Adrien

Message: I am planning to take my 77 year old mother to DC for her
birthday/Mothers day in Mid May.

I am looking for a hotel that is convenient to the Smithsonian, other sites. My
mom can't do a lot of walking.

Also want someplace nice,classy -- maybe with a fridge since Mom is diabetic.
Am I way off base if my top end price is about $150/ nite (including a weekend.)


I don't know DC too well.

kal

Adrien,
We've always had good luck with the Metro Marriott. They always seem to be running specials so the $150 may be quite "do-able".
While my hotel rooms are starting to blend together, I believe they had a fridge.
Plus, the Metro stop is almost right in it's basement. The White House is only a few blocks away as are some good restaurants.

Good luck
Kal

Christina

There have been quite a few similar posts on this topic within just the past couple of months, if you use the search tool you can probably find them for ideas. I live in DC so haven't stayed in a lot of hotels but know them from sight, business meetings and some other people staying there, so maybe could recommend something if you clarify exactly how close to the sights you mean. I think you may not be aware of how far apart the museums are and how far they are from any metro stop, most of them, so you can minimize walking to some extent, but not a whole lot. If your mother cannot walk more than a block, for example, I think this will be very difficult. The Smithsonian metro stop itself is only real near one or two of their museums. Staying near Metro Center is a good idea because the two diff. metro lines cross there, so there would be a minimum of transferring necessary, you can get on the orange/blue vs. red lines immediately. The National Gallery is not that close to either line, though, the closest stop is Archives which is about 3 blocks away and would require a transfer to the yellow line. There is no metro stop near the monuments, although there is some tourmobile thing that goes around the sites that may be suitable, I don't know much about it. Anyway, I think Metro Center is your best bet if you are very limited in mobility due to the metro stop there. If she can really walk more than that, a lot more is possible. The Marriott is your best bet around Metro Center, although be careful as they have two of them right near each other, and one is nicer than the other, I think; according to them, only one has minibars in the room (the nicer one, which is JW Marriott). The only other hotel I can think of right near that metro stop is the Willard, which is indeed very nice but I'm sure a lot more than $150 a day.

Scott Fitzgerald

Visit site59.com for great last minute deals to Washington DC; My wife and I are going this weekend for less than $300 a piece, which includes airfare and two nights in the Crown Plaza.

Jeannie

I met my 73 year old mother and my 79 year old father in DC this past October. Although my parents are in good shape, and walk at home every day, they we found the walking in DC to be pretty strenuous. We stayed in a suburb and some days we rode the metro in and other days I drove them from place to place. The best bet to me was the Trolley, which I liked better than the Tourmobile. We actually drove around ourselves on a Thursday night, and on Sat and Sunday and had absolutley no problem with parking or driving. However, I would not try that on a weekday.

Adrien

Christina -- I have a feeling we will be "cabbing" it mostly. My guess is Mom could handle a half-mile at a time.. no more.. judging from how she handles the airport here. She's most interested in the National Gallery... and we would take in some of the smaller museums, too. (not just Smithson's works). I still have research to do, but I'm worried that reasonably priced hotels will close because May is a nice month to be in DC.

Also, don't know the neighborhoods -- what's safe, what has good food nearby. I see for instance that the Hilton Garden Inn Franklin Sq. is 119/nite. But I don't know about the 'hood.

hans

You'll want to check but unfortunately I think the National Gallery is currently closed for renovations.

Adrien

To Hans. Thanks for the tip, so I called the Natl Gallery. Only a section of the decorative arts area is closed for renovation. The rest of the museum is open.

A.

Christina

Adrien, if you think your Mom could walk a 1/2 mile, that's pretty good, I
would not worry so much then about being a few blocks from a metro stop,
which is what I was worried about -- that and just walking around the museums. I think planning on cabs is a good idea, DC taxis are pretty scuzzy, unfortunately, in terms of quality often, but are usually reliable
and fairly cheap for around town (by scuzzy I mean they can be shabby,
rundown, and you'd be surprised how many don't have AC!). Especially for the Natl Gallery I might count on that because you'll be walking a lot during the visit--cabs drive by the side entrance between the east and west bldgs frequently, so you should be able to get one there for return.....

Christina

These are few nicer hotels that I like for ambience and nice neighborhood and pretty convenient to a metro stop: Hilton Embassy Row near Dupont Circle (not the big Hilton), Embassy Suites on 22nd St, One Washington Circle and St James Suites near Foggy Bottom, Hotel George near Union Station, and the Mayflower Renaissance in the midtown area (right next to Farrugut North metro). I also like the Omni Shoreham for style and location if you get a park view and convenient to a metro stop and good neighborhood restaurants (Cleveland Park area), but I don't think it has minibars. Also, the JW Marriott as someone suggested and the Crowne Plaza near Franklin Park are all nice. If it were me, for a 77yr old mom special treat, I would pick the Mayflower, Hilton Embassy Row or the two in FoggyBottom, probably. I think all of these can be had for around $150, even in May if you are lucky. Much to my surprise, I checked the Mayflower's website (www.renaissancehotels.com) and they quoted a $160 a night rate for second
week in May and I've seen rates for the others around $150-175 also for May.
Try checking www.hotelreservation.com or www.dcaccommodation.com for good
rates on DC hotels. I would have suggested Embassy Suites on 22nd St, but I think they are more like $200 a night. The SOfitel (upper Connecticut Ave) might be a nice hotel, also, but is not as convenient a location IMO, so
that's why I ruled it out (uphill 5-6 block walk from metro). Even if you
plan on cabs, you might want to be near a metro stop just in case. One Wash.
Circle is a nice hotel, all suites I think, and has the advantage of two
pretty good restaurants right in it, slighly diff. cuisine and ambience at
them, one has jazz piano as I recall--so that might be convenient if you are
tired at night. On the other hand, it is not as "walkable" neighborhood
right around the hotel and the Foggy Bottom metro stop is not far from there, only a few blocks, but it is across that circle roundabout which can be a little scary traffic-wise if you are a pedestrian. The St James Suites down that way are closer to that metro and you don't have to cross that circle.

Christina

The Hilton Embassy has a restaurant in it, of course, but is alsowithin a block of the Dupont Circle metro stop and a few blocks of a verygood selection of restaurants--if you and your MOm like Italian, I would highly recommend Anna Maria's just a few blocks north of there on Conn. Ave.
This has very good Italian food at reasonable prices, is a very cozy and
pretty little restaurant, and the owner is often there and takes great pride
in customer service, food quality, and is very friendly. I think it would
be good for your Mother. Those are my best suggestions on hotels. The
Mayflower is elegant and well-known, that might be a treat (Liz Taylor likes
to stay there, I think) and it is within a couple blocks of entrances to both metro lines, also. The Hotel George is a nice hotel down near Union Station and the Mall but probably too far to really walk to it, so may not be as convenient, all inall, but it is a small boutique European-style hotel rather than one of those big chain places; the restaurant in it is a trendy French bistro which is good, but prob. not what you might want, maybe a little expensive, also.Those are my best suggestions, maybe you should check out some of these hotels and see what appeals to you, and if you can get it within your budget,and then ask more questions if you have any.
(I had to cut this post into thirds as Fodors would not take it any larger; this drives me crazy as sometimes they accept a lot larger posts than at other times and it can waste a lot of time; they are the worst board I've seen on length).

Sydney

Just got back from a weekend in Washington. We stayed in Alexandria at the Embassy Suites. Highly reccommend it! Got the weekend deal of $129 a night.It is accross the street from King ST.Metro station. Metro is very easy to use,I suggest getting the $5 all day pass so you don't have to worry about adding up fares.
Wanted to let you know though, that escalators were being worked on at several of the stations and I doubt if someone who has problems walking could have made out very well. Also Dupont Circle Metro station has about the steepest, longest escalator I've ever been on. I know I'd never be able to talk my mother into getting on it. You do a lot of walking in DC and cabs aren't cheap. I don't use them often so I really don't know the going rate but our 16 min. trip from Alexandria to Kennedy Center (We were running too late to take metro) was $17 plus tip.I think it ran about $1.25 a mile starting with $2.50 on the meter. I did enjoy my weekend there but feel it would be a bit much for my mother who also has diabeties. Good Luck!

Adrien

Christina, everyone -- thank you so much for all the background material. I have to print it out. I was looking at the Renaissance Mayflower as a possibility. St. James doesn't have a restaurant (I don't think) That might be an issue. Tho' Foggy Bottom was recommended as a location.

I wish I could afford the Willard!!!!!!

Also looking at Jurys Washington on Dupont (129/nite all 3 nites actually 3-6 May). Decided to grab and keep looking. I hear nice things about it.

Tho' it's a chain, also looking at courtyard-embassy row (for cost).

HIlton Embassy Row about the same price as Mayflower.

Christina

Well, I personally would never consider that Courtyard on 16th St. and Rhode Island. I just think it's a bad location, rather inconvenient, and the hotel is nothing special, I think--it used to be something else, one of those lower-end chain hotels, Quality maybe. I don't think there's much around there, either, for restaurants, it's just a daytime business area, very busy, lots of traffic. Jury's has refurbished so I guess will be fixed up, from the outside it is very very bland, just a 1960s-style box. I would choose it over Courtyard, that's for sure. It is true Dupont Circle metro north station (at Q St) is very very scary, I forgot about that--I believe it is the longest metro escalator in the world and I get vertigo on it and cannot look down, it's very steep. I wouldn't recommend someone that age get on it; use the south entrance to Dupont Circle metro, the escalator is much shorter and not as scary, if you use the metro. Jury's would be better than that Courtyard, though, IMO. You might consider Lincoln Suites near Farrugut North metro, I have stayed there several times (before refurbishment) and really liked them; goodsize rooms, not fancy, but very decent with kitchenettes. About two blocks to the metro; no restaurant in it but several very nearby. St James not having a restaurant might be a little problem as there are not a many restaurants in that neighborhood to walk to, not at all. I may have given the wrong URL for hotels, it's www.dcaccommodations.com, probably. I guess it's a matter of perspective or what you're used to, but I don't consider $17 for cab fare from Alexandria to the Kennedy Center that expensive (although I am surprised it made it in 16 min), espec. split between several people as that's quite a distance (I think Va cab rates are about $1.50 a mile); DC is small so distances are not that great, within DC, there are flat rates within the city by zone for cabs but I don't know them, I've never been ripped off by them--you can go pretty far for only $5-10.

Cali

We have stayed at the Mayflower a number of times and like it very much. The location is perfect to go anywhere. The metro is right next to the Mayflower and you can go anywhere from there. My sister and her husband just stayed there last week and they loved it too.

Adrien

Hey all you wonderful Fodorites who have been helping me... this trip to DC has changed dramatically.

To make a long, long story short -- now my sister and her two children (who I adore!) are coming, too. My nephew (7 yrs) specifically asked my sis if they could go on April break to DC. He wants to see all the things he's learning about in school. He's a great kid!

We decided kids could miss a couple days of school and make this a family trip (mom's age definitely a factor here -- wants to do this now with grand kids.)

Booked room for me and mom at Jury's Washington -- supposed to be nice, 129/nite the price is really good. Now --- is it child friendly or should I find another hotel. I will still NEVER get Mom on the Metro. I asked. She said NO.