DC accomodation for family w/car in August
 

My mom and I will be taking my kids (6 and 8) to DC for a weekend this month. Ideally, we'd find a lovely B&B that is reasonable ($100) that also offers parking and is centrally located. Laughing yet? Realistically, we'd love any good accomodation that is centrally located (G'town, Dupont, Capitol Hill, Adams-Morgan) where we can park the car for no more than $15 per day. We'd love to have b'fast included - or a kitchenette. A furnished apt would also work great for us. I appreciate any and all ideas and suggestions. Have been doing lots of searching on the web but have not come across any of the great weekend summer specials I've heard about. Thanks!

Have you checked travelzoo.com?

We stayed at the Marriott in Dupont Circle and it had reasonable parking, breakfast , and a family room with a kitchenette. We enjoyed being in that part of town- very walkable, near the subway station and good restaurants, including a great frozen yogurt shop withing a block or two.

You're being unrealistic. DC is a big city, there aren't hardly any B&Bs, and almost all of them are those posh, expensive things. Even the cheapest one I know of doesn't have rooms that cheap either (the Kalorama Guest House, doubles are around $70). It's the best bet, though, they have one two-bedroom suite, but it won't be your rate, and there isn't hardly any parking around there on the street.
http://www.kaloramaguesthouse.com/specials.shtml

Suite hotels like the Marriott are the best choice for a kitchenette, but they will be more like $200 a night, even in August, and parking around $25. You might get $15 per day rates in some public garages, I think the rates are more like $20-25, though, in DC.

Your best bet is to try Priceline or something, or stay somewhere outside DC proper. If you have a car, that's probably the best idea.

For that price, try the Days Inn on Connecticut Ave NW, it's near the Van Ness Metro station. That's a safe area near UDC with plenty of ordinary shopping, though not a tourist-oriented area. Priceline isn't an option for this group of 4.

Hey there Weespxxx! Check out the Georgetown Suites which is running a "stimulus special" of $155 a night on weekends. There are two in Gtown, decor is a bit dated but the suites are extremely large and include a kitchenette. They do a complimentary breakfast and parking is $20 a night which is quite reasonable for DC. There's a Trader Joe's quite nearby.

It's Gtown so no metro very close by but great bus service off of M Street with the Georgetown Connector which will get you to the Dupont Circle (or Rosslyn) metro stations. (http://www.georgetowndc.com/getting-here/shuttle)

My DH stayed there on business earlier this year. I joined him for a couple of days and found the place quite decent. Not high on the charm scale but great location.

You're kind of late getting city hotel/motel/B&B reservations. DC is pretty booked up right now. You might want to try a hotel/motel out in Maryland, somewhere like Bowie, Crofton, Route 301 or even Annapolis. That way you can take Route 50 to the New Carrollton Metro stop, park your car at the PG County lot for $ 4, and take the Metro into town to see the sites.

Why would someone who wants to stay somewhere central stay in Annapolis or Bowie, for heaven's sake? You might as well recommend they stay in Baltimore.

$15 parking plus breakfast is asking a lot. Georgetown Suites sounds like a good choice. You might also try something like the Residence Inn in Rosslyn, which would get you cheaper parking plus a suite.

Mike, how can she find reservations in DC in August? Is it even possible? Rooms must be booked at nearly 100 % right now. If you know of a way to find a room in DC at the spur of the moment in mid-August, you've taught me something.

>>Rooms must be booked at nearly 100 % right now. <<

George, What are you talking about? There are plenty of rooms available. My DH is detailed to DC most weeks and there are plenty of openings at the places he frequents....the downtown Kimpton properties, Homewood Suites DT, Residence Inns. Weekdays and weekends. WE rates are running below $150 a night. Those places can't just be anomalies.

Bowie?? Are you joking?

George, I plugged in next weekend for the Residence Inn in Rosslyn and got rates at about $100. No need to go to the ends of the earth, or Annapolis.

Bowie ha ha ha

Here you go!!!! (Adams Morgan)
http://www.kaloramaguesthouse.com/specials.shtml



And here's a nice Dupont B&Bish place for $100ish:
http://www.tabardinn.com/rooms/tour/shared_bath

As a Washingtonian who never has had to rent a room in DC, I am shocked that it is so easy to get a room in DC in August without reservations. The town seems to be brimming with tourists and will be for another week or so until the schools begin to re-open. Bardo's and Mike's advice looks fine with the Tabard being a very good locale indeed to explore Washington.

Congress is in recess in August. That should tell you something.

I thought you lived in MD, George

Thanks so much for all the suggestions - we might put it off til November due to the heat now, but I know we'll be fine with these ideas. Appreciate it!

The second half of August is one of the slowest times of year for hotels in DC : hot weather + little convention business + Congress in recess + families with back-to-school obligations = plenty of hotel choices at competitive rates. Some restaurants (not many, though) close for a week or two at this time, and you know they would not do that during busy convention/tourist season.