D.C. questions ADDED A COUPLE

[PlutoPony]

We don't plan to eat near the hotels - we plan to eat around (in)the Smithsonian - all we want to do is sleep & stay gone most of the day - til the Smithsonian closes @ 9ish..

Smithsonian Museums close at 5:30, with a few of the more popular open until 7:30 in the summer (Air and Space, Natural History, American History that I know of). There will still be a few people milling around the mall in the evening before it gets dark, mostly concentrated around the monuments. But generally after 5 most of the populace moves towards the restaurant corridors just off the mall area like Penn Quarter.

Using the bus from Dulles to go into town would be a huge pia and take a big chunk of time and $. Honestly I'd spend the money to stay in Alexandria at one of the options recommend around the King Street station. Easy in and out to DC, nice area to wander around in the evenings and still feel like you're in the city, and good food options. Tysons is incredibly congested and very very car oriented. While there are food options, they're very difficult to get to on foot. You're talking about crossing 8+ lanes of traffic that carry a tremendous number of cars and commuters, and it's not at all pedestrian friendly.

 

[Dan Murphy]

A hotel question here. How is the Westin Washington DC City Center? Location, transportation access, etc? I have heard it is good, was wondering of additional opinions.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

Smithsonian Museums close at 5:30, with a few of the more popular open until 7:30 in the summer (Air and Space, Natural History, American History that I know of). There will still be a few people milling around the mall in the evening before it gets dark, mostly concentrated around the monuments. But generally after 5 most of the populace moves towards the restaurant corridors just off the mall area like Penn Quarter.

Using the bus from Dulles to go into town would be a huge pia and take a big chunk of time and $. Honestly I'd spend the money to stay in Alexandria at one of the options recommend around the King Street station. Easy in and out to DC, nice area to wander around in the evenings and still feel like you're in the city, and good food options. Tysons is incredibly congested and very very car oriented. While there are food options, they're very difficult to get to on foot. You're talking about crossing 8+ lanes of traffic that carry a tremendous number of cars and commuters, and it's not at all pedestrian friendly.

As a current Alexandria resident, I've gotta say every single scenario the OP has mentioned sounds like an absolute nightmare. Not a vacation... to commute for an hour + each way makes me want to
Seriously spend the money and stay here in Alexandria..... I'll even buy you a beer... he he

 

[golfgal]

A hotel question here. How is the Westin Washington DC City Center? Location, transportation access, etc? I have heard it is good, was wondering of additional opinions.

We stayed in the Westin in Alexandria and it is a nice hotel but they nickel and dime you to death. Food in the restaurant was VERY expensive. You even had to pay for internet access.

As a current Alexandria resident, I've gotta say every single scenario the OP has mentioned sounds like an absolute nightmare. Not a vacation... to commute for an hour + each way makes me want to
Seriously spend the money and stay here in Alexandria..... I'll even buy you a beer... he he

I agree. OP, I don't think you realize that what you MIGHT save in hotel costs will be eaten up in gas and parking. It is WELL worth spending the extra money to get into a hotel on the metro line. I just think you will be highly disappointed spending 2 hours each way in the car if traffic backs up.

 

[TDC Nala]

The metro isn't cheap either. You must buy a farecard for each person. Every week in tourist season I see someone who thought they could buy one farecard and pass it back and forth over the turnstile to get the whole family in. When they find out that doesn't work, they're stuck with one farecard with a lot of money on it and still have to send the family back to the machines to buy individual farecards.

Also, look for substantial price increases plus surcharges for using the most popular and congested stations to come along in July.

 

[golfgal]

The metro isn't cheap either. You must buy a farecard for each person. Every week in tourist season I see someone who thought they could buy one farecard and pass it back and forth over the turnstile to get the whole family in. When they find out that doesn't work, they're stuck with one farecard with a lot of money on it and still have to send the family back to the machines to buy individual farecards.

Also, look for substantial price increases plus surcharges for using the most popular and congested stations to come along in July.

No, but is is a LOT less expensive than paying for parking every day. We got week-long unlimited passes when we were there and they were worth every penny.

 

[luvmyfam444]

That's right - it all closes at 7:30 - I was thinking of being back at the hotel by 9ish & seems like one of the night tours we looked into ends at 9....

 

[luvmyfam444]

See the hotel in Tysons is $45 a night (employee rate) & then the Bethesda Marriott is $89... thus the problem making the decision.

 

[luvmyfam444]

(had a hotel we thought in Alex) Scratch that -----it was too good to be true - I knew it!

 

[luvmyfam444]

Are there any coupons out there? Got AAA but that helps nada

 

[NotUrsula]

You wouldn't possibly have planned this for the time around June 25-29th, would you? I'm attending a convention in DC on those dates, and our event is locking up over 20K hotel rooms.

That you should avoid the July 4th holiday period should go without saying if you are bargain-hunting.

 

[luvmyfam444]

You wouldn't possibly have planned this for the time around June 25-29th, would you? I'm attending a convention in DC on those dates, and our event is locking up over 20K hotel rooms.

That you should avoid the July 4th holiday period should go without saying if you are bargain-hunting.

No - not then - we are going in July...there's plenty of rooms available - just not at the price we want to spend....

 

[jillyb]

You can check out my PTR/TR for our August 2008 trip. The link is in my siggy.

 

[PlutoPony]

Look closely at how much the good Alexandria locations are going for compared to what it would cost to stay out a ways. When you add in the higher transport costs for being out (and put some value on the additional transit time involved) is there that much difference?

Staying out in the burbs really gives you no sense of visiting the city, it's pretty much like staying in a hotel in any other busy area near an interstate or major metro area - just with more traffic

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

Look closely at how much the good Alexandria locations are going for compared to what it would cost to stay out a ways. When you add in the higher transport costs for being out (and put some value on the additional transit time involved) is there that much difference?

Staying out in the burbs really gives you no sense of visiting the city, it's pretty much like staying in a hotel in any other busy area near an interstate or major metro area - just with more traffic

 

[NotUrsula]

Take a careful look at the Key Bridge Marriott's site. They seem to be running some specials in July. This particular Marriott is known for being willing to deal when occupancy is not at peak.

 

[luvmyfam444]

You can check out my PTR/TR for our August 2008 trip. The link is in my siggy.

Thanks I'm checking it out now! You got a GREAT Deal on your hotel! I haven't gotten thru it all yet...but did you end up driving to the Dunn Loring station? Did you have any regrets staying out there? Cause for the money wer're saving I just can't see that we'd regret it - unless of course a child gets sick & we're stuck traveling 1hr just to get back to the hotel - then THAT would suck!

 

[minniebeth]

Take a careful look at the Key Bridge Marriott's site. They seem to be running some specials in July. This particular Marriott is known for being willing to deal when occupancy is not at peak.

Key Bridge Marriott is a great hotel, good location and very nice for the price. If anyone is interested in July, book now, or asap as we are staying there with a very large group (500 people) for a week and I know it will be booked solid.

 

[Nik's Mom]

The decision on where to stay while visiting DC is enough to make my head explode. It's so hard to decide the best location. We are also flying into Baltimore, to make things more complicated.
To the op, have you checked Travel Zoo's website today. I see some new rates up today. http://hotels.travelzoo.com/washington-dc-hotels/

I check it every day to see if I can get a better deal. For now, we are staying in the Doubletree near Dupont Circle. I hate paying $$$ for parking, but the hotel rate was really good. Not to highjack your thread, but if anyone has any comments on the Doubletree, can you share them with me?
Thanks!

 

[NotUrsula]

Oh, I think it's easy to determine the best location -- just list the places you need/want to go, and go for the place with the best transit access to them.

Unfortunately, the BEST place to stay might not be in your price range, and that's where it gets ugly, when you have to make choices between price and location. IMO, location is everything in DC; it's worth paying some premium for it. (Personally, I'll swing as much as $75/night extra for a better location in DC, even if I have to pay the extra out of pocket on a business trip.)