Knife assault at hotel in Silver Spring

Montgomery County police were called to a hotel in downtown Silver Spring late yesterday afternoon, June 10, 2026, after an aggravated assault took place. According to police, a man was trespassing at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel at 8777 Georgia Avenue at 5:47 PM Wednesday. A security guard confronted the man, and asked him to leave the premises. The man declined, and allegedly pull out a knife and took several swings at the guard with it. He then fled the hotel on foot. Officers caught up with the suspect, and successfully took him into custody.

Silver Spring hotel converting to apartments

The shuttered Hotel Silver Spring at 8727 Colesville Road in downtown Silver Spring is getting new life as an apartment building. Preparations are being made to convert the hotel rooms into 227 studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom rental apartments. The parking garage will remain in place, but receive any necessary updates or renovations required for tenant use. Previously branded as a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, the building is 13 stories tall and 190,000-square feet in size.

Can you identify these alleged armed robbers of the Holiday Inn Express in Silver Spring?

Montgomery County police are investigating an armed robbery that took place at the Holiday Inn Express hotel at 7990 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring last Wednesday, January 15, 2025. At an unspecified time that day, two suspects entered the lobby of the hotel and approached the front desk. While one suspect acted as a lookout, the second allegedly demanded cash from the clerk at the desk. 

The second suspect then physically assaulted the clerk, police allege, and took money from a cash register behind the desk. Both suspects fled to a black Chevrolet sedan getaway car outside the hotel. Police did not identify the model, model year, or tag number of the getaway car.

Police describe Suspect #1 as a Black male in his late 30s to early 40s, approximately 5'10" in height with a heavy build, and wearing blue insulated coveralls with black boots, blue micro-foam nitrile coated glove, black knit hat, and a black surgical-style mask. He was wielding a black semi-automatic handgun.   

Suspect #2 is described as a Black male, in his late 30s to early 40s, also about 5'10" and with a heavy build. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, gray New Balance shoes, black gloves, and a large watch on his left wrist. He was wearing "goggle style" glasses, with a black facemask.

Anyone with information regarding the suspects or this crime is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org, and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477.  A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of these suspects. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Silver Spring Hampton Inn closes

The lights are on, but nobody's home at the Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites hotel at 8728 Colesville Road. Well, they're on in the lobby, at least. Guest rooms upstairs are blacked out, and signage has been removed from the hotel.

What's going on here? A search of Maryland property records indicates the building was purchased by United Therapeutics in October for an incredible $48,700,000. The property was previously acquired by Civitas Capital Group in 2019.

Hotel Silver Spring a stopgap between Sheraton and DoubleTree branding (Photos)

There's a "new" hotel in town, with a generic-sounding name. Hotel Silver Spring at 8777 Georgia Avenue won't be called that for long, however. Until recently a Sheraton, it will become a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel this fall, according to a front desk employee. The property was sold earlier this summer.

Renovations are underway, including exterior repainting. Interior upgrades will be completed by the end of October, the employee said. Fortunately, the fantastic architecture will remain, as this is my favorite building in downtown Silver Spring.

Silver Spring Courtyard by Marriott to get exterior renovation

The exterior of the Courtyard by Marriott at 8506 Fenton Street in downtown Silver Spring will be freshened up in the coming months. A facade restoration is planned for the hotel. The sidewalks below will remain open, with a protective canopy to shield pedestrians.

Mass layoffs at Sheraton Silver Spring hotel

Coronavirus continues to wreak economic havoc for business owners and employees alike in Montgomery County. The Sheraton hotel at 8777 Georgia Avenue is now laying off 56 employees. Many hotels across the country are shuttered due to the collapse of the travel industry caused by Covid-19. The modern design of the Sheraton remains the premiere architectural specimen in downtown Silver Spring, in my opinion. In terms of hotel designs, only the Pooks Hill Marriott comes close.

DoubleTree Silver Spring suspends operations due to coronavirus pandemic

The DoubleTree by Hilton hotel at 8727 Colesville Road in downtown Silver Spring has suspended operations due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Some hotels have tried to stay open, relying on either essential business and government travelers, or on medical personnel receiving subsidized stays. But like many others, the DoubleTree has ultimately decided to temporarily close to protect their staff and guests.

Two downtown Silver Spring hotels sold

Two hotels in downtown Silver Spring have been sold. The 149-room Hampton Inn at 8728-A Colesville Road, and the 90-room Homewood Suites by Hilton at 8728 Colesville Road, were purchased by a shell company controlled by Civitas Capital. Both hotels were owned by the same company, which renovated both this decade, and are located in one co-branded property. Civitas paid $36,100,000 for the hotels, according to Maryland real estate records.

According to a source familiar with the situation, both hotels have suffered a loss of business over the last two years, due to the nearby construction on the United Therapeutics campus. With that project now completed, the deal looked like a winner for Civitas, as business is expected to return to normal levels - and possibly increase, due to its proximity to the biotech campus.

Gulf gas station closes in downtown Silver Spring (Video+Photos)

The Gulf gas station at 8600 Georgia Avenue has closed. It will be replaced by a 173-room, extended stay Residence Inn by Marriott hotel. It would have been nicer to see housing placed here closer to Metro, but a hotel does put less strain on County taxpayers, schools and services than housing.