Hello.

I just found this site and am quite impressed with the friendly advice I have read. I am travelling to the area in late April with my 2 boys, ages 6 and 10. It is just the 3 of us. I have checked out expedia.com and have found 3 potential places to stay that are affordable to us. We will be spending our time sightseeing at The Mall and the museums, but will want to find some nice places to eat in the evening. A indoor pool may play into our choice as well. The options I have found are:
Hyatt Regency - Capitol Hill $99/night
Four Points by Sheraton - 1201 K Street, N.W. $99/night
Radisson Barcelo - Dupont Circle $89/night.

I know the first 2 have pools, yet I am intrigued by what I have read about the Radisson Barcelo. I have also read about the Westin Fairfax near Dupont Circle, but when I go to the Westin website I can't tell which one the posts are referring to.

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Jay
Montpelier, VT

Capitol city Brewing company at 11th & H Streets is fun place for evening meal, it is at 11th and H streets one block north of Metro Center stop. I have been there many times on business and with family, staff are kid-friendly & welcoming. Reeves Restaurant & Bakery at 1306 G St. NW is fun & inexpensive stop for lunch, lots of local office workers eat there, some waitresses have been there for decades and will call you "honey" and fuss over the kids. Famous for the bakery, here is quote from Washingtonian magazine: "In downtown DC, Reeves Bakery makes fabulous strawberry
pies--a cooked version with a lattice crust and an open-faced pie with uncooked fruit." I have not stayed at the hotels you mention, but as long as you are near a Metro stop you can get around town just fine. When you go to the Zoo - i assume you will go to the zoo - stop for a snack at the Panda Cafe which is actually built over the Panda enclosure. We were there last year in afternoon when pandas were active in their enclosure and got great view from above.

The Westin Grand on 2350 M Street is not Dupont Circle-that hotel is closer to the Foggy Bottom area. The Dupont Circle Westin would be more centrally located to restaurants, sightseeing and Metro than the Westin on M Street. The Four Points on 12th and K is a great location, as well. Personally, I'd stay in the Dupont Circle area.

Jay - I stayed at Radisson Barcelo two years ago. You have a great rate. It's a very nice hotel with BIG rooms. I think I had the "standard" room, and it was about twice the size of most rooms. Also had in it a sofa (not sure if pullout or not), easy chair, coffee table, end tables, desk. Phone in the bath! All very nice. Nice area. Parking was expensive - $16?/day. (no x in my e-ddress)

When I checked the Westin website recently, I noticed that they are now calling the Westin Fairfax the "Westin Embassy Row." Either way, if you want to stay in Dupont, this is the one you want. It's a gorgeous, small hotel (formerly the Ritz Carlton) in a great location. I know their rooms are regularly well over $100, but I'm sure you can find a deal somehow.

The Radisson Barcelo (just around the corner basically) is also very nice, and people on this site seem to love it. Even if you don't stay there, their restaurant Gabriel is well worth a trip for dinner or Sunday brunch. Your kids may also enjoy Mimi's American Bistro (on P Street, right near both hotels), where the wait staff sings and performs during breaks from serving good food.

The Four POints is supposed to be very nice, but that area is completely dead in the evenings, so I think you guys would have much more fun staying in Dupont Circle and just using Metro for sightseeing.

Jay,
We just stayed at the Radisson last week with our 9 year old. We had the same $89 rate and the room was huge! King size bed, sleeper sofa, chair, coffee table, etc. We left the sleeper sofa pulled out the entire time we were there and never felt crowded. Dupont Circle was a great neighborhood. The Metro is a block and a half from the Radisson. There is a little grocery right across the street where we picked up snacks, and a CVS pharmacy at the end of the block. Both were helpful when our daughter developed a stomach bug one day, and we were confined to our hotel room. It was great to return to a neighborhood after sightseeing all day. We enjoyed Mimi's American Bistro across the street (our daughter loved the singing) as well as Pizza Paradisio just up the street. There is a Ben and Jerry's just south of the Circle and Larry's Homemade Ice Cream to the north. I'd definately stay in the same area on a return trip.

Of the three you name, I'd definitely choose the Radisson for location, then I guess the Hyatt but that area is a little out of the way at night -- close to Union Station, though. I think 12th and K is an awful area, myself. Not only dead at night, just not that safe. It's not very near a metro stop, either, and walking at night from there to a metro is something I wouldn't be that comfortable doing, not in that area. I don't even like it during the daytime that much, but I sure wouldn't pay the same or more than the Radisson regardless of whether the hotel has been refurvished (it used to be a Days Inn or something crummy, I think). I think the Westin would be terrific.

I'm sure you will be very pleased with the Radisson Barcelo and you won't beat the rate, either. The Dupont Circle area is active, safe and fun -- an excellent place to base your visit to Washington D.C.

Here are some travel notes I've left on the web, for whatever they're worth:

http://www.igougo.com/planning/journal.asp?JournalID=5632

The Westin Fairfax (Embassy Row) is on the same block, around the corner -- so the location is equally nice. I've had good luck with DC hotels using www.quikbook.com and they sometimes have the Westin Fairfax -- but frankly, I would stick with the Radisson Barcelo. You're getting a steal.

Just returned from staying at the Barcelo with husband, children 11 and 12 and their grandmother. Hesitantly reserved room at the last minute and very nervous about size of room since we'd all be staying there together. Couldn't have been better. As everyone else has posted, the room was huge, pull-out sofa was great, and never felt crowded in the least. We did have a problem with our water fluctuating hot and cold, but that was all. Very satisfied, except for that. Ate breakfast at the bagel shop across the street every a.m., used the grocery, and ate at the little family-owned shop down the street to the right. Would definitely stay there again.

Jay, our family loves the Embassy Suites hotels, and there are 5 in/around D.C.
What's so nice is they have indoor pools, a great breakfast buffet- free- and the suite gives seperate sleeping areas for the kids and parents.
The Metro is a wonderful transportation system, and easily accessible from these hotels. We do not like to be out & about the D.C. area much after dark, so we spend some time around the pool and such. Good Luck!

Ack...I am bummed out. Went to expedia.com to book the Barcelo this morning and the rate is now $147. Why does travelling have to be such a pain at times?!?!

Try Capitol Reservations for a good rate at the Barcelo. I believe they're at www.washingtondchotels.com

Thanks Ellen for the suggestion. They are listing $169. I am just a dope for waiting an extra day!

Hey Jay:

I am with you! I have been trying to get a get rate but just keep missing it!!! I have tried Priceline, but at $100 for 4 * I still did not get any hits! I might have to go down to three stars or keep searching around the net! Post if you get any hits!JOHN

This is out of the way, but --

Embassy Suites Tyson Corners has suites available for $75 + 6.5%tax, Thur-Sun w/ two night min.

I don't know just how far out of the way this is, but you might look & decide for yourself. (free shuttle to Dunn-Loring Metro Stop)

Hello again.

I really need your help. I am leaning towards booking the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill at $99 and just being done with it...especially after missing the Barcelo rate by a few hours.

Can I get some feedback on what would be preferred between the Hyatt Regency and the Four Points by Sheraton (1201 K Street N.W.) for our needs. Like I said in the very first post, my boys are 6 and 10. We are planning to check out the zoo, air and space museum, museum of natural history, the monuments, and a couple of other things. They will be very ready for hanging at the room and watching TV by 8 pm so nightlife isn't an issue. I really had decided to go with Dupont Circle but that stinkin' rate couldn't wait one more day. The pool at either place is also something they would have prefered anyway. Thanks again. Jay

I'd rather stab myself in the stomach than stay in Tysons Corner. Traffic's awful, there's nothing out there but strip malls and Tysons Corner Mall and chain restaurants, and of course, traffic.

Between Four Points and the Hyatt on the Hill, I would definitely pick the Hyatt for your needs. You'll have easy access to all the museums and monuments during the day. You won't be near the zoo, but that's an easy metro ride away. YOu can always metro over to Dupont for an early dinner one night, or you'll find tons of restaurant options in Cleveland Park and Woodley Park near the zoo. And there's enough options on Capitol Hill too, there just aren't many stand-out restaurants around there.

The Four Points looks nice, but the location 12th and K has basically nothing to recommend it unless you're a business traveler - it's not around the museums and monuments, and there's very little nearby restaurant-wise either.

Thanks Kristin, I appreciate the input. The thing with being a single dad with 2 kids is that stand-out restaurants aren't all that necessary since they can't appreciate them and it is then just down to me. We are mostly concerned with someplace comfortable and safe. The funkiness of Dupont Circle was for my own pleasure. I am also of the understanding that Union Station has eateries?

Definitely choose the Hyatt. It is much more convenient for what you want to do. And Union Station which is close to the Hyatt has plenty of food options, your kids will probably love the huge food court. The Four Points Hotel may be nice inside (never been in it), but the neighborhood is not ideal.

Have fun! The weather by the end of April should be great.