my husband and i will be visiting washington in august. it will be our first trip. has any one stayed at the j w marriott in dc? the marriott web site is not very informative. thanks

What would you like to know? The hotel is in a nice safe area, and is reasonably close to the National Mall. Should be fine.

We stayed there 4 years ago and thought it had the best location in the city. It is within walking distance to most everything including the White House, Washington Monument, the mall and museums, and even the Capitol/Supreme Court area. The attractions that were too far to walk to such as Arlington National Cemetry or the National Zoo or the National Catherdral could be reached via the "Old Town Trolley" which had a stop at the JW Marriot. "Old Town Trolley" also has a evening tour which is not to be missed. That tour also had a pickup at the JW. There was also a small mall which could be reached from inside the hotel which had a few shops and places to eat. I would recommend staying here.

The JW Marriott Hotel on Pennsylvania in DC is one of my favorite hotels I have stayed at. The lobby is very luxurious and even attached to a shopping mall. The rooms are nice (try to get one on a floor with a balcony), but the pool isn't much - but the location is excellent. We didn't need to rent a car - the Smithsonian, Washington Monument, and White House, are all a short walk away, and other attractions are easily accesible by the subway. I definately recommend the JW.

The JW Marriott is in a very good location, and you can also take Metro to Arlington Cemetary, just check the hours first. A nice place close by to have brunch or hamburgers is Old Ebbott Grill. There are several sandwich shops and coffee shops in the blocks around the hotel. It is also in the same block as the National Theatre, and
right next door to the Warner Theatre.
I lived in D.C. for 14 years, and would be happy to offer advice, just contact my email address. P.S. August is going to be HOT and Humid, so be ready. Also be careful about the museum hours, sometimes they close early. 2 museums that are awesome and overlooked are the Corcoran and the Renwick (next to the White House) P.S. There is a cafe in the J.W. Marriott, very over-rated and overpriced. Skip it. Oh yes, you can also walk to Ford's Theatre, where Lincoln was shot. They usually have tours going all the time.