Choice of 3 Hotels
 

We are trying to decide where to stay in DC with 2 kids (ages 10 & 12). We have narrowed it down to 3 hotels, ie., The Four Seasons, The Fairmont and the Park Hyatt. Does anyone have experience with these 3? Recommendations? Thanks.

Have you checked the hotel reviews on the tripadvisor.com web site?

Yes-I did check them and all the hotels have good reviews.

They are each high end hotels in a very nice part of DC. Fours Seasons is in Georgetown proper and the farthest from a Metro station.

What is your criteria for picking a hotel so that someone might know which of the three to recommend to you?

I'd skip the Four Seasons--public transportation to major tourist locations is inconvenient. The Park Hyatt and Fairmont are both in better locations; it's just a matter of which has more of the amenities that are important to you.

We really liked staying in the DuPont Circle area as it has plenty of places to eat and was handy to the Metro.

We also liked staying in the DuPont Circle area for the same reasons. A great little area with very easy Metro access.

Ditto DuPont Circle!

The Four Seasons is fine if you are a movie star, otherwise, it isn't particularly convenient for a family stay. The other two are right near each other, aren't they? Still not the most convenient location but probably a bit better than Four Seasons, although not much. None of them are particularly close to a metro stop. I wouldn't choose any of them for a convenient stay, to be honest, and not with a family. I think the closest metro stop is about 5 blocks away from the two near 24th and M, and that's crossing very busy K St.

Thanks for your responses. We've decided against the Four Seasons because they didn't have any family friendly packages. We don't mind being off the beaten path. We will probably rent a car.

While touring the downtown DC area - would recommend not using a car - parking is not always convenient. Taxi and Metro are awesome and there are a ton of things within walking distance.

If it's the first time - you might want to consider one day using the Tour Mobile - on and off passes - and they have stops around all of the monuments and memorials.

8-)

Renting a car is possibly the least sensible option. If the cost of renting it and parking it isn't a deterrent please consider the time you'll be wasting driving in a city you presumably don't know well looking for parking which may be very difficult to find.

Cabs make sense if you choose not to walk or take public transport. Most of the nicer hotels also have contacts with car services if you prefer traveling in a town car.

I'm a big fan of the Dupont Circle area (am there now) but the West End neighborhood is hardly off the beaten path. It's a great location and those are two lovely hotels.

>>I think the closest metro stop is about 5 blocks away from the two near 24th and M, and that's crossing very busy K St.<<

Foggy Bottom metro is less than a 10 minute walk and there are two Circulator routes (one on M and one on K) that stop at 24th St. Good grief, Christina, K St. has stop lights and pedestrian crossings -- it's not a 10 lane highway.

"If it's the first time - you might want to consider one day using the Tour Mobile - on and off passes - and they have stops around all of the monuments and memorials"


TourMobile went out of business. I believe there are other hop on, hop off options but I don't see the need for them. Once you are near the Mall, everything is walkable (albeit some are spread out but all all great walks)

There are many things on the mall but if you are looking to see everything - you can take the hop on/off bus from Union station to the mall to the Jefferson to Arlington Cemetery.... it can be a lot of walking that one might not be used to or if you have children.

MHO....

If you want to go to Arlington National Cemetery, you can take the Metro, but you would have to walk through the cemetery once you get there. TourMobile used to run there, but as tchioniere said, they are no longer in business.

Lee Ann

I couldn't agree with obxgirl's comments more. Either of the two hotels will be fine, and neither are far from Metro. Please don't rent a car.