One night hotel stay in D.C.

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
Topic Author
guitarguy
Posts: 2191
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:10 pm

One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by guitarguy »

Continuing our tradition of taking a weekend trip for our anniversary, we're going to Washington DC this May. Wife has been before as a kid, but I have never been. We both love museums and stuff and look forward to doing many of the tourist-y things.

For the first 2 nights of our trip, we're staying with friends outside the city. Our last night of the trip, we're thinking of doing a 1-night hotel stay in the city. We're thinking it'll be fun, and also we don't want to impose a Sunday night (our trip is Friday-Monday) stay on our friends who have to get up early Monday morning for work and stuff.

Any tips on cool places to stay, and or "must-do" activities would be great!
Rupert
Posts: 4122
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:01 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Rupert »

How much are you looking to spend? If you're going to splurge a little, stay in a Kimpton Hotel. I enjoy the Hotel George in Capitol Hill. It's near Union Station on the Metro's red line. There's a great little French restaurant on-site called Bistro Bis. I highly recommend it. There's another Kimpton Hotel on the west side of DuPont Circle called the Madera That's also a great location - near Embassy Row and the Connecticut Avenue shopping district. You can also walk to Georgetown from there, although it's a bit of a hike (20 minutes or so). There's a good restaurant in that hotel too, the Firefly.

Re "must-do" activities: There are a million. What are your interests?
donaldfair71
Posts: 1241
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:15 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by donaldfair71 »

The Holocaust Museum is a must. If you decide to go, get there decently early (before 11 or maybe earlier) and reserve tickets. They will give you a ticket with a time on it for later in the day. It is the best Smithsonian in my opinion, but be prepared to be emotionally stunned by what you see. It's free.

The National Archives are pretty cool if you want to see the great documents of our country. It is free, and you don't need reservations.

The other Smithsonians are okay, but the only other one I would make a trip to (in such a short amount of time) would be the Air and Space Museum downtown. Also free.

I liked the Museum of Crime and Punishment, it's really cool if you like to learn about that kind of thing. It is where they film America's Most Wanted. This costs money, however.

Food-wise, even though I live in the suburbs of DC, the only one I can speak of would be Bens Chili Bowl. The half-smokes are pretty legendary, and it's one of those unique little hole in the wall spots that all the tourists like to see once they find out about it.
User avatar
Lee Saage
Posts: 213
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:25 pm
Location: Georgetown, TX

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Lee Saage »

My favorite hotel in DC is the Omni Shoreham. It's a bit old fashioned, has lovely rooms with lots of wood paneling, coved ceilings. impeccable service and a very good breakfast buffet. The hotel usually offers a number of discounts - AAA, government, military and others. It's close to a Metro stop. Best sight to see in DC is the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. But that's my taste.
Most of my money went to fast cars, fast living and good wine. The rest I just wasted.
lwfitzge
Posts: 311
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:01 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by lwfitzge »

for hotels:

1) Park Hyatt - near M street, w lots of dining options
2) Kimpton Hotels - I think there are several of them in the city and 2-3 are top 10 in TripAdvisor. I stayed in two of them and they are excellent.

http://www.kimptonhotels.com/hotels/hot ... tondc.aspx
Random Poster
Posts: 3314
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:17 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Random Poster »

The Hay-Adams has some pretty nice views and a decent location.
Topic Author
guitarguy
Posts: 2191
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:10 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by guitarguy »

Hadn't set a hard budget yet. I will look into all of these hotel & restaurant options!

So far I'm thinking the Holocaust Museum and Air & Space Museum sound like things we'd like. We also will probably check out the International Spy Museum. Anyone have an opinion on it? Hey...we like spy movies...why not? :)

Thanks everyone for the ideas!
User avatar
Rusa
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:18 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Rusa »

I live in DC, and visited the Spy Museum last year (on someone else's dime). Very enjoyable even if you are not into spying. They've done a great job of pulling together exhibits from all eras of history with great displays and information. They also have a very entertaining entry system (I won't spoil it by telling you what that is!). Hotel Monaco is right next door, as is the Museum of American Art, which is great and seems not to be on anyone's radar.
Rusa
Super Hans
Posts: 308
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:18 pm
Location: Washington, D.C.

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Super Hans »

There are some additional tips in the "Things to do in Washington DC" thread, where I recommended an Ethiopian meal.

Besides the Smithsonian, the National Gallery of Art has an outstanding collection. Within the Smithsonian family, I'm a fan of the National Portrait Gallery, which shares the Old Patent Office Building with the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Washington hotel prices fluctuate dramatically, but I expect they will be at their peak in May. Willard's Hotel has a lot of history, besides its excellent location, but it can cost more than it's worth. The Mandarin Oriental is somewhat off the beaten path but convenient to the Tidal Basin area (though I hope the cherry blossoms peak well before May!). The Hay-Adams and Park Hyatt are other high-end bets. On the other end of the spectrum, I've had visiting family score ~$60 nights in Rosslyn. Georgetown is an easy walk from there, and the Mall is a quick Metro journey.
Topic Author
guitarguy
Posts: 2191
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:10 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by guitarguy »

After looking into this a bit, it seems as though the nicest hotels will run a pretty steep rate. I've looked at most of the suggestions here as well as some others that were rated high on tripadvisor such as the Sofitel, which looks like a cool place in a good location. We also looked at nicer rooms rather than the basic ones. Most of the price ranges I'm seeing are around $400 per night, including $50 for overnight parking.

It's not a question of whether or not we can afford it, but I'm wondering if a swanky 1-night stay is "worth it" or if we'd be just as happy skimping and staying somewhere cheaper. I think we may go for it for the simple reason that we typically go for a Holiday Inn or whatever rather than splurge on a nice hotel room. Might be cool do do once.
lwfitzge
Posts: 311
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:01 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by lwfitzge »

guitarguy wrote:After looking into this a bit, it seems as though the nicest hotels will run a pretty steep rate. I've looked at most of the suggestions here as well as some others that were rated high on tripadvisor such as the Sofitel, which looks like a cool place in a good location. We also looked at nicer rooms rather than the basic ones. Most of the price ranges I'm seeing are around $400 per night, including $50 for overnight parking.

It's not a question of whether or not we can afford it, but I'm wondering if a swanky 1-night stay is "worth it" or if we'd be just as happy skimping and staying somewhere cheaper. I think we may go for it for the simple reason that we typically go for a Holiday Inn or whatever rather than splurge on a nice hotel room. Might be cool do do once.

How about just staying in Bethesda at a nice hotel but at a reduced rate and take the Metro into the city. Many of the hotels are walking distance to metro stop and DC's underground system is very nice.

EDIT: I just looked at Priceline.com and I saw weekend rate for Hyatt Capitol Hill for $127, others DC hotels at $200 and below, in Bethesda, nice hotel at $79-150
Last edited by lwfitzge on Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:56 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Rupert
Posts: 4122
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:01 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Rupert »

DC is expensive. Hotels there don't often offer discounts because they don't have to; their rooms are full regardless of discounts. That being said, you should be able to find a good room for less than $400. Try the Grand Hyatt. It's a huge conference hotel, but I've had luck finding rooms there for around $200. It's noisy but nice and centrally located near the Metro Center metro station.
Iorek
Posts: 1569
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:38 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Iorek »

lwfitzge wrote:
guitarguy wrote:After looking into this a bit, it seems as though the nicest hotels will run a pretty steep rate. I've looked at most of the suggestions here as well as some others that were rated high on tripadvisor such as the Sofitel, which looks like a cool place in a good location. We also looked at nicer rooms rather than the basic ones. Most of the price ranges I'm seeing are around $400 per night, including $50 for overnight parking.

It's not a question of whether or not we can afford it, but I'm wondering if a swanky 1-night stay is "worth it" or if we'd be just as happy skimping and staying somewhere cheaper. I think we may go for it for the simple reason that we typically go for a Holiday Inn or whatever rather than splurge on a nice hotel room. Might be cool do do once.

How about just staying in Bethesda at a nice hotel but at a reduced rate and take the Metro into the city. Many of the hotels are walking distance to metro stop and DC's underground system is very nice.
I am a fan of the occasional travel splurge, but I think lwfitzge's idea is worth considering. Especially given it's only one night, you might look for a hotel a little outside DC but very close to the metro (e.g, Bethesda, Friendship Heights, Crystal City). Might depend a little on what airport you are using on Monday.
Random Poster
Posts: 3314
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:17 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Random Poster »

guitarguy wrote:It's not a question of whether or not we can afford it, but I'm wondering if a swanky 1-night stay is "worth it" or if we'd be just as happy skimping and staying somewhere cheaper. I think we may go for it for the simple reason that we typically go for a Holiday Inn or whatever rather than splurge on a nice hotel room. Might be cool do do once.
From your OP, the trip will be during your anniversary. Seems like a good reason to splurge to me.
PennySaved
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 5:05 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by PennySaved »

If you don't care much about hotel decor and amenities, there is a cheap tourist hotel in a great location in DC called the Hotel Harrington. located at corner of 11th and E Streets, NW. One block from Metro Center redline subway stop. I did a quick check and it looks like room rate is less than $200 per night. If you are only staying one night and don't care if you are staying in an outdated worn hotel, you could save some bucks. It is in a great central location in DC.
Random Poster
Posts: 3314
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:17 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Random Poster »

Rupert wrote:DC is expensive. Hotels there don't often offer discounts because they don't have to; their rooms are full regardless of discounts. That being said, you should be able to find a good room for less than $400. Try the Grand Hyatt. It's a huge conference hotel, but I've had luck finding rooms there for around $200. It's noisy but nice and centrally located near the Metro Center metro station.
On the conference hotel comment:

I've had good luck in looking up a city's conference calendar (not too hard to find usually), and seeing if there are any conferences scheduled for when I plan to be in town.

If there are, I then look up the conference's website, and see if they have any hotel specials that are offered in connection with the conference.

If there are, and I like the hotel and the rate, I book the hotel at the conference rate.

Win for me, and win for the conference organizers (who often guarantee a certain number of bookings, so they are happy to have one more room booked).
User avatar
22twain
Posts: 4030
Joined: Thu May 10, 2012 5:42 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by 22twain »

About 10-12 years ago I went to DC a few times with a group that always stayed in Rosslyn near the Key Bridge, right across from Georgetown. We used a Best Western a couple of times, and another place (whose name I've forgotten) right down the street the third time. The Rosslyn metro station was in the next block.
Meet my pet, Peeve, who loves to convert non-acronyms into acronyms: FED, ROTH, CASH, IVY, ...
gt4715b
Posts: 534
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:29 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by gt4715b »

Rupert wrote:DC is expensive. Hotels there don't often offer discounts because they don't have to; their rooms are full regardless of discounts. That being said, you should be able to find a good room for less than $400. Try the Grand Hyatt. It's a huge conference hotel, but I've had luck finding rooms there for around $200. It's noisy but nice and centrally located near the Metro Center metro station.
Not really true. Unless there is an event going on reasonable hotel rooms are easy to find in DC.

Try Hotwire for the hotel. You can generally get 4 star hotels (Hilton, etc.) in downtown DC for $90-120. You may get lucky and find some of the 4.5 star hotels for $150-180.
shantster
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 9:05 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by shantster »

gt4715b wrote:
Rupert wrote:DC is expensive. Hotels there don't often offer discounts because they don't have to; their rooms are full regardless of discounts. That being said, you should be able to find a good room for less than $400. Try the Grand Hyatt. It's a huge conference hotel, but I've had luck finding rooms there for around $200. It's noisy but nice and centrally located near the Metro Center metro station.
Not really true. Unless there is an event going on reasonable hotel rooms are easy to find in DC.

Try Hotwire for the hotel. You can generally get 4 star hotels (Hilton, etc.) in downtown DC for $90-120. You may get lucky and find some of the 4.5 star hotels for $150-180.
Second the Hotwire suggestion. I always use this site: http://www.hotwirerevealed.com when making Hotwire purchases. It gives you an idea of what the hotel will likely be based on the listed stars, location, and amenities.

Also I would start getting familiar with Priceline bidding strategies, particularly how to multiple bid. Here's a site that has the strategy I use laid out: http://www.hoteldealsrevealed.com/price ... ebids.html

Between Hotwire and Priceline, I book all my hotels for travel, both business and pleasure, and have had great success (i.e. $75/night for the Westin in downtown Seattle and $80/night for the Hyatt in Downtown Crossing in Boston). It takes some patience but is completely worth it once you learn the strategies.
caluchko
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:15 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by caluchko »

If you want a unique and very enjoyable hotel, try the Tabard Inn. It's like walking into a quirky country inn in the middle of the city. They have some rooms with shared bathrooms if you're looking to save money.
treypar
Posts: 178
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:55 pm
Location: GA

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by treypar »

I usually stay at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bethesda and take the Metro into DC. It is a newer hotel reasonalby priced within walking distance of the Metro. When I want to splurge and stay in DC, I stay at the Hay Adams. It is a great fine hotel.
WendyW
Posts: 345
Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2012 3:01 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by WendyW »

DC hotels seem to fill up during the week -- meaning that there are bargains on the weekend after the politicians clear out.

I named-my-own-price on Priceline and ended up with a Friday to Sunday stay in a suite at the posh Residence Inn on Capitol Hill for $60/night. Win!
Topic Author
guitarguy
Posts: 2191
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:10 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by guitarguy »

Random Poster wrote:From your OP, the trip will be during your anniversary. Seems like a good reason to splurge to me.
This is what we ended up deciding on being the biggest consideration. After lots of research we decided to splurge on a Mediterranean Suite at the Hotel Monaco. We know it's over priced, but we figured for just a one-night stay we might as well live it up and not just try to find the cheapest room that looked tolerable. After all we're lucky enough to get to stay free with friends for our first 2 nights. The extra $ spent on the room will be worth the memory of the trip. The huge jacuzzi and large windows with a view look really nice and were the selling points for both of us, as was the free wine tasting hour (looks like all Kimpton Hotels have this).

The location is perfect...right near attractions we plan to hit on the day of our stay: the Spy Museum, Ford Theater, up the Metro to Ben's Chili Bowl for lunch, and the Air & Space Museum. Can anyone recommend a good restaurant for dinner in that area? People weren't raving about the restaurant in the hotel to say the least, so we probably won't go there. We plan on going out to a pretty nice meal that evening...somewhere where we can dress up a bit and not be out of place. Ideally within walking distance of the Monaco, but if there's another can't miss place we can certainly venture out a bit.

On the day prior, we'll travel into DC and hit all the stuff on the "other side": the Memorials, the Holocaust Museum, American History Museum, etc, and then travel back out to stay with our friends in VA (just a 20 min ride to the city...but out of the range of the Metro I'm told...so we'll have to find a place to park for the day).

Thanks everyone for the advice. Looking forward to the trip!
Iorek
Posts: 1569
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:38 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Iorek »

guitarguy wrote:
Random Poster wrote:From your OP, the trip will be during your anniversary. Seems like a good reason to splurge to me.
This is what we ended up deciding on being the biggest consideration. After lots of research we decided to splurge on a Mediterranean Suite at the Hotel Monaco. We know it's over priced, but we figured for just a one-night stay we might as well live it up and not just try to find the cheapest room that looked tolerable. After all we're lucky enough to get to stay free with friends for our first 2 nights. The extra $ spent on the room will be worth the memory of the trip. The huge jacuzzi and large windows with a view look really nice and were the selling points for both of us, as was the free wine tasting hour (looks like all Kimpton Hotels have this).

The location is perfect...right near attractions we plan to hit on the day of our stay: the Spy Museum, Ford Theater, up the Metro to Ben's Chili Bowl for lunch, and the Air & Space Museum. Can anyone recommend a good restaurant for dinner in that area? People weren't raving about the restaurant in the hotel to say the least, so we probably won't go there. We plan on going out to a pretty nice meal that evening...somewhere where we can dress up a bit and not be out of place. Ideally within walking distance of the Monaco, but if there's another can't miss place we can certainly venture out a bit.

On the day prior, we'll travel into DC and hit all the stuff on the "other side": the Memorials, the Holocaust Museum, American History Museum, etc, and then travel back out to stay with our friends in VA (just a 20 min ride to the city...but out of the range of the Metro I'm told...so we'll have to find a place to park for the day).

Thanks everyone for the advice. Looking forward to the trip!
That's a great location! I've heard the outdoor patio/bar is a nice place to have a drink, btw.

There are a ton of great restaurants in the area, which is called Penn Quarter (if, say, you want to browse at Chowhound or DonRockwell-- two good sites for DC restaurants). If you like Indian at all, Rasika is an upscale twist on Indian that is great. If you like Mexican, there is Oyamel. If you want small plates, there is Jaleo (spanish tapas) or Graffiato (Italian) or Zaytinya (Mediterranean). Probably Rasika is the "nicest" of those, and may be the hardest to get a reservation.
Barefootgirl
Posts: 2519
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 7:05 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Barefootgirl »

Given that you are guitar guy, I would put The Birchmere in Alexandria or the State Theatre in Falls Church, on your short list.

Possibly Wolf Trap in Vienna or the 9:30 in downtown DC. I have been to excellent shows at all these locations.

Enjoy! BF
How many retired people does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Only one, but he takes all day.
User avatar
orcycle
Posts: 238
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 9:44 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by orcycle »

We were just in DC for spring break (we were told the cherry blossoms would be blooming then but a cold snap (with snow!) came in on the Monday of our week's stay). It sounds like you don't have children like we do, but maybe my comments may be useful to you:

1. If you wanted a tour of the Capitol, you might contact your local Senator or Representative to get a much more personal tour. We did this with a Senator's aide from our home state, made the tour more interesting. I was also struck by how young all the aides/interns are, drawn to the magnetism of DC.

2. I second the Archives as a place to visit to see the original documents of the founding of the USA, just be prepared for a long line.

3. Back to the Capitol, if you needed a haircut, you can make an appointment to get your hair cut (or a shave like I did) in the Hair Salon of the Capitol Building (basement of the Russell Senate Building). I read about it in the NYT on the morning of our tour so I made a reservation for a shave because I didn't need a haircut. I didn't get a great shave, and it cost $20 plus tip, but they are making cuts (ha!) to the salon's budget soon so I wanted to experience a piece of nostalgia, well worth it. They cut men's and women's hair, but I wouldn't risk it for women.

4. Food: Our first night we arrived starving and were recommended to try Zorba's in Georgetown, it was good but not fancy at all (cafeteria style ordering). If you're there on Sunday, I heard Tabard Inn's brunch is amazing but you need to make reservations well in advance. With our kids we stuck to family fare and off the beaten path stuff (Korean food (Mandu in NE twice, Eat First in Chinatown, Cafe Mozart (can't recommend)).

We stayed at the Four Points Sheraton at 12th and K NE using points, it wasn't the most convenient location in relation to the Metro but otherwise a good hotel. If the weather is nice (it was a bit too cold when we did this), you might consider a nightime monument tour. We felt rushed at the Lincoln/Vietnam/Korean War memorials, only 30 minutes for all three, but the driver/guide is very informative. It's expensive, around $30/adult, slightly less for kids.

Have a great time. We went to a concert at the Kennedy Center and I saw Senator Chris Dodd; I couldn't help myself and introduced myself to him, he was the biggest celebrity I saw on that trip. White House tours were cancelled by the time we got there so no chance seeing the POTUS. If there's a rally in the mall (or a big case at the Supreme Court), you might want to check it out; I felt a lot of energy at the Supreme Court, talked with an interesting man dressed as George Washington during the CA Prop 8 and NY estate tax cases at the SCt. You might even get on TV. :wink:
SGM
Posts: 3341
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:46 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by SGM »

Unfortunately, you missed the national pillow fight on the mall. Check the Washington Post weekend section on Fridays with lists of activities, special exhibits, music and plays, etc.

I like Jaleo for brunch or dinner. Portrait Gallery is close by, free and interesting. I took a special interest in the corner at the Spy Museum documenting Abel's capture(later traded for the release of Gary Powers, the downed U-2 pilot). I knew the agent who arrested Abel. A word to the wise, the FBI will follow you home when you pick up your dry cleaning.
"Let us endeavor, so to live, that when we die, even the undertaker will be sorry." Mark Twain
skudy
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:53 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by skudy »

shantster wrote:
Also I would start getting familiar with Priceline bidding strategies, particularly how to multiple bid. Here's a site that has the strategy I use laid out: http://www.hoteldealsrevealed.com/price ... ebids.html
Thanks for this tip. Tried it and LOVE IT. One thing to note about rebidding on Priceline: Resort hotels are considered BETTER than 5 stars. So make sure you don't bid in a zone with a resort or you might get that zone.
Topic Author
guitarguy
Posts: 2191
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:10 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by guitarguy »

Thanks for all the restaurant suggestions everyone! :happy

So far we've pretty much decided on Bisto Bis for our "fancy" Anniversary celebration dinner. I like Indian but wife doesn't, the Italian place we looked at is closed on Sundays. Plus we've only been to a French restaurant once (on our honeymoon in St. Lucia).

Also, pretty dead set on Ben's for lunch on our second day.

Any suggestions on another good but (because of the other splurges) bargain lunch spot? Preferably closer to the Memorial side of the mall. That's where we'll be our first day, and we're hoping to walk everywhere. Our second day we're planning on Metro passes because most of our destinations are up and down the green line (I think it was the green line).

We also are hoping to find a bakery and a breakfast spot. One day we're planning a quick coffee and bakery breakfast; the other day we'll probably try a full meal somewhere.

Thanks again for all the suggestions! I think we're enjoying the planning stages of this vacation more than we should be! We're spending a lot of time checking out restaurant reviews and stuff! :shock: :D
Caboose
Posts: 60
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:41 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Caboose »

Sounds like you settled on the hotel - IMO the best in DC is The Jefferson .

For lunch try Art and Soul - excellent food/service with a Southern flair.

The one absolute MUST SEE is The Library of Congress - The Jefferson Building. Absolutely amazing architecture and exhibits. Do not miss it!

Have a great time!
"Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't already have" - America
User avatar
Rusa
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:18 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Rusa »

Try Pain Quotidien, Pret a Manger, or Au Bon Pain for bakery/breakfast/lunch.
Rusa
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by VictoriaF »

SGM wrote:I took a special interest in the corner at the Spy Museum documenting Abel's capture(later traded for the release of Gary Powers, the downed U-2 pilot). I knew the agent who arrested Abel. A word to the wise, the FBI will follow you home when you pick up your dry cleaning.
National Cryptologic Museum is free and less crowded.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
Cash
Posts: 1572
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:52 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Cash »

guitarguy wrote:
Random Poster wrote:People weren't raving about the restaurant in the hotel to say the least
Poste? That's odd because it's actually pretty good and is a popular lunch destination among the law firm crowds. They also have a great happy hour that takes place in their courtyard, so I would recommend trying that out. You might also try a Jose Andres restaurant while you're in town and so close to many of them. Zaytinya is excellent for Mediterranean. Tapas in the form most of us know them were basically invented at Jaleo. Minibar if you really want to splurge and can snag a reservation. Next door is barmini, which has excellent cocktails, but also requires a reservation.

I am trying to think of any non-chain bakeries in that part of town, but am drawing a blank. Given that, I agree with Rusa's recommendations. There's a great one a few stops up the green line in Columbia Heights called Le Caprice DC, but you might not wish to make the trip.
User avatar
pennstater2005
Posts: 2509
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:50 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by pennstater2005 »

I know you settled on your hotel, but for anyone else who may be looking for a deal I found the Holiday Inn at Rosslyn to be a great stay. We were on the 16th floor and had an amazing view of Georgetown and parts of D.C. You could also see the Potomac River. We got a King suite for $84 a night. Only stipulation was it was nonrefundable. We walked down to the lobby and out front and there was a cab line right there. Ten bucks got us to the Lincoln Memorial and we spent the day walking from there. Another nicety was the parking was included in the price of the room. And Rosslyn was actually pretty cool to walk around and explore. The escalator to street level at the Rosslyn Metro station is the third longest continuous span escalator in the world.
“If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.” – Earl Wilson
Iorek
Posts: 1569
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:38 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Iorek »

This is a new site that provides restaurant recommendations by neighborhood in DC-- from a quick look it seems very well done, although it may have a bias towards "nicer" places--

http://dcdiningguide.com/
User avatar
dm200
Posts: 23214
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:21 pm
Location: Washington DC area

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by dm200 »

I live in the Washington DC area. Let me make some suggestions:

1. Check out Metro (rail and bus) www.metroopensdoors.com for travel that does not involve the hassle of parking. I think there are some "all you can ride" deals that might make sense for tourists like you.

2. If you like zoos, the National Zoo is wonderful (and no admission charge)

3. If you are baseball fans, see if the Washington Nationals are home the weekend you will be in town. Great new stadium and it is easily accessible on the Metro. http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/sch ... EFAULT&m=5 . The Nationals are at home vs the Cubs May 10-12and the Phillies May 24-26. There is an afternoon game on Memorial Day vs. the Orioles on May 27.

4. Consider staying in either Maryland or Virginia, near the Metro. I suspect the prices will be less than in Washington DC. In Virginia, consider Arlington (many areas, including Ballston, Crystal City), Alexandria, Falls Church. Old Town Alexandria can be nice to have a meal and walk through the area. If you have your car, I suspect just about all the DC hotels will charge a lot for parking, but there may be some in Virginia that either do not charge or charge less.

4. If traveling by air, Reagan National Airport is on the Metro Rail line.
Electrum
Posts: 86
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 8:39 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Electrum »

Didn't read the other replies, so don't know if someone already mentioned The Harrington. It is a great old hotel near Chinatown, dose to everything. It isn't fancy, but it is clean, quiet, everything works, the bed was the most comfortable I had ever slept in, and the price is right!

Electrum
User avatar
dm200
Posts: 23214
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:21 pm
Location: Washington DC area

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by dm200 »

Also, the DuPont Circle area has some interesting places to eat and hang out. Likewise the Adams Morgan area and Georgetown.
boater07
Posts: 788
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:44 pm
Location: Northwest

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by boater07 »

Anyone familiar with the Eldon Luxury Suites? I booked there for 3 days in May.
Cash
Posts: 1572
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:52 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Cash »

boater07 wrote:Anyone familiar with the Eldon Luxury Suites? I booked there for 3 days in May.
Never heard of it, but Google Maps shows that it's within walking distance of lots of good stuff.
Topic Author
guitarguy
Posts: 2191
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:10 pm

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by guitarguy »

Well, we are off to enjoy our anniversary weekend trip to Washington tomorrow morning. :happy

We bought our tickets online for the couple paid attractions we're visiting (Ford's Theater, Spy Museum), decided on Bistro Bis for our fancy dinner out and made the reservation. We're looking forward to enjoying the weekend!
Cash
Posts: 1572
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:52 am

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Cash »

I would also recommend the Newseum as far as paid attractions go. It's fantastic. Have fun!
User avatar
Random Musings
Posts: 6770
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:24 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Re: One night hotel stay in D.C.

Post by Random Musings »

dm200 wrote:I live in the Washington DC area. Let me make some suggestions:
4. Consider staying in either Maryland or Virginia, near the Metro. I suspect the prices will be less than in Washington DC. In Virginia, consider Arlington (many areas, including Ballston, Crystal City), Alexandria, Falls Church. Old Town Alexandria can be nice to have a meal and walk through the area. If you have your car, I suspect just about all the DC hotels will charge a lot for parking, but there may be some in Virginia that either do not charge or charge less.
I like staying in Alexandria - there are Kimpton's there and it is relatively easy to get into D.C. for the day and get back to Alexandria for the night.

RM
I figure the odds be fifty-fifty I just might have something to say. FZ
Post Reply