pizza15

My husband and I along with our 4 married daughters are planning a short trip to D.C. to celebrate my husbands's 70th birthday in October. Since my husband is semi handicapped we would like to stay at a hotel that will be convenient and near the sights. (primarily the mall and the museums). This is our very first trip and we're quite excited. We cannot affort anything extravagant but would like some charm. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

kayd

If it is a mobility problem that will prevent you from using Metro or walking significant distances, you'll probably need to use taxis. The Mall-and-monuments area is nearly two miles long and a half mile wide, and the closest hotels are several blocks away from any point in that area.
Any location in the Downtown, Dupont, and Foggy Bottom areas would be fine because they are in the central cab zone. Consider also what you might want to do in the evenings because some hotels closest to the Mall are in business districts (esp. L'Enfant Plaza)that are dead at night, while the Dupont area is pleasant to walk around in for dinner and window shopping, while also being an easy cab ride or Metro to the monuments and museums.

gabriele

I second the previous poster's concern about your husband's ability to sightsee if he cannot do much walking. The mall is huge and the museums require a lot of walking. The only hotel I can think of with any charm in a mid-lower price range would be the Tabard Inn, however, it is not close to the malls and museums. Closer to the mall would be the JW Marriott, which is in an excellent location at 14th & Penn. Not charming, but decent and convenient. Anything lesser priced will be so for a reason. Lots of cabs in that area, although that is a pricey transportation choice.

Christina

I also think you need to be clear on what you plan to do at night and how you plan to get around, as that may make a big difference in location. I assume your husband's disability is related to walking or you might not mention it and the mall and museums involve extensive walking -- the distance between them is quite long, let alone between all of them, and then in the museums themselves.

DC has a lot of nice, comfortable hotels but most of the chic-er ones with style are modern, not what you'd call "charming." I do think the Hotel George on E St. could be a possibility as it's a small, very nice boutique hotel and the facade certainly is what you'd think of as rather charming. However, the rooms are in modern style, I believe. It is very near the mall and museums and ADA approved.

The two I can think of that are more in the charming style are not near the Mall (although I'm not sure that matters myself), but the Convention Center -- the Morrison Clark Inn and Henley Park would fit your criteria. My only caveats about them is they are in an area I would not ideally choose myself -- more near Mt. Vernon Square. But the hotels are charming. If you planning on taking taxis most places, I think they could be suitable. Lots of people do stay there, of course.

I guess my best suggestion would be the Western Fairfax near Dupont Circle, It is an older style with style but very nice and probably could be called charming more than most others. It is very near Dupont Circle, not near the Mall at all, but again, I'm not sure that matters ultimately.

None of the above hotels are cheap, but you can often get them at reasonable rates if you find specials, or perhaps on weekends. October is not a low hotel season, though -- I think you could get them for $150 or less in August. It would help a lot if you described your price range as I think some are assuming you want real cheap and I'm just thinking you don't want to pay $300+ a night or something, in which case that only rules out such choices as the Hay Adams, etc.

jtp

The Grand Hyatt is just about at Metro Center the hotel is beautiful (opposite the convention center ut don't let that stand in the way) the staff professional and getting around the hotel in a wheel chair for example, not even an issue...plus it connects to the Metro underground (you'll be in airconditioning)(ask for access. room at the hotel ).
The Metro (subway) and bus system will accomodate wheel cahirs as will all of the sights you want to see. August is very hot, and expect a lot of wheeling and walking.

crys

I live in the DC area, and have recently had a--thankfully--temporary impairment in walking, and particularly in using stairs, that has made me a little more mindful of the barriers that abound. If you are going to rely on the subway, steer clear of the DuPont Circle area. The escalator is among the longest in the world, and if it goes out, you've got a stairs hike of mammoth proportions. There is an elevator, but it, too, is frequently out of order. Even if it is working,it's at the end of a long, deserted hallway--not good for someone with a walking problem. Also, you probably want to choose a modern hotel over the charming older inns. Those older inns are full of narrow, steep staircases that you don't think about until walking becomes a challenge. I'd recommend something in the foggy bottom or capitol hill areas--cabs abound there, and are relatively cheap as city cabs go.