk, and a large flat-screen TV, plus an ottoman and chairs for sitting. Air-conditioning is good and nearly silent. The bed is large with feather pillows and a down comforter. (For those who are allergic, I suggest you notify the hotel in advance so they can accommodate you.) There is turn-down service with free bottles of evian water to quench that p.m. thirst. My one quibble with the bed was that I found it too soft. But then -- I like hard beds, so it may just be me.

The only other thing that "bothered" me about the room was the carpet. The carpet is white, and does not appear to be super stain-resistant. So -- although I was sure the room was clean -- there was an ink stain in a corner and a wine stain that was clearly old and would not come out. This is unfortunate, since it marred the overall appearance of the room, which was otherwise beautiful. I hope the hotel chooses a more stain-restistant or darker flooring the next time around.

There is a bar and restaurant in the hotel. We did not eat at the restaurant, but did have drinks and food at the bar. Both seem very popular -- not just with the hotel guests -- but with the locals. The outdoor seating area is very nice in summer, and great for people-watching. Drinks and food are moderate-to-expensive. (I recommend the tapas plate -- very hearty and tasty.)
The bar also offers free coffee and tea in the mornings.

The service at the bar was spotty -- overall good, with a couple of exceptions. For example, when taking away our plates one night -- our waitress asked us to take our forks out of the dirty plate (the handles were soiled!), saying we needed to hold on to them for the dessert plate. That was weird. Couldn't she bring us a couple of fresh forks? On another morning, we showed up at the bar at 10:15 looking for coffee, but it was "over." The front desk clearly told us coffee was available in the bar every day from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. These are minor issues, but worth noting -- some members of the bar staff need better training. I can't speak for the restaurant.

We did not make use of the gym, but there is one...

Overall, the Sofitel is a great hotel. Not exactly a 5, but definitely a 4.5. I recommend it without reservation, and should add that I think it is a GREAT VALUE -- you get much, much more than you'd expect for the money.