Hi,

My wife and I (late 20's) are going to be in DC from 4/19 through 4/22. It's mainly a sightseeing tour. We'll go see all of the main attractions, Supreme Court, Monuments, maybe a couple museuems etc...

Here's my question. I have enough Hilton Honors points to book any hotel I want, which is making it difficult, as budgets and value tend to drive a lot of my lodging decisions usually. Can you all recommend any Hilton brand hotels, that are both really nice and near some activity that doesn't shut down at night. During the evening, we'd like to be around nice restaurants, shops, maybe some clubs, but it's also important for us to be near the attractions that we want to see during the day. I always think it's nice to be able to step outside the hotel at night, and be in walking distance of something to do.

I have a reservation at Embassy Row Hilton, (but would change it in a heartbeat) which I hear mixed reviews about, and seems that it may not fit my criteria of being nice.

Anyway any thoughts or related experiences would be great.

Long post I know, but Thanks.

Embassy Row Hilton is the best located Hilton for restaurants, shops, and some clubs. It is also very close to a Metro station which puts you 10 minutes by subway to most any tourist attraction.

What is your top priority: location or luxury???

I want the best combination of both. I guess I would say if had to a top 3 of each list, top 3 luxary hotels, and top 3 hotels as far as location. I would hope I could find a hotel on both lists. So unless there is one that standsouts so far ahead in the luxary department, I would take the best combination of both.

Other than that it's just a gut feel.

I have stayed in the Hilton near the Whitehouse. It looks like a business class hotel, nothing special but an easy walk to the mall. I did find that it died down in the area after working areas so that is not fun if you are coming for a week. I would seek out George Town area.

I did not know there were luxury Hilton's.

I don't think any of the DC Hiltons are in the luxury category (I'm thinking of Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Madarin), and Embassy Row is a great location, so stay put unless someone can tell you something really negative about it or that there's another that is over-the-top fantastic.

There are four DC Hiltons.

Best to worst location (for you two in particular), IMO:
1. Embassy Row
2. Hilton Garden Inn Franklin Square
3. Hilton Washington
4. Capitol Hilton


Best to Worst in terms of luxury, IMO

1. Capitol Hilton
2. Hilton Washington
3. Hilton Embassy Row
4. Hilton Garden Inn

Put the above in your black box and tell what comes out!

Thanks Bardo1. I have been reading through these posts with similar questions. Going to a meeting mid-June that will be held at the HIlton Washington. It is always a bit of a pain to stay at a hotel other than the meeting hotel, but my recollection of the Hilton Washington from a visit many years ago is that the location is not great, i.e. long walk to get to the subway and a long way from hopping out for coffee, a meal etc. Am I remembering this correctly?

Thanks to all who know DC. For some reason this is a city I have just never ended up in much!

For mstraveler: The Washington Hilton at Conn Ave, T Street, and Columbia Road is four blocks (partly uphill) from the Dupont metro at Conn and Q. Not the closest to Metro, but the 8-10 minute walk shouldn't be a problem for able-bodied visitors.
The blocks immediately adjacent to the hotel don't have much to offer, but Conn south of S is packed with shops and restaurants. Up hill from the hotel, two or three blocks on Columbia Road will bring you to 18th Street, the heart of the very lively Adams-Morgan neighborhood.
The Hilton is just ouside the central taxi zone, so if you ask to get out at Conn and S, your fare will be significantly less than if you ride the last block.
In your situation, I'd probably stay at the conference hotel unless I could find a significantly better price or property somewhere else, taking into consideration the time and cost of getting back and forth between the two hotels.