Best hotels near the Kennedy Center?
 

Can anyone advise me where to stay close to the Kennedy Center?

What about the Ritz or the Four Seasons?

Do you need to be able to walk to the Kennedy Center, and if so, how far is too far for you? Also, what is your budget? There are a lot of hotels "near" there, so it's hard to advise you without a bit more information.

I was looking at the Donovan (I like Kimpton). It comes out to about $350 for two nights at the end of March. I don't mind taking a cab to the Kennedy Center, since parking is expensive. It's less than two miles away. Any other options you might suggest?

Maggi - I can't help, but is someone special performing at the Kennedy Center?

There are three Kimpton hotels in the Dupont Circle area which are slightly closer to the Kennedy Center: Madera, Palomar, and the Topaz. All would be great choices. I think overall Dupont Circle is a more interesting neighborhood. That said, Donovan House is very nice hotel with a spectacular view of DC from the rooftop bar and pool. It's also very close to the 14th St corridor of popular restaurants.

Another alternative for getting to the KC is the free shuttle running every 15 minutes from the Foggy Bottom metro station. You'll see the red bus parked on the street as you emerge from the metro escalator. From the Donovan House, walk to McPhereson Square metro, one stop to Foggy Bottom. It's generally faster to walk to the FB metro from the Dupont Circle Kimptons, Madera being the closest. (Dupont Circle metro is on a different line than FB and requires a train change).

I have nothing to add to obxgirl's advice--well said!

Donovan House, while great, is on the edge of a neighborhood that dies after work hours--although if you walk in another direction, you are indeed close to lots of good stuff along 14th Street. But I'd choose one of the Dupont Kimptons if I were you, unless the Donovan's rate is a whole lot better.

Haha, Michelle - you guessed it. My friend Eric Kunze will be performing at the Kennedy Center "Do You Hear the People Sing", music of composers Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schoenberg ("Les Miserables", "Miss Saigon", among other musicals) on March 27 & 28th. It's possible it will be filmed for a PBS showing in the future. So excited! The last time we were there at the Kennedy Center was on News Years Eve 2008 when he was doing "The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber." What a fantastic evening that was. Thousands in the Grand Hall at midnight celebrating midnight.

I will look into the other Kimptons, but I think they are much more expensive. The rooftop view is what initially attracted me to the Donovan. Thanks for the heads up on the free shuttle! I wonder how late it runs?

Maggi - I found him on FB and started following!

Cool, Michelle, check out the fansite (his website) I do for him too...www.erickunze.com

There are some amazing vocals on YouTube, especially his Gethsemane.

OK, I'll stop now :-)

I **think** the shuttle runs until midnight but you can certainly check with the KC. I've seen it sitting on the street during the day (weekday and weekend) which I assume is for visitors to the KC and not only performance attenders. I also don't know if it has seasonal hours but by the end of March you'll be in full cherry blossom & school spring break mode.

I'd be inclined to take the metro/shuttle to the KC and a taxi back either from the KC's queue or a cab or Uber from Foggy Bottom. Fare should be <$10 from the KC and a couple of dollars less from FB.

I wouldn't hesitate to stay at the Donovan House. There are six or more major hotels in the immediate area and at least that many apartment buildings so the streets will hardly be deserted. There are a number of very fine restaurants in close proximity including the hotel's restaurant, Zenten. Dupont Circle, OTOH, is a nightlife destination.

Have fun!

You can easily walk from the Foggy Bottom metro to the Kennedy Center in good weather. It shouldn't be that cold at that time (if it's raining you might not want to). I do it all the time rather than waiting for that shuttle bus. It's your choice. But late at night, you might not want to walk back as much as upon arrival. The whole point of those shuttles is they are run by the Kennedy Center for attendees, of course they run when the performance is over, also. They are specifically for people going there. If you intend to do somethign for a long time after the performance, maybe that won't work but they run until about midnight.

You couled walk back to the metro station if you had to, it's a safe enough neighborhood and it really isn't that far.

Thank you very much!

Reporting back: I stayed at the Donovan Hotel, part of the Kimpton chain, on 14th street. I had to cut my visit short, so only stayed one night. But it was great and I would stay there again. Free happy hour in the lobby, free breakfast at Zentan. Had dinner at Zentan. I flew into Reagan and took a 20 minute $20 cab ride. So convenient. It was a short cab ride to the Kennedy Center and back. Photos on Picasa: https://picasaweb.google.com/1120703...eat=directlink

and on the website I do for my friend Eric Kunze who was performing at the Kennedy Center: www.erickunze.com