Thinking about a family trip to DC...hotel recommendations?

[zulaya]

Hi all--

Thinking about a family trip to Washington DC sometime next year. We most likely will make a road trip out of it from MN.

Looking for hotel recommendations from those who have been to DC recently (or DC locals who have tips). We aren't looking for anything real fancy, but would like to be closer to the National Mall if possible or at the very least, somewhere relatively close to a Metro station. I am open to Arlington, Alexandria, I suppose. Since we'll be making a road trip, I need to park my car, and frankly, I want to park it myself so valet-only places are out.

Right now I am just in a gathering information mode and there seems to be a lot of hotels to weed through.

I am certainly willing to listen to any recommendations as it's been over 20 years since I have been to DC.

Thanks.

--Mary

 

[TLinden16]

I've stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn on 14th St. (or is it 13th) the last few times I've gone to DC (on business--my company has offices right around the corner). The rooms are very nice, and they come equipped with a fridge and microwave. It's just a few blocks from the White House and the Mall. The McPhearson Square Metro stop is right across the street. The location is fantastic.

The other time I went to DC, we stayed in a nice Doubletree Hotel in Pentagon City. It was a five minute walk to the Metro, and there was a huge shopping mall at the metro stop. It's a quick trip into the city from there.

Karen

 

[izzy]

You might want to consider trying bidding for a room using Priceline. I got the 4* Capital Hilton for $70 last December. (Unfortunately I couldn't go because of an unexpected snowstorm, but I hear that it's nice. We won't even discuss the fact that I also missed the Simon and Garfunkel concert I had tickets for.) The JW Marriott is also supposed to be pretty nice.

Check out the website biddingfortravel if you are interested in going this route. I'd probably stay in the downtown area, at least at a 3* or 4*. Metro stops are all over the place in the downtown DC area.

Last year I stayed at the Crystal Marriott Gateway in the Crystal City area. (That's not far from Reagan National Airport.) It was wonderful because the Metro stop is right below the hotel. It doesn't take long at all to get into DC from that Metro stop.

I also got an awesome deal at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City one time, too. ($119!) I just LOVE that hotel - it's attached to a really nice mall, and there is a Metro stop right there at the hotel.

Once you identify some hotels you might be interested in, check out peoples' reviews on tripadvisors.com

Have fun!

 

[zulaya]

bump for more input.

 

[onecoolmama]

I have stayed at a few (when I had weddings to attend and I couldnt get home)

I LOVE Pentagon City Mall. I am guessing you want to be right downtown and near a metro stop.

If not there are a few we have simular to that. There is an Emabssy Suites at Chevy Chase Pavillion that is really nice. But outside of the main attractions.

I am sure there are a few hotels near Union Station which would give you the option of having the metro and walking to some of the sites. Unfortuantely, I have never stayed at any of those..so I am not much help there.

 

[zulaya]

Is Pentagon City Mall near a Metro stop?

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by zulaya
Is Pentagon City Mall near a Metro stop?

The Metro stop is right inside the mall. Also, I'm sure you could park your own car there as the the hotel (Ritz) probably uses the same parking garage as the shopping mall.

My vote would be to stay in Pentagon City/Crystal City. Crystal City is going through a revamp right now and it is really becoming quite nice. Since these areas are also *business* areas, I don't think you will get a cheaper rate than staying right inside DC. However, for all intents and purposes, Crystal City/Pentagon City is pretty much like being in DC. It is that close.

 

[shortbun]

I've stayed at the Doubletree in Rockville, Maryland and it's
great. The metro is at the edge of it's parking lot, behind the
hotel. Wonderfully easy. I'm remembering it being the blue line
but I sometimes confuse that stuff.

http://www.doubletreerockville.com/

 

[tar heel]

I've stayed at that same Hilton Garden Inn. It's a nice older hotel in a good location at a decent price, BUT it does have valet parking. Parking was one of the reasons I chose it -- I wanted indoor secured parking. If it is outdoor that you park yourself, you may find yourself walking a few blocks after dark. I have also stayed at the Capital Hilton -- since it is a convention hotel you might get a spectacular weekend rate like we did several years ago. I'm a big priceline fan, but I would hesitate to do that with a family for your whole vacation (we do it for interstate hotels when we're traveling and one-night things) b/c you can get a room with one bed. I also would have some qualms about doing it in a big city when I had a car b/c you don't know what kind of parking you're going to get.

 

[ucralum]

We also stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City (last October) and LOVED it. It was nice having the mall right there when we came back tired in the evening--we could pop into Johnny Rockets or Ruby Tuesday for dinner They have a fabulous afternoon tea at the hotel also.

 

[onecoolmama]

Originally posted by shortbun
I've stayed at the Doubletree in Rockville, Maryland and it's
great. The metro is at the edge of it's parking lot, behind the
hotel. Wonderfully easy. I'm remembering it being the blue line
but I sometimes confuse that stuff.

http://www.doubletreerockville.com/

It is on the red line. But again..it is in the suburbs. Very nice hotel!

 

[zulaya]

You guys are awesome...keep the info coming please!

 

[Cindy B]

Here is a second vote for Priceline. We got the Grand Hyatt for $70 a night during April. This was during the Cherry Blossom festival when rooms were going for about $200 per night.

The Grand Hyatt was nice, very nice. Because of an error, we got a comped breakfast every day. There is a metro stop inside the hotel, but you have to use a long escalator to get to it. Parking was $20 per day. (although my DH went down to the parking garage talked to the manager, and made a long term deal with him.--he got $15 off ) --I think he prepaid cash for it, and the manager validated the ticket.. he was pretty negoiatable.

We walked to mostly everything (with the exception of the zoo and Arlington Cemetary). The furthest walk was the Air and Space Museum.

Across the street is the Capital City Brewing company.. fantastic food at great prices. One night we even walked to Chinatown (like two blocks away) and had a good Chinese meal.

 

[WendyZ]

We are also thinking of going next spring. So glad to see this post. Are any of these hotels easy to drive to? We would like to find a hotel we can drive to, then take some sort of transportation into DC itself. DH hates driving in alot of traffic.

Thanks for the post Mary!

 

[zulaya]

I really would like to be able to just walk to whatever we need, mostly, or take the Metro. But I know that that isn't always possible, no matter where you stay.

I am not looking to stay at the Ritz. We looking for family friendly and large enough rooms that we don't feel cramped. I don't need a suite, but some of rooms I have seen online seem barely big enough to hold the beds they are in.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by zulaya
I really would like to be able to just walk to whatever we need, mostly, or take the Metro. But I know that that isn't always possible, no matter where you stay.

.

Then the Grand Hyatt would work. We parked the car and left it. We took the Metro to Arlington, and we drove to the zoo on our way home. (Driving to the Zoo wasn't bad at all)

It was a few block walk to the Washington Monument, and a fairly hefty walk to Air and Space. None of the walk were anymore than 12-15 one way.

 

[zulaya]

So how spendy was the Grand Hyatt? Worth it for the location?

 

[Figment22]

I prefer staying outside the city at a metro stop, although we've stayed in the city, too in Foggy Bottom but that was too long ago to really give a good recommendation. In the "suburbs" we've stayed at the Marriott Crystal Gateway and the Hyatt Regency Bethesda. Both of these are located right at metro stops and as such were very convenient. I would not hesitate to recommend either one of them.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by zulaya
So how spendy was the Grand Hyatt? Worth it for the location?

I got it for $70 per night on Priceline. You can't touch any hotel in DC for $70! (even the lousy ones!)

 

[jenniferma]

Hi-- I lived in DC for two years (97-99).. my parents always liked staying in Rosslyn-- which is in Arlington near Georgetown. It is walkable to Georgetown and and there is a blue line Metro station across the street from the area of hotels there. I am not sure how it compares pricewise-- but I would consider it too!

good luck- Jen