D.C. Hotel with kids......

[Pink Flamingo]

Where do you rent bikes? We would love to rent bikes and take them around but its hard to make work all the time.

We brought our own bikes, but there are a number of places in & around DC that I've seen on the web that rent bikes for the day (just do a google search). Many of the places that rent bikes offer bike tours as well. Once we biked DC, my kids swore they would never to DC by foot again!

 

[elgerber]

We saw bike rentals outside the rear door of the Old Post Office tower.

 

[seals]

at the Hilton Garden Inn Arlington Courthouse. Is that the one you meant? It was nice. Can't say about the pool because it was closed for repair or something (this was August 2008). A few blocks to the metro station with some nice/kid type restaurants around. We got a large room which was good for the 5 of us. No breakfast provided (we almost always choose a hotel with breakfast) but we had food we brought to eat or there are places on the way to the metro. Parking was under the hotel and very tight with our minivan. At one point I thought we were going to be stuck down there but DH got us out.

I'd recommend one of the on/off trolleys or buses. We did a trolley but I forget which one. Went to all the monuments, museums. We were just there for one day so the expense was worth it to maximize what we saw.

what about Hilton Garden Inn.....any feedback???

 

[christianne]

Hi- We used to live in DC before 3 kids, so we know the city & all hotels pretty well...have to be careful about the location of somwe of these hotels. We do go back every year and ONLY stay at the Embasst Suites in Chevy Chase. It is in one of the safest areas of the city, the Metro is in attached to the hotel- no need for shuttles or even walk outside. It is located inside the Chevy Chase pavillion which is an upscale mall with stores & restaurants. Free breakfast cooked to order & a suite for the family. The is an indoor pool...very few Washington hotels have an outdoor pool. I would urge you to take the Metro everywhere..it is clean, safe & user-friendly. The area immediately around the hotel is full of restaurants & has a college-town feeel w/ American University nearby. HTH!

 

[lukenick1]

Hi- We used to live in DC before 3 kids, so we know the city & all hotels pretty well...have to be careful about the location of somwe of these hotels. We do go back every year and ONLY stay at the Embasst Suites in Chevy Chase. It is in one of the safest areas of the city, the Metro is in attached to the hotel- no need for shuttles or even walk outside. It is located inside the Chevy Chase pavillion which is an upscale mall with stores & restaurants. Free breakfast cooked to order & a suite for the family. The is an indoor pool...very few Washington hotels have an outdoor pool. I would urge you to take the Metro everywhere..it is clean, safe & user-friendly. The area immediately around the hotel is full of restaurants & has a college-town feeel w/ American University nearby. HTH!

Thanks for the recommendation.......is there free parking here? How long is the metro ride to the smithsonians???

 

[Mom loves Disney]

Thanks for the recommendation.......is there free parking here? How long is the metro ride to the smithsonians???

I would love to know as well.

 

[CarlisleMom]

We plan on taking DD8 in August. Thinking about staying at the Holiday Inn on C street (?) - behind the air and space musuem. This is where we stayed before kids. We plan on going for the weekend only. Hotel is approx $120, parking $30. Kids eat free. For us it is walking distance to want we want to see on this trip.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'd recommend one of the on/off trolleys or buses. We did a trolley but I forget which one. Went to all the monuments, museums. We were just there for one day so the expense was worth it to maximize what we saw.

Don't do the bus, do the trolley. The bus is hot, crowded (very small seats, and they won't go unless it's filled), and we ended up walking the monuments because there was never a bus, and waited 1/2 hour (along with about 30 others) in the sun, while watching those who took the trolley get on and off under a shaded stop many times. Tourmobile - and we wondered why the line for the trolley tickey was longer, and the tourmobile cheaper...

 

[J. Galt]

Another recommendation for the Omni.... we stayed there a couple of summers ago with our two little ones. The pool is fabulous! It was more like a resort feel pool (not rooftop). We spent every night in there drifting around. There are a bunch of terrific ethnic eateries right near there and we would bring takeout to the umbrella tables by the pool and lounge about. Soooo relaxing! The rooms were HUGE too.... seriously, we could have fit another bed in the closet... it was a mini-room. Did not feel crowded at all with the four of us! One later afternoon, after yet another dip in the fabulous pool (we were there in August and it was hot!), someone knocked on our door and had a trolley filled with desserts and milk for the kids..... big brownies and cookies... I think there was even cake. My kids literally cried in the elevator when we left... they said it was just so beautiful there they didn't want to go. I have no idea what the rooms go for normally.... we got a screaming good deal through Travelzoo (under $150/night). I told my husband that he is in trouble because I don't want to stay anywhere else when we go back.