Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

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motodoc42
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Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by motodoc42 »

My wife and I haven't been to DC in over 30 years and would like suggestions and comments concerning hotel accommodations. We plan to visit mid June. It would be nice to be able to park the car and use public transportation.

Thanks,

Motodoc42
dickenjb
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by dickenjb »

I am a Marriott fan so always stay at a Marriott if possible.

The Ren Mayflower is nice and historic, among other things where Elliott Spitzer had certain rendezvous...

The Wardman Park is close to the National Zoo.

Have also stayed at Marriott Metro Center.

Mayflower is the poshest, all are very nice.

A car is a liability in DC so you might want to park in the burbs and take a train in.
four7s
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by four7s »

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tigerman3
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by tigerman3 »

We just were there and stayed at the AKA White House. Well situated, near the Farragut West Metro Station. Very well maintained. Friendly staff. Reasonably priced given all the size of the suites. Parking garage next door. Lots of room as these are really like extended stay apartment/condos. The only thing you don't get is maid service daily. This happens once or twice a week unless you add more. And there is no room service, though there are lots of eateries very nearby.

http://www.stayaka.com/locations/white_ ... fault.aspx
rockylou
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by rockylou »

We stayed at the Washington Court Hotel in April, great location near Union Station and Capitol. We got a great price on Bookit. Also, great place to eat nearby was West Wing Cafe
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leonidas
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by leonidas »

Second the washington court. Close to the capitol and the mall. Stayed there twice before.
Mudpuppy
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by Mudpuppy »

The last time I was in DC, I stayed at the Quincy. It's within walking distance of both of the Farragut stations (access to red, blue and orange lines). The only issues I had was there was street noise (I just plugged my phone into the bed-side clock radio to have some white noise to drown it out) and one of the other guests tried to smoke in his/her room, which made the whole hallway and the area around the door of my room stink, but security came up and dealt with it. All in all, it worked for my needs, but a light sleeper might not appreciate the noise.

I've also stayed at Kimpton properties in the DC area, and they're pretty top-notch. I can't think of a bad thing to say about the hotel chain. The last Kimpton DC property I stayed at is no longer part of the Kimpton chain, so I can't comment much about how it is run now. The Kimpton chain can be on the pricey side though.

I also had a rather awful experience at a conference hotel in DC, but I think that was due to being overbooked for the conference and not reflective of their standard service, so I won't name names. But it could be beneficial to Google the hotels you are considering for the dates you are considering to make sure they are not hosting a large event during the same time span.
furwut
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by furwut »

Brand new convention center hotel Mariott Marquis just opened.

I've also have heard good things about the Fairfield Inn in DC.
ddoubleu
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by ddoubleu »

I would also look at hotels in the Pentagon City and Crystal City neighborhoods of Arlington Virginia, which is right across the river from downtown DC and Metro accessible. Prices should be cheaper than downtown DC.
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Random Musings
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by Random Musings »

We typically stay in Alexandria.

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dm200
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by dm200 »

I suggest looking in Arlington - near a Metro (subway) stop. I know of several within a block or two of the Ballston station on the Metro Orange line.

http://www.hiarlington.com/

Do a search for Arlington hotels Ballston metro
Barefootgirl
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by Barefootgirl »

I can recommend the Residence Inn in Foggy Bottom, next to George Washington University hospital.

It's both downtown and yet on a quiet, leafy street and central to a couple Metro stations.

Pricing was fair and included free happy hour and breakfast.

Great deal and I am not affiliated, BFG
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Aptenodytes
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by Aptenodytes »

There are lots of hotels with a wide price range, and prices fluctuate like crazy. Unless you are dirt poor or filthy rich, it is hard to give generic advice.

If you are more toward the filthy rich side of things, think about some of the boutique hotels, such as the Monaco. If you are more toward the dirt poor, think about staying outside DC at a discount chain close to a metro stop. If you are in the middle, resign yourself to 30 minutes on TripAdvisor.

Perhaps you could say a bit about the amenities that are important to you. E.g. if you could benefit from a kitchenette, then I'd recommend One Washington Circle, near Foggy Bottom. However, if you want a pool or a good gym, that's a bad choice.
edge
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by edge »

I like the Mandarin Oriental or the St. Regis if you have already stayed at the historical properties.
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XtremeSki2001
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by XtremeSki2001 »

dickenjb wrote:I am a Marriott fan so always stay at a Marriott if possible.

The Ren Mayflower is nice and historic, among other things where Elliott Spitzer had certain rendezvous...

The Wardman Park is close to the National Zoo.

Have also stayed at Marriott Metro Center.

Mayflower is the poshest, all are very nice.

A car is a liability in DC so you might want to park in the burbs and take a train in.
This. Really liked the Ren Mayflower, albeit a block or two further from the White House. My favorite is the Marriott Metro - close to everything and the Metro.
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FedGuy
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by FedGuy »

I don't have any hotel advice, but I just wanted to caution you that Washington can be pretty hot and humid in June. It's not as bad as it is in July or August, but still, anything that even approximates summer would not be my suggested time for visiting. A few years ago I started to sweat just walking down to the drug store in late April. That year was much hotter than this one, but still.

If you can't or don't want to reschedule your trip, you might want to get a centrally located hotel or one right next a Metro stop so you don't have to spend a lot of time walking around in an oven.
tigermilk
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by tigermilk »

Best thing for DC?,check the bed bug registry. DC is terrible for the critters. We went to DC the last couple of years. Stayed out near Dulles once and MD this last time. Had a car and hotels had free parking. You can park at stations and ride in.
jridger2011
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by jridger2011 »

I would say Washington Marriot since the Metro Center train stop is on the same block and most of the other attractions are walkable distances. The blocks are pretty long so bring some walking shoes.
hljockey
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by hljockey »

We visited a couple of years ago and booked a place close to the mall so we would be in walking distance to the major attractions. This is something I do NOT recommend. We were surprised to learn that the place turns into a ghost town at night and there are very few places to eat. And getting a parking attendant to fetch the car out of the garage was a hassle.
If we ever go again we'll stay on the outskirts somewhere and make the drive in to the city.
stan1
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by stan1 »

I have enjoyed staying at the Mayflower many times, but I would not be happy paying $46.50/day for valet parking. Some of the rooms are larger than you'd typically get at a Marriott property and many of the rooms have an opulent marble bathroom. The Metro Red line (Farragut North) is on the same block, and the Blue/Orange line (Farragut West) is 2 blocks away. You can walk to many restaurants nearby.

The Crystal Gateway Marriott is very close to the Crystal City metro station. Parking there is $26/day, as it is at the Pentagon City Residence Inn which is a block from the Pentagon City metro station. The Residence Inn has the added benefit of a kitchenette and an acceptable breakfast. The Yellow Line will have you in central DC in under 10 minutes.

The economy parking lot at Reagan is $14/day. If you don't mind the hassle you could park there, take the shuttle bus to the terminal, and get on the Metro to stay in a centrally located hotel in DC.

Areas such as Dupont Circle or F Street/Gallery Place have many options for meals out besides the food by the pound buffets that proliferate in downtown DC (and which close before dinner).

If you stay too far out you can spend 45 minutes each way sitting on the Metro, which does not give you the ability to go back to the room for a mid day nap.
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EagertoLearnMore
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by EagertoLearnMore »

I suggest staying in Arlington, VA and using the metro to get into Washington. The metro is very easy to navigate and you will not have to find parking in DC. There are several stops right near the Mall near all the museums.
ebabin
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by ebabin »

I'm a Marriott fan so I always stay in Rosslyn, 3 blocks from the Metro for Key Bridge Marriott, Courtyard and Residence Inn. If I am paying, I avoid KB Marriott, only because it annoys me to pay for internet access. In the past, not much to do at night in Rosslyn but it is improving. It is just a short and scenic walk to Georgetown. In the past, parking was free on the weekends at the Courtyard. I also like to stay at Residence Inn at Dupont Circle but the nightly rate varies to over $150 between different nights, so I guess it depends on occupancy.
teacher
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by teacher »

We stayed at the Hotel Monaco Alexandria in Old Town Alexandria. The web site describes it accurately:
"Everything that surrounds our boutique hotel is steeped in history. The streets, architecture and surroundings all reflect the past. You'll find that America's stories weave their magic in present-day Alexandria, as you visit Old Town's museums, restaurants, and shops. Mount Vernon is close by, and our country's capitol is only a 10-minute drive."

https://www.kimptonhotels.com/boutique- ... lexandria/

We plan to stay there again one of these days and use the water taxi from Old Town Alexandria to a number of sites in DC. The Potomac is within walking distance of the hotel, about 4 blocks.
ncg1983
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by ncg1983 »

If you stay in Arlington, the best few hotels are:

Ritz Carlton Pentagon City

Le Meridien in Rosslyn (15 minute walk to Georgetown over the Key Bridge)

Westin Ballston (10 minute drive to DC or 5 metro stops in)

If Alexandria, stay in Old Town, and there are a handful of Kimpton Hotels that are the best of the crop.
sarahjane
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by sarahjane »

Check out the Hampton Inn near Chinatown. See it on Tripadvisor.
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22twain
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by 22twain »

[about the area near the Mall]
hljockey wrote:We were surprised to learn that the place turns into a ghost town at night and there are very few places to eat.
About 30 years ago I went to a conference at U of Maryland in nearby College Park. The day afterward, a fall Sunday morning, I drove into DC for some sightseeing. I arrived about about an hour before the museums opened, grabbed a parking space on the street in front of the Air & Space Museum, and set out to look for some breakfast. I hiked, and hiked, and hiked... by the time I finally found a McDonald's tucked into an office building up near the White House, I was starving.
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Lacrocious
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by Lacrocious »

sarahjane wrote:Check out the Hampton Inn near Chinatown. See it on Tripadvisor.
We stayed at the Hampton Inn just on the far side of Chinatown from the Mall area. It is about a block off the trolley that takes you to the mall area for (at that time $1). Very convenient and a very nice hotel.
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denovo
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by denovo »

If you are looking to save money, you can stay outside of downtown somewhere near the metro. It's very easy to use and you'll save a lot of money.
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eschaef
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by eschaef »

I've stayed at the DoubleTree Crystal City several times before. It's a short walk (two blocks out the back door) to the Metro Station, and the large Crystal City shopping center. It's right across the road from the Pentagon. The top floor happens to be a night club with a rotating floor (hah!). Now, granted, I only stay there when I'm chaperoning a couple dozen high school students ... but the rooms are comfortable, and it feels like it is conveniently located.

However, I don't recommend staying there in late February if you don't want to be overrun by 1200 teenagers (well dressed, politically aware, debate-ready...yet teenagers nonetheless) in the stairwells... 8-)
denovo
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by denovo »

eschaef wrote: However, I don't recommend staying there in late February if you don't want to be overrun by 1200 teenagers (well dressed, politically aware, debate-ready...yet teenagers nonetheless) in the stairwells... 8-)

I don't recommend anyone visiting DC period in late February unless they want to freeze their behind off and risk getting snowed in .
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eschaef
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by eschaef »

denovo wrote:
eschaef wrote: However, I don't recommend staying there in late February if you don't want to be overrun by 1200 teenagers (well dressed, politically aware, debate-ready...yet teenagers nonetheless) in the stairwells... 8-)

I don't recommend anyone visiting DC period in late February unless they want to freeze their behind off and risk getting snowed in .
Actually, the last two years we've been lucky. The evening monument tour had beautiful, clear skies and weather warm enough to be able to enjoy being outside. This, despite the absolutely terrible winter we had this past year. We did get rained on for our day at the National Mall, though. That part was a little less fun...
ladders11
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by ladders11 »

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oaksavannah
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Re: Hotel suggestions Washington,DC

Post by oaksavannah »

Days Inn Connecticut Avenue. You are on a Red Line stop, you can get a Starbucks coffee on your way. You can walk a few blocks to Cleveland Park's restaurants, cafes, and groceries. There is off street parking behind the hotel for a small fee. Have stayed there about five times. Will stay there in the future.
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