UGGGHHH Hotel hell vent!

[Frye7127]

My son and I are going to D.C. in 1 1/2 weeks. His best friend and mom have decided to come with us. I started researching places (homes/hotels) and asked if around $400 - 450ish total was okay for their half. I was looking at two bedroom places or single rooms that fit that budget. She called her uncle to see if he could arrange a place for a good price and he came back with safe areas, but no place to stay. She now tells me that she would like to stay around $200-240 total for four nights. 1 1/2 weeks out and now you tell me. I am a bit of a hotel snob, not too bad, but would rather pay for clean and no mold. I am so frustrated and not finding anything near a metro stop for this price range that I would stay in by myself (and now we are sharing a room with our two boys). UGGGHHH! I feel like such a B for hating to stay somewhere I wouldn't normally. I wish she would have told me beforehand so at least I would have some time to get right with it.

 

[soonerfan2008]

Why don't you stay in Alexandria? Just a short ride on the Metro, and it is a nice place to stay. I've always gotten our hotels there at 3.5 stars or better for under $100 bucks a night.

 

[NotUrsula]

You *could* try Hotwire. Stick with 3.5 stars and above in the best Metro areas and you could get lucky with something in her price range. Unlike PL, Hotwire does let you specify the size of the room. (The one issue with Hotwire is that you are specifying geographic area, and in the DC metro area you could end up in a place that is close to a Metro station but not really walkable due to traffic issues.)

I feel for you -- $120/nt after taxes is a pretty unrealistic price expectation for metro DC. I'm guessing that these folks don't spend a lot of time in large central cities?

PS: I'm always seeing people here say that they stayed in Alexandria for <$100/nt. IME, that's very difficult to find in the Old Town area.
The usual prices I see in Old Town Alexandria run between $150-200/nt.

 

[Frye7127]

Why don't you stay in Alexandria? Just a short ride on the Metro, and it is a nice place to stay. I've always gotten our hotels there at 3.5 stars or better for under $100 bucks a night.

Any ones in particular that you care to mention? I have looked in Alexandria at the Hampton Inn - King street which is close to the Metro and a in this price range - it looked doable. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. I looked in Arlington too. Aloft near Dulles was in that range, but I think may be too far out. It has been a long time since I have been to Washington, and to be honest don't remember areas very well.

 

[Frye7127]

You *could* try Hotwire. Stick with 3.5 stars and above in the best Metro areas and you could get lucky with something in her price range. Unlike PL, Hotwire does let you specify the size of the room. (The one issue with Hotwire is that you are specifying geographic area, and in the DC metro area you could end up in a place that is close to a Metro station but not really walkable due to traffic issues.)

I feel for you -- $120/nt after taxes is a pretty unrealistic price expectation for metro DC. I'm guessing that these folks don't spend a lot of time in large central cities?

PS: I'm always seeing people here say that they stayed in Alexandria for <$100/nt. IME, that's very difficult to find in the Old Town area.
The usual prices I see in Old Town Alexandria run between $200-300/nt.

I am thinking not much traveled at all at this point. We are going to be driving, so driving to a metro station is not out of the question. We just really want a safe area, particularly with two 10 year old boys. I am concerned about being in an area that is not safe or has $50/day parking, so I am not sure that I am willing to chance a random pick. It is were just me and DH, sure.

 

[NCRedding]

Check out One Washington Circle Hotel. In the next couple of week, they have one bedroom suites with complete kitchens for under $275, some even in the $100s, some that includes parking. If you are staying over a weekend, it's a little cheaper. The rooms are old shaped and a little older, but it was nice and roomy and clean. DD and I walked by ourselves several times in the evening and felt very safe. If you still wanted to go with your friend, you two could take the bed in the bedroom, and the boys could sleep on the pullout, or vice-versa.

We stayed there in August and found that it was a good place to stay for the money. It is a short walk across the circle park to the Foggy Bottom metro stop. The hotel was in walking distance of Georgetown. It's also around the corner from a Trader Joe's.

We even walked back from the Mall one day, in stages, stopping to shop or browse.

 

[NotUrsula]

Dulles is WAY too far out. Besides that, unless you get a suite room, an Aloft is probably not going to be a good choice under the circumstances; the standard rooms are built with a very open plan and allow almost no privacy. (The last one I stayed in had only a curtain dividing the toilet area from the dressing area, and there are no drawers to put clothing in, only hooks and open shelves.)

That said, one of the most popular hotels in the DC area for families is the Embassy Suites Old Town Alexandria, across the street from the King St. metro station. Sometimes you get lucky and they run specials, but IME, not for less than $150. There is a full breakfast included there, however, so maybe that might sway them upward a tad?

Also, you don't happen to have some Starpoints built up, do you? Several of the Starwood group hotels in DC do the points + cash program, which is a great deal. Parking would be high at those, but if that worked out for your dates, what I'd do is use my points and have the other family pay the cash part and parking, which would probably work out to around $115/nt. 4 nights would only be 16K points on that program.

 

[Frye7127]

Dulles is WAY too far out. Besides that, unless you get a suite room, an Aloft is probably not going to be a good choice under the circumstances; the standard rooms are built with a very open plan and allow almost no privacy. (The last one I stayed in had only a curtain dividing the toilet area from the dressing area, and there are no drawers to put clothing in, only hooks and open shelves.)

We have totally ditched it for distance alone. We stayed in one in Leawood, KS, and it was very nice and seperated in the bath, dressing area. My thought was at least it has a lot of open, fun space for the boys in the lobby. after further review, though, it looks like that one was more of a party hotel than the one in Leawood and in the middle of nowhere. So a no-go for sure.

 

[NotUrsula]

Ironically, the last Aloft I stayed in WAS the one in Leawood, and my room only had a drape, so they vary. (It also had a serious party scene going on downstairs the weekend I was there.)

If you're driving, could you plan to arrive early in the am or leave early in the day and stay one night outside the city? (I often do that because I usually fly in via BWI later in the day. In those situations I normally stay the night near the airport and take the train into DC early the next morning. That saves a bundle.)

 

[tlbwriter]

She now tells me that she would like to stay around $200-240 total for four nights.

"Sorry, I couldn't find anything safe and comfortable in that price range. The best I could do is $XXX. Are you still interested?"

 

[Frye7127]

Ironically, the last Aloft I stayed in WAS the one in Leawood, and my room only had a drape, so they vary. (It also had a serious party scene going on downstairs the weekend I was there.)

If you're driving, could you plan to arrive early in the am or leave early in the day and stay one night outside the city? (I often do that because I usually fly in via BWI later in the day. In those situations I normally stay the night near the airport and take the train into DC early the next morning. That saves a bundle.)

I am so glad you told me...I would have flipped. Each time we have stayed there was a wall that ran pretty much the length of the room between the bed area and bathroom area and then a door between the shower and sink areas. I just assumed they were all the same.

 

[cm8]

My son and I are going to D.C. in 1 1/2 weeks. His best friend and mom have decided to come with us. I started researching places (homes/hotels) and asked if around $400 - 450ish total was okay for their half. I was looking at two bedroom places or single rooms that fit that budget. She called her uncle to see if he could arrange a place for a good price and he came back with safe areas, but no place to stay. She now tells me that she would like to stay around $200-240 total for four nights. 1 1/2 weeks out and now you tell me. I am a bit of a hotel snob, not too bad, but would rather pay for clean and no mold. I am so frustrated and not finding anything near a metro stop for this price range that I would stay in by myself (and now we are sharing a room with our two boys). UGGGHHH! I feel like such a B for hating to stay somewhere I wouldn't normally. I wish she would have told me beforehand so at least I would have some time to get right with it.

ask her if she can up her end of the total and still attend. Last resort is go cheaper and grin and bear it

PS, don't apologize for being a resort snob......, I'm like that in some places too

 

[elgerber]

We stayed at the Embassy Suites in Alexandria, but I am sure the Hampton would be fine. It's is very convenient place to stay.

 

[Lewisc]

Consider Silver Spring, MD. Your friend books Days Inn or Travelodge. You'll pick a different hotel. Also check Hotwire or Priceline.

 

[sarah4770]

I don't think her expecting to pay $60 a night in dc is realistic. I would either go by myself, or let her do the checking.
by yourself, look at L'Enfant Plaza hotel, never stayed there, but has good reviews. Also holiday Inn capital, it's decent.

 

[Ava]

"Sorry, I couldn't find anything safe and comfortable in that price range. The best I could do is $XXX. Are you still interested?"

My thoughts exactly. If I'm the one doing all the planning, I choose the hotel. I'll do my best to accommodate everyone's budget & preferences, but in the end I'm going to choose what works best for me since I'm the one doing all the work. If my travel companions don't like my choice, they are free to do their own research & book themselves somewhere else.

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

I don't know much about the DC area but all I can say is pick your travelling partners carefully, making sure you are compatible not only for hotels but for other expenses such as cabs, meals, touring styles etc. Sounds to me as if she is tight with money or she does not want to spend a lot and you do and this could cause problems down the road on you vacation. Have you ever travelled together before? Good Luck.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

We just stayed this past weekend in Alexandria at Homewood Suites for $140 a night. Our suite had a small kitchenette, living area with sleeper and bedroom with two beds.
Full breakfast served in the AM which really saved us some money.
It was about ten minute drive to the Van Dorn Metro station, so a nice option if you have a car. Plus loads of restaurants in the area.

I would recommend the hotel to anyone looking for a comfortable place to stay near a Metro station.

Years ago we used to stay in the Rockville area, but can't remember the hotel names. They were also near the Metro stops.

DH had called the front desk and asked about cab fare to the Van Dorn station and was told around $15.

 

[vicki_c]

Check out One Washington Circle Hotel.

I absolutely love that hotel. I used to stay there (before I lived here) when I came to DC for training classes.

And yes, Dulles is too far out.

 

[Floridagal23]

I was back in DC recently for a college reunion. We stayed at the fairmont for 167 a night. We also found rooms at the St Gregory for 140 a night (this is on M street in dupont circle) and the mayflower for rates in the 180s. One Washington Circle was around 120 or 140 a night, too.