Off topic - any recommendations on Washington, D.C. hotels?

[JJ&JSMOM]

I know this is off topic but didn't know if anyone had stayed at a hotel in Washington D.C. they would recommend to a family of 5? We're planning (hopefully) on going this summer and I have done tons of research.

Just thought I'd ask before I book anything that may be non-refundable. We plan on visiting the monuments, museums and of course the zoo. I'm open to any advice. I know some people have stayed in Alexandria or Arlington and then just use the metro in to D.C. Any advice on pros or cons of that?

Thank you in advance,
Joanne

 

[chrisw127]

Gaithersburg or Rockville is just about as convenient as Arlington/Alexandria but a bit cheaper. There are a number of extended stay places very close to the Shady Grove metro (which have shuttles), which is on the red line and will take you to a lot of popular neighborhoods in DC or is just one change of metro away from the Smithsonian and that area.

 

[lathamary]

We went to Washington DC for our Honeymoon, 'cause we're huge History nerds!

I had booked a Super 8 because it was cheap and on the website it said it was close to Union Station. Yeah, it was SCARY and it was NOT close to Union Station. Well, it was only about 6 blocks, but there were no sidewalks and it was along a really busy street. It was terrible. It was dirty, smelly, run down, and scary. So we spent the first night of our honeymoon calling around to find a different hotel.

We spent the next week at the Residence Inn in Arlington. It is wonderful! It's a short walk from a Metro station, and in a nice area of town. I highly recommend it

Not sure if they still do this now, because we stayed there nine years ago, but when we stayed there they had a complimentary dessert buffet or a dinner buffet every night.

Good luck! Have fun!

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Thank you for the replies. I appreciate the advice. I'll check out the Arlington Residence Inn. Residence Inn seems to be one of the few hotel chains that sleeps 5!

 

[KTME]

We went to Washington DC for our Honeymoon, 'cause we're huge History nerds!

I had booked a Super 8 because it was cheap and on the website it said it was close to Union Station. Yeah, it was SCARY and it was NOT close to Union Station. Well, it was only about 6 blocks, but there were no sidewalks and it was along a really busy street. It was terrible. It was dirty, smelly, run down, and scary. So we spent the first night of our honeymoon calling around to find a different hotel.

We spent the next week at the Residence Inn in Arlington. It is wonderful! It's a short walk from a Metro station, and in a nice area of town. I highly recommend it


Not sure if they still do this now, because we stayed there nine years ago, but when we stayed there they had a complimentary dessert buffet or a dinner buffet every night.

Good luck! Have fun!

That sounds like the same Super 8 my wife and I stayed at a few years ago.
Your right, it was pretty scary. The worst was the "waterbugs" in the bath tub.

We were just in DC in September for the U2 concert and stayed at a Hampton Inn in Largo. It was pretty nice, close to the Metro and Clean! We also stayed at a Comfort Inn near Annapolis that was pretty nice as well, but no easy access to the Metro.

Good Luck!

 

[RMulieri]

Capitol Holiday Inn is located right near the NAtional air and Space museum.We are staying there again in August to some more of the Smithsonian museums and the monuments

 

[FlightlessDuck]

The Hampton Inn at the Convention Center isn't that far memorials. But I'm not sure what your budget is.

We will be staying here on our trip. But I've never been there before so I don't have any knowledge on how nice it is.

 

[trasor]

Not sure how many nights you're going for but Fri and Sat nights are the cheapest. We're going end of Apr. and we're staying at the Hyatt in Alexandria for $100 a night. It's a 1/2 block to the Metro. Don't know if they have accomodations for 5, though.

 

[DisneyFed]

I'll jump in the "not sure how much you want to pay"....

I travel to DC a lot, and I try to use the Metro as much as possible. Parking in downtown DC is.......not fun......

Anyway, I usually stay in Crystal City--(Marriott Crystal Gateway/Marriott Crystal City/Embassy Suites--though it's not convenient to the Metro/Hampton Inn...pretty much any of them except the Holiday Inn in Crystal City, because it's out by the airport and not as close to transportation)

There's an Embassy Suites at "Old Town" Arlington as well, which is also right across the street from a Metro station....

You could also stay downtown--however, I think you're better off outside the District.

 

[kristinw3girls]

Our family of 5 went this last summer and stayed at the Holiday Inn on the mall. It was in walking distance to the entire mall and it came with a free breakfast buffet every am. It had a nice pool on the roof with the Capitol in the background. It was clean and big enough for us. Check out my picture- it's my girls on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial!

 

[Swimalie]

For those that use the Metro a lot, please know that they just did a temporary rate increase of 10 cents per trip. I think it goes through June.

 

[Scully12]

I would suggest not staying too far out of the actual city. The metro can be long and crowded when you're trying to get places. And half the time the metro lines aren't working as well as they should. A 45 minute ride can take me an hour and a half.

Since you are going to be visiting the museums and monuments I'd suggest looking at hotels closest too that. You'll be tired at the end of the day and probably wont want to grapple for a seat on the metro with hundreds of other tired people going home for the day. (If you stay in Arlington or Alexandria you'll be going into the city when everyone is going to work and leaving the city when everyone else is....hassle)

 

[MidgeD79]

We are also going to DC to see the same things the op is. I was shocked to see how expensive the hotels are. I can get the Pop Century at WDW for $89 a night for the same time as our DC trip. Maybe I should re-think our plans.......

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Thank you for all the replies. We'd probably go for 3-4 nights and am looking at probably staying in D.C. We do have it narrowed down but can't seem to make a decision. Holiday Inn at the Capitol, L'enfant Plaza Hotel, Renassiance - Capitol, and Palomar. For outside D.C. - looking at Embassy Suites - king street Alexandria, Marriott in Arlington.

Aughhh - too many decisions! Thanks for all the tips. I'll check out the other hotels mentioned.

Thanks again. I appreciate the info. It truly helps weed through all the hotels to read personal accounts. I've read a lot of reviews on TripAdvisor and other sites but its overwhelming!!!!

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Our family of 5 went this last summer and stayed at the Holiday Inn on the mall. It was in walking distance to the entire mall and it came with a free breakfast buffet every am. It had a nice pool on the roof with the Capitol in the background. It was clean and big enough for us. Check out my picture- it's my girls on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial!

Thank you! I do have Holiday Inn - Capitol inn as a choice. Glad to read it worked out well. That is on the top of our list now.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Thank you! I do have Holiday Inn - Capitol inn as a choice. Glad to read it worked out well. That is on the top of our list now.

We have stayed here as well and would definitely stay again if we get back to DC. It was a nice, easy walk to Air & Space and the metro station.

DS (8 at the time) and I went with DH on a business trip and stayed there so we could easily get to the Mall area. We did the Old Town Trolley tour and it was great. Nice tour of the City plus you can get on and off as many times as you want during the day. It even took us over to Arlington.

 

[ptcrn]

Thank you for all the replies. We'd probably go for 3-4 nights and am looking at probably staying in D.C. We do have it narrowed down but can't seem to make a decision. Holiday Inn at the Capitol, L'enfant Plaza Hotel, Renassiance - Capitol, and Palomar. For outside D.C. - looking at Embassy Suites - king street Alexandria, Marriott in Arlington.

Aughhh - too many decisions! Thanks for all the tips. I'll check out the other hotels mentioned.

Thanks again. I appreciate the info. It truly helps weed through all the hotels to read personal accounts. I've read a lot of reviews on TripAdvisor and other sites but its overwhelming!!!!

We've stayed at L'enfant Plaza and it was nice. I thought it was way too expensive, but I guess all of the hotels in the area are! It was very convenient as there was a Metro right in the basement of the building, also close enough to the mall and Smithsonian to walk. Nice big rooms and a really good breakfast buffet!

 

[Daytona99]

The Residence Inn in Bethesda, Maryland, is in a good location, plus it's right near the Metro.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasbr-residence-inn-bethesda-downtown/

 

[dopeylover]

We stayed at One Washington Circle Hotel when we were there last year...Right in D.C., across from George Washington Hospital and University. 3 minute walk to subway and Starbucks! Got a great deal online...We didn't have kids at the time (one on the way right now!) but they had a kitchenette we used for breakfasts and some dinners, and there is a Trader Joes grocery in Georgetown that is like a 15 min. walk away. Stayed w/ two other people, and they were really great about bringing up extra dishes and towels and stuff.

Reasonable price, and really nice rooms...Extras not so much...Only outdoor pool, so that's not good during the winter, but if you don't care about that it was great!

 

[DisneySJB]

We stayed at a Best Western in Alexandria. The hotel had a shuttle to the Metro which was down the street. DC has a wonderful transportation system. We also ended up cabbing it to a couple of things. The Mall is much bigger than you think.