Washington DC hotels

[pnutmnm]

We are currently tossing the idea of driving to DC for our summer vacation. Need some thoughts on where to stay. I know we will have the car, but are there places that are central to everything to you can walk to?

 

[CherylA]

You can get a hotel within walking distance of some of the attractions but that always means high overnight parking charges and little selection for dining after 6pm. It's also the most expensive area to stay. We have stayed right in the Smithsonian area but didn't love it for the reasons listed above. What we prefer to do is stay somewhere near one of outskirt metro stations that has parking. Then you drive to that station and park there and take the metro in. We got a much better price on a hotel this way and there were lots of dining choices. This past year we stayed in the Tyson's Corner area and loved it. There were 2 huge malls right there and lots of dining choices, plus hotel parking was free. Parking at the metro station may be free on the weekends too. Oh and lots of the outskirt hotels will have outdoor pools while the ones right in the heart of things have no pool or a small indoor pool.

 

[Wendynat]

As Redskins season ticket holders living in Virginia Beach, we know the DC area hotels very, very well . Definitely stay outside of the area near a metro station rather than in DC proper - cheaper (or free) parking, cheaper rates, quieter, etc etc. Some of our favorites:

Fairfax - Courtyard Marriott Dunn Loring - directly across the street from the Dunn Loring Metro station (orange line). Free parking. Quiet. Near Tyson's Corner shopping malls. A lot of weekends they have a 94/night rate which includes breakfast for two adults and kids under 12.

Arlington -
Residence Inn Pentagon City - about a 10-15 minute walk to the Pentagon City Mall, which has a Metro stop in the mall (blue and yellow lines). Very nice, free breakfast, reasonable weekend rates. Parking is about 18 or so a night.

Hampton Inn Crystal City/Reagan National Airport - about a 5/10 minute walk to Crystal City shops, which also has a metro stop (blue line only, I believe, but might be blue and yellow). Free breakfast, reasonable rates. Parking about 12 a night if I remember correctly.

 

[PinkRhombus]

Arlington -
Residence Inn Pentagon City - about a 10-15 minute walk to the Pentagon City Mall, which has a Metro stop in the mall (blue and yellow lines). Very nice, free breakfast, reasonable weekend rates. Parking is about 18 or so a night.

We were going to use this hotel, but moved a little further out just to save on the Marriott points we were having to use.

We're now staying at the Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town....a little south of the Pentagon City location.

Either way, both are close to the trains (and have shuttles to get you there if you don't want to walk a few blocks) and each has a grocery store nearby.

 

[Greyhound22]

A great place to stay is the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington, VA(https://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=829). We stayed there over Spring Break and it overlooks the D.C. sights. Our room was on the 8th floor and we had a view of everything (Washington Memorial, Arlington Cemetary, Capital Building, Pentagon, etc.). Incredible sight at night. They have a free shuttle to Pentagon City Mall (Metra Station). I would recommend.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

We are staying at the Residence Inn - Capitol Hill. It's close to the Metro, has a free breakfast, a swimming pool and I think the parking is $30 a night.

 

[beccasmom]

We've stayed at the JW Marriott on Pennsylvania Avenue. It is right around the corner from the National Theater and within walking distance of just about everything. We loved it. It is right across the street from the Willard Intercontinental.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasjw-jw-marriott-hotel-washington-dc/

 

[bookwormde]

If you are flexable enough to plan last munute (withing 2 weeks) you can often get a good rate ($150) with parking at the holiday in which is 1 block from the mall near the air and spece museum. Just a warning it it a little near the tracks so it is a little noisy till about 10pm.

bookwormde