Motel in Washing D.C.
 

Does anyone have information on a motel/hotel in the Washington D.C. area? A friend is driving and would like to stay out of the city but close enough to have a shuttle to attractions, museums, Arlington Cemetary, etc.

Wants to stay out of the city to avoid driving in the city? You generally would just drive to your hotel and leave your car. I don't think they'll be getting around by shuttle--rather by metro (subway) if they stay away from the Mall. But if they insist on being away from the Mall, try Alexandria VA or one of the Maryland suburbs reached by the metro for max convenience.

Vera

I'd recommend the moderately priced Holiday Inn Key Bridge, Best Western Key Bridge, or Quality Inn Iwo Jima in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Va. The Old Town Trolley shuttle around the city's attractions used to stop at Rosslyn when the Newseum was located here. Now that the Newseum has closed for a move into Washington, it may or may not do so any more. But if not, it's easy to take the Metro from Rosslyn into DC (one stop) and a few more stops brings you to the Metro Center, in the heart of downtown, from which you can walk a block or so down to Pennsylvania Ave. (which runs between the White House and the Capitol) and catch the Old Town or other shuttle tours where they all stop and most people start their rides.

I think that Rosslyn offers the best combination of good, modestly priced hotels, pleasant surroundings, and quick access to DC, being the last stop in Virginia going to DC on two lines going direct to Metro Center. From Maryland or Alexandria, it's a significantly longer ride to Metro Center.

The Best Western and Holiday Inn are both within a block or so of the Metro station, and the Quality Inn, which will most probably be the lowest priced of the three, is about six blocks. All offer easy access from I-66, free parking (difficult if not impossible to find just across the river in Washington) and lower prices than you'd find for comparable rooms in DC. The hotels and the neighborhood (it's primarily an office building area) are nothing special, but they are safe, pleasant and value priced.

There are a few restaurants in the area open for dinner of which the most well known is Tom Sarris' Orleans House, a favorite of hordes of locals for many years for moderately priced steak and prime rib dinners, including a long salad bar, and a fun New Orleans decor.

The Holiday Inn, which is a high rise, has a rooftop restaurant, open for three meals a day I think, with great views of the river, the monuments and Georgetown.

Arlington, Virginia is your best bet if your freind is dead set against staying in the city. Maryland is not as convenient and Alexandria is more expensive.

Whatever you do, avoid all hotels/motels in NE D.C. They will be located on or near New York Ave. in an area that is awful in every respect of the word. As are the hotels, nearby dining options, gridlock commuter traffic, etc. Avoid these NE hotels/motels at all cost.

These two Arlington hotels are both inexpensive (for DC area) and very convenient.

Quality Hotel - Courthouse Plaza
1200 N. Courthouse Rd., Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 800-228-5151 Metro: Court House (Orange Line)

Quality Inn - Iwo Jima
1501 Arlington Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209 Phone: 800-228-5151 Metro: Rosslyn (Orange, Blue lines)

I'll second JohnCharles recommendations on Rosslyn. I've stayed several times at the Quality Inn Iwo Jima -- part of it is a "motel", part of it is a highrise hotel. It has free parking & a "covered" pool. I don't think any shuttles, other than the Georgetown shuttle, come to Rosslyn, and none to the hotel. Although many of the various trolley companies will come to a hotel for the day of your trip on their facilities, but ONLY that day.

Theres a Day Inn - Camp Springs MD, just off the Beltway, that's probably about the same walking distance to Branch Ave Metro as QI is to Rosslyn, which may be an easier drive to get to than the Quality Inn.

If you're coming from the north, consider staying at a hotel in the Laurel/Greenbelt area, parking at the Greenbelt Metro station & taking the Metro into town. We stayed at Red Roof Inn at Laurel for less then $50/room, it took 15 minutes of low-traffic driving to Greenbelt, and about a 25 min train ride. Of course, this only works if you're the type who leave the hotel for the entire day. I still would put my money on QI Iwo Jima.

Use PRICELINE.COM to find a hotel in Arlington, VA. Get to DC 6a-12m by Metro subway, or walk into Georgetown. Leave car at a park-ready Metro station (check google for DC Metro info) or park at hotel. Arlington hotels are half the price of in-city spots. I have gotten Marriott Courtyard in Arlington (rack $149-179) for $45 on priceline. You will sometimes pay for hotel parking, but it's realistic and secured in that area.

Another hotel I stayed at was the Days Inn Alexandria ... it's on US 1 just south of where the Beltway crosses. While a bit of a trek, the Huntington Metro station is walkable, and the drive shouldn't be too bad either. I've only done this weekends, but I recall that there were Metrobuses that passed the hotel & went to Huntington too.

I like the idea of using priceline as "protraveler01" suggests, but usually don't, as I often need to be able to cancel plans if job demands prevent the trip.