cathy

I'm going to 9:30 Club in August and need to find a hotel nearby. It appears that this club is close to the Hospital. What is this area called and are there hotels in that area?

Kristin

There aren't really any hotels w/in quick walking distance of the 9:30, but there are tons w/in an easy cab ride. One good option might be Hotel Rouge on 16th Street - it's new, funky, and I think they've been offering some pretty good rates.

If you give me some more info (price range, what else you want to do while in DC, what kind of neighborhood you'd like to be in, etc.) I could give you some more recommendations.

If you've never been to the 9:30 before, I'm sure you will enjoy it. The sound there is wonderful, and it's a great place. One word of warning - the area right around the club is not the best, esp. at night. It depends on what you're used to and what you consider "safe," but I would be careful walking alone. I live a few blocks away and try not to walk to shows at the 9:30 by myself. If you need a taxi after the show, just follow the crowd one block south to U Street, and you should have no problem finding one. There is also a metro stop about a block away.

Also, the club does not have any kind of sign outside - you're just supposed to know Any cabbie should know where it is, and you can tell you're at the right place by the lines outside and box office windows, etc. but just don't be expecting any big lights or marquee!

By the way, the area is generally called Shaw (or some just refer to the U Street Corridor). If you are searching for hotels, anything in the Dupont Circle area would be a quick cab ride away, and that's a really fun neighborhood to stay in - lots of bars, restaurants, shops, etc.

Just curious - what show are you coming to town for?

Christina

Kristin gave you good advice. That is not a good area and I definitely would not stay near it even if there were any hotels (there are a few very cheap places around Howard, I think, but I wouldn't stay there). Some other decent hotels (other than around Dupont Circle) not too far away are the Sheraton Four Points at 12th and K, the Henley Park at 926 Mass Ave NW and the Best Western Downtown Capitol Hill at 724 3rd St NW (it's not really Capitol Hill). If you only want a hotel for one night, I'd probably go with the cheapest as they will all be about the same cab ride probably, and those are all good, as well as ones around Dupont Circle--there are tons over there. If you want to be around a while and walk around your hotel some to restaurants or shops, I would recommend ones around Dupont rather than the ones I mentioned above which are near Mt Vernon metro (I think the BW may be near Judiciary Square). That area isn't great for walking around, either, but up near Howard is worse, there aren't any decent hotels up there.

I think the Hotel Rouge is a great idea.

mag

We're staying at the Rouge in Sept. and got the best rate (after much shopping around, including travelocity, expedia, quickbook, capitolreservations, etc.) on a site called wdcahotels.com . They don't require prepayment and the reservations are fully cancell-able (I know thats not really a word!). Anyhow, our rate for a sunday and monday night comes to $250 TOTAL. If you are doing only weekend nights you should be able to get an even better rate. Good luck!

Ann

9:30 Club's great (just don't forget your ID--doesn't matter if you're 50), as long as you don't drive. The one time I did, I had the window of my car smashed, and everything that wasn't bolted down was stolen (except the car, unfortunately).

xxxx

anything close to howard or any other all black schools are in a bad area unless you are black>How come there arent any all white schools?

Cathy

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELPFUL ADVICE!!!! I'm coming down from Delaware to see Coldplay on August 10. (The Philly show sold out). Hotel Rouge sounds great to me. I'll check it out and hopefully there will be availability.

Regarding Cabs: Are they plentiful after 12midnight?

You all answered so many of my questions I had turning in my head. Thanks!!

Cathy

Before I go checking availability....
I am curious about the neighborhood Hotel Rouge is in. My sister used to live in Dupont Circle and I remember the one time I visited it was a really cool area. Is Hotel Rouge in a hip area like that?

Kristin

Coldplay, huh? I'll probably be at the show too BTW, you should check the Black Cat's schedule (it's another bar/club a few blocks away, at 14th and S) - they have a great Britpop night one Saturday a month called Mousetrap. I'm not sure which Saturday it's going to be in August yet, but it could be the 10th, in which case you should head over there after Coldplay, because the DJ will go until about 2 or 2:30.

Also, if you're going to be here on a Friday, there's a weekly Britpop dance night at the Metro Cafe, a bar on 14th Street, b/w P and Q. It's called Panic, and it's every Friday, and it's pretty fun.

The Rouge is very close to Dupont - actually, it's in Dupont, but it's just not on a commercial street w/ bars and restaurants. It's on 16th Street at Massachusetts Avenue - 2 blocks off Dupont Circle, and just a block from where all the Dupont bars, shops, restaurants, etc. start (they're all along 17th Street, 18th Street, Connecticut Ave, P Street, etc.). get a map of DC and you'll see what I'm talking about!

Another option is the Topaz Hotel, which is owned by the same people as the Rouge (Kimpton Group), and also new and hip. It's on N Street, between 17th and 18th, so it's also just a block or so away from Dupont Circle spots. I think you can even borrow goldfish from the front desk when you check in, so you have some company in your room!

Another neighborhood you'd probably like is Adams-Morgan, which primarily runs along 18th Street, north of U Street. Great restaurants and lots of bars and nightlife. No hotels right in Adams-Morgan, but the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Ave. is right down the street.

And altho the 9:30 Club is a little sketchy at night, just a few blocks to the west (starting at about 13th Street - the club is at 9th St.) is a fantastic area along U Street, and down 14th, that is really up and coming, with some great bars. I'm biased because that's my neighborhood, but it is really fun.

OK, I'll shut up now. Have a great trip!

Kristin

Oops, forgot to answer your cab question. You should have no trouble finding a cab on U Street (1 block south of the club) after the show - the U Street area is very lively until 2 or 3 in the morning. Occasionally, taxis even wait right outside the club, but not usually.