tennislvr1

Just found a great deal at the Hawthorn Suites on Van Dorn Street in Alexandria, VA...thinking of staying there this September for a couple of days and seeing Washington DC for the first time. Has anyone stayed there? Is it too far from the tourist areas of DC?

Thanks!

zlaor

Haven't stayed there but we really enjoyed staying at the Best Western in Alexandria, VA - about 3 miles from Mt. Vernon (which is a must if you're in the area).

Clean, nice sized rooms, gym and breakfast.

tennislvr1

thanks, I'll look in to it...I really like the idea of the Hawthorn Suites because it has a free breakfast, and a kitchenette for 79.00 a night! I'm just afraid it will be too far from DC.

JanetKMR

I've only stayed at the Hawthorn Suites in Blacksburg. It was nice, but sound carried horribly from the halls and other rooms and they had the worst pillows ever.

obxgirl

This hotel is probably 6-8 miles from the DC Mall. The hotel overlooks I-395 and Duke Street which are major traffic arteries into DC and Old Town Alexandria, respectively. The area ambiance is quasi urban commercial & residential. The hotel offers a shuttle to the nearby Metro but realistically you will need a car. You won't be walking anywhere but there are restaurants and groceries very near by.

By the picture at the website this particular hotel looks like it was rehabbed from an older apartment building. That isn't necessarily a bad thing as there are a number of them in that immediate area of west Alexandria. They typically offer a lot of amenities for a moderate price and are very popular places for long stay govt and military personnel.

For a first time visit to the area, I really wouldn't recommend it. You get a lot here for the price but the setting lacks a lot of charm. I'd book now (if you can cancel w/o penalty) and focus on finding a place closer to or in downtown DC.