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Weddings

The Westin Arlington Gateway Reviews

The Westin Arlington Gateway

The Westin Arlington Gateway

Arlington, VA
4.6 out of 5 rating, 27 Reviews
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Reviews

4.6 out of 5 rating
27 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.6 out of 5 rating
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  • Professionalism
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96% Recommended by couples

Awards

27
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner
  • Erin
    Erin J. Sent on 06/01/2022
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    My Westin Wedding

    I had to cancel my first venue due to covid 4 months before my wedding. Through wedding wire I found the Westin Arlington Gateway. It was super easy getting in touch with them, and the hotel coordinator, Ekaterina, was a huge help. She helped me and my mom every step of the way. She helped us pick the menu, create the floor plan, and created the timeline for the night. Throughout the wedding she was checking on me and my husband. The staff at the Westin was just as accommodating; everyone there was so friendly. I'd recommend hosting events at the Westin to everyone. Everything about the hotel was perfect, and the location was a plus.
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    Charlotte K. Sent on 06/04/2019
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    Professional service, personal care.

    Michelle Kerkeslager and her team were easy to work with, responsive to my requests and provided helpful suggestions to make my daughter's post wedding brunch an elegant, well-organized event. Michelle provided professional service in an empathetic manner.
  • Jessica
    Jessica A. Sent on 11/15/2019
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    Great venue!

    We really enjoyed working with Michelle and the Westin. Our day was beautiful, the food was delicious, and our guests had an amazing time.
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  • J
    Jane B. Sent on 07/12/2019
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    Excellent wedding venue

    Then venue is spectacular and the cocktail area is enormous. No crowds at the bars and lots of room to move around. Food was amazing
  • Jenny
    Jenny Sent on 07/19/2019
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    Wonderful Wedding!

    We had a beautiful wedding at the Westin in June. Our guests were most complimentary of the food and the drinks. Finally, wedding food that doesn't taste mass produced! Michelle was there the night of, and did a wonderful job. Ron was the organizer of the event, and he was responsive to my emails. I would make sure to double check your information though, as he was forgetful for things he told us in person. Very reasonably priced and a great room block rate!
  • Liz
    Liz G. Sent on 10/17/2018
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    Highly recommend this property for hotel blocks!!!

    We recently worked with this hotel for a rooming block for our wedding, and we (the bride and groom) stayed in two of the suites here during our wedding weekend and utilized them for getting ready with our wedding party. I cannot say enough good things about our experience! From start to finish the Westin was fair, accommodating, responsive, helpful and super competitive on price! They went above and beyond to make our wedding block affordable and as easy as possible for our guests to book and for us to manage. During the wedding weekend, they took care of us every step of the way. From comping our parking to sending up champagne and treats for us to come back to on our wedding night, they truly made us feel so special and made our wedding weekend that more enjoyable. In addition to the great customer service, it is a beautiful property. The rooms and suites are updated, spacious and clean and the public areas are great as well. We also utilized Pinzimini, the on site restaurant and bar, a great deal throughout the weekend, and it was perfect for our needs. The food was good, the bar was spacious and great for a crowded and service was great! I would highly recommend this hotel---you will not be disappointed!
  • L
    Laverne Sent on 02/07/2017
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    Book this venue and use Leslie Aldana as your Event Planner. She is the BEST! Her attention to details and professionalism are exceptional.
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    Erica Sent on 07/31/2015
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    The Westin at Arlington Gateway (WAG) was the ideal venue for our wedding! The staff at the WAG was spectacular and took great care in every detail of the wedding. Mitchell Bierbaum was extremely responsive, flexible and understanding as we were planning this wedding from California. Mitchell and his staff went above and beyond to ensure that our wedding was an experience that we would never forget. The location of the WAG provides ideal choices for entertainment, food, etc. We are extremely glad that we chose to have our wedding at the WAG! We highly recommend the Westin Arlington Gateway to other people!
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    Andrea Sent on 11/18/2014
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    We came to the Westin after our previously chosen wedding venue was unable to provide the necessary staffing for our event - so after a year of planning, we had to choose this new location with less than a month to our wedding. From the moment we dropped in to see the event, without even having an appt, til the very end of the event, Mitchell & the rest of the staff ensured that our event went as smooth as possible. The transition was SO easy, and in fact, given our awful experience with the other place, made things almost stress-free during a time that a transition should have been very stressful. They suggested modifications to our menu based on things I casually mentioned during our tasting (which was phenomenal!!!) - I hadn't even realized it could be done! On the day of, things were perfect. Everything went exactly as planned, and the space looked beautiful. Even though I had not wanted my wedding in a hotel meeting room, their space is really special in the way it is set up - with a beautiful staircase leading up to the area, and an amazing space for cocktail hour. With some uplighting, the meeting room space is completely transformed. Their neutral designs make it easy to have whatever color theme you want, so you aren't competing with some crazy carpet. We had so many compliments on the food as well - it was DELICIOUS & perfect. All of the servers were SO great as well. Also, their suites are AMAZING. Much larger than other hotels I looked at - and you get one complimentary for both Fri & Sat night, which is fantastic. All of the rooms were beautiful, spacious & clean. All of my guests had such a great time. I can't say enough great things about our experience. They really made our special day perfect!
  • User1263630 Sent on 07/30/2013
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    I had a wonderful experience at The Westin Arlington Gateway. I wanted my wedding venue to be an upscale hotel with a modern feel, a friendly and knowledgeable staff, a convenient location, and a cocktail space with big windows wrapped around a neutral ballroom that I could transform however I wanted. I definitely made the right decision!

    My wedding was a black tie affair for about 300 guests, so working with the hotel to plan the cocktail hour and the reception was no small undertaking. Danielle Merriman and Alicia Bell made it seem easy, though, because they were fabulous to work with! I greatly appreciated their thoroughness and attention to detail. My parents and I were very hands-on in the planning process, and they were so patient and helpful as we discussed options and decided on what would be served at the cocktail hour, what would be served for the plated dinner (which included a perfectly cooked filet that many guests told us was the best they'd had at a wedding), what types of uplighting and draping I wanted, how to set-up the spaces, etc. In the end, my parents and I were so pleased with how everything turned out. The cocktail hour space and the ballroom looked beautiful, the food was excellent, everything went perfectly. I was particularly impressed with how efficiently the staff was able to pour champagne and wine and serve and bus the courses for such a large party.

    On the wedding weekend, Danielle went above and beyond to make sure that all was going as planned and checked-in often to provide whatever help we needed. I loved the spacious suite that I got ready in with my bridesmaids on the wedding day. I also had a good experience setting up a room block at the hotel for out of town guests. I was also very pleased with the brunch that my parents had arranged to host in the hotel restaurant Pinzimini the morning after the wedding. I highly recommend this venue, and I'm so thankful that I had my wedding here!
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    Lauren Sent on 07/30/2013
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    Danielle Merriman was my coordinator and she was fantastic. She was always available and responded to my questions and needs in prompt fashion. The Westin was incredible and their ballroom was stunning. I would highly recommend Danielle and the Westin to anyone!
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    Ashleigh Sent on 07/30/2013
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    I would highly recommend The Westin Arlington Gateway as a wedding venue. The event coordinator, Danielle, went out of her way to make sure everything was what I wanted and things ran smoothly on the day of the event. During the whole process she and her staff made my family and I feel like our event was just as important to them as it was to us. The whole staff was so incredibly helpful. I was pretty surprised the valet guys knew that I was the bride and remembered what car I drove. The ballroom was beautiful and the hotel facilities were ideal. All of the guest were raving about the food. The most popular seemed to be the macaroni and cheese station with lobster. We had a lot of out of town guest and the location was perfect to accommodate everyone. The hotel kept the restaurant bar and lounge area open as an after party location for our friends and family. Have our wedding reception at the Westin took so much stress off of myself and my family.
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    Sylvie Sent on 12/24/2012
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    My husband and I spent a lot of time looking for a wedding venues but we chose the Westin Arlington Gateway for many reason. If I wrote a list of reasons why I love this hotel, this review would be much too long. Here are a few of the reasons:
    -Danielle Merriman is amazing. She worked with us through every detail of our wedding and was very patient when I changed my mind about certain details. My parents live in California and she always made sure to meet with us when they were in town to talk about the wedding. She made our wedding planning so easy.
    -The hotel is only 7 years old so everything looks brand new. Everything is super clean and well kept. My wedding guests have made several comments on how great the hotel was.
    -Wedding Block - It was important for us that our wedding guests had a good hotel and that it didn't cost them a whole lot to stay at. The price per room was $100 less than the hotels rooms in DC and the rooms are much nicer. Our hotel guests were able to visit DC via metro or cab and still had a great hotel to stay at.
    -The food was fantastic. We had New York Steaks for our dinner and steaks were cooked to a perfect medium. The chef even made a special dish for my husband who is from the South. They made special appetizers that our friends LOVED. Our friends are all foodies and in the food industry and they were impressed.
    -The ballrooms are set up in neutral colors so everything looked great.
    -Our reception required three different spaces: we had a dinner with just family, then had a reception for family and friends, and we also needed a pre-function room where people could lounge and get drinks. The hotel set up everything for us and gave us more than enough room for our wedding guests to walk around and enjoy.

    Everything turned out perfect and we are more than happy with our wedding reception. Thank you Danielle and the staff at the Westin!
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    Caroline Sent on 08/31/2010
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    The Westin was a fantastic venue for our wedding. The hotel itself is beautiful and the decor is neutral so there are no concerns of clashing with wedding colors. The location is ideal - two blocks from the Metro, so it's easy for out-of-town guests to get to as well as tour DC if they'd like.

    Alicia Bell, the wedding coordinator at the hotel, is phenomenal. She immediately put me at ease and took incredible care of me during the planning process. She was so on top of things, I knew I never needed to worry. And I was right! She thought of everything and managed all my details with ease. My wedding went off without a hitch and went exactly according to my plans. Alicia made it all possible. On top of her skill, she's so lovely and pleasant, that I enjoyed meeting with her and talking to her every time.

    Alicia also worked with my mother to host a party the day before for my brideswomen. My mom brought family photos with her, but did not have a plan to display them. Alicia took them and got display frames for all the photos! Totally above and beyond.

    All the staff at the Westin were great. Everyone is friendly, competent, and perform their roles wonderfully. I went back for a meeting today with Alicia and the valet even remembered me! AND he remembered my husband's car. He was so pleasant and welcoming. I was touched.

    The food was excellent. We chose to serve only vegetarian and seafood because we do not eat meat. Our guests (even the carnivores) all raved about the food and no one left hungry.

    This was a great venue. I was pleasantly surprised at its reasonable rates, considering its location. We felt very pleased with our choice before the wedding, and this feeling was confirmed after the wedding. I only have positive things to say about it.
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    Maggie Sent on 08/27/2010
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    Alicia at the Westin was amazing to work with! She made all the planning so easy for us and everything turned out perfectly! She was always very responsive whenever we had any questions or concerns and really made us feel like we were the only couple she was working with.

    The Westin in Arlington itself is a gorgeous location. One of the things we loved about it was the openess of the hall where the cocktail hour was held. There are open windows so guests are able to look out and see the Bride and Groom taking pictures or see the beautiful community garden right outside. The ballroom is beautiful as well, we were really happy with the neutral colors which would go with any color scheme.

    All around we had a great experience with all the staff, especially Alicia.
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    Katherine Sent on 01/07/2009
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    With such a modest charm and simplicity about them, I cannot understand why they are not booked years in advance. The staff is wonderful to work with and the hotel is beautiful. They took care of everything! I would recommend this venue to anyone!
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    Lisa Sent on 09/18/2008
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    Outstanding service. Marci Zelenski went above and beyond for us and for our families. We had a wonderful weekend at the Westin -they thought of everything. The food was also outstanding.
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    Jennifer N. Sent on 11/18/2019
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    Everything we wanted and more

    Our experience working with Michelle and the Westin was outstanding. We initially chose this hotel because it was among the most affordable but we never felt as though we compromised on the quality of our venue. The ambiance was excellent, the food delicious, and the service was truly above and beyond what we expected. Our guests have uniformly commented that they received a five star treatment, both in quality of service and experience. Michelle was responsive, attentive and fair and in those few moments there was confusion she was able to promptly resolve any difficulties. We would recommend Michelle and the Westin without qualification to anyone.
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    Jeffrey Sent on 03/18/2017
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    We would definitely consider booking at the Westin again. Great location, great service, and the staff went the extra mile to make us happy.
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    M Sent on 08/29/2011
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    The Westin was a real pleasure to work with. They were responsive and professional throughout the planning process...the only hiccup we had was a handover from a departing events coordinator (promoted to a fancy-schmancier hotel) to one who'd been on the periphery of our planning. It was a small hiccup though, and we got right back on track with the new Westin events coordinator. I believe they do more business events than wedding-type events, but you wouldn't have known it. They worked well with our vendors and our guests couldn't stop gushing about the look and feel of the venue. The food was excellent and they were incredibly flexible with an ever-changing guest list and hotel-accomodation list due to Hurricane Irene. I would recommend the Westin to anyone looking for a great wedding venue complete with amazing food and never-ending options and flexibility.
  • rdmiller84
    Rebekah Sent on 08/19/2008
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    My Goodness, this has got to be one of the nicest venues around. The decor perfectly matched my chocolate and apple green theme! The ballroom has a nice clean neautral pallette. We used the ballroom, pre-function room, and two board meeting rooms, they were all gorgeous, it matched perfectly with our black tie affair, and everyone has still been talking about it to this day. I will say to make sure that when you go to your tasting to make sure what you taste will actually be at the wedding. Our food was DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!! There was a slight mix-up with the sides, but other than that everything was wonderful!!!
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    Sarah Sent on 03/29/2011
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    Westin did a great job hosting our ceremony and reception. They catered to our multiple food tasting trials and were helpful with questions. Everything the day of went off perfectly. The food was delicious- cocktail hour and dinner. During the planning, we occasionally had to wait a couple days to get responses to questions from their staff. Also, we were not informed that we'd hit the room block minimum and would receive a complimentary hospitality suite until the week of the wedding, which caused a little extra stress to stock the room once we learned about it. To our guests however, everything was absolutely flawless the whole weekend.
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    Diana Sent on 06/24/2013
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    The Westin had amazing food! It's probably the best I've had at weddings. The hotel itself is absolutely gorgeous as well. I had a dessert bar and I cannot tell you how gorgeous it was!

    My original contact was on maternity leave during the wedding. Danielle is amazing! Due to this though, I did end up working with many different people. Everyone was great and very accommodating. The only problem was that I did end up having to talk with a lot of different people and felt that towards the end things were getting lost in translation.

    The only value issue, which is probably just DC area and weddings in general is parking for overnight guests was a bit high.
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    Alexis Sent on 07/13/2013
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    We chose the Westin Arlington Gateway for our cocktail hour and reception.

    Pros:
    Included day of coordinator (responsive and flexible)
    Location (on orange line for out of town guests to access DC sites)
    Included bridal and parents of the bride and groom suite
    Quality and selection of food

    Cons:
    -The reception room and guest rooms were REALLY hot. Perhaps an issue with the air conditioner but very unpleasant when you want guests to have fun on the dance floor
    -Candy bar was not displayed as discussed (wanted multi-tier display and got a lazy plain display)
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    Puja Sent on 03/26/2017
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    Overall, we were happy with the space. Ballroom had plenty of room and the day of staff were great. However, our journey to this was nothing less than frustration. We went through 3 different event coordinators, with the last one coming on about a week before the event. A big reason we chose this venue was we loved the first coordinator. Understandably staff can change. However the second coordinator gave us an ulcer. Unresponsive, dismissive, and non accommodating the whole way through. Even when we had the walk through, our other vendors commented that she seemed annoyed. Third coordinator had to get up to speed quick and she was much more responsive. However, we had explicit instructions printed for our wedding (placing the wedding itinerary on the guests chairs, place the poster boards during the reception) which were not followed. Our guests had no idea what was going on during the ceremony! Luckily we were able to get some compensation for the money we spent for those printouts but the moment is gone. We did have an issue with the cake topper not being on the cake after all this went down but a quick phone call remedied that.

    We had numerous miscommunications through this entire process and it didn't feel like we were getting the Westin experience. Considering the amount we spent, I would have expected a much better experience going into it.
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