Smithsonian ... Best Hotel Walking Distance?
 

Thinking of taking my grandchild to Washington the third week in August, for 2-3 nights. Would like to stay in a safe hotel, spend a couple of days at attractions within walking distance, especially The Smithsonian. I've come up with the Holiday Inn and Residence Inn, weighing in at about $250 (1 room, 2 DBLS) per night, with AARP discounts, etc. How does that sound for time of year and location? Any suggestions, and does it feel safe in that area in the evening? Thanksabunch! :)

First, I think the Holiday Inn and Residence Inn are in a great location and are perfectly safe. If they will "feel safe" depends on your comfort in urban settings. They are not in residential areas and the streets will be virtually empty at night, since they are surrounded by government office buildings. They are not close to restaurants.

I guess the second question is, why do you want to be within walking distance to the Mall (the Smithsonian)? There are at least four Metro stations on or near the Mall and you can get to the Mall from even places in Virginia within a 10 minute subway ride.

All of that said, I think the Holiday Inn and Residence Inn are great locations, they are a good price, and a I've heard good things about them.

I don't know anything about those hotels, but based on MikeT's description, you might consider staying somewhere more "populated", like Georgetown (although there's no metro stop in Georgetown, you have to either take the bus, or cross the bridge from Arlington) or Dupont Circle, both of which would be livelier in the evening and have many choices at all price points for dinner.

How old is your grandchild?

R u talking about the Holiday Inn on on C St SW and the Residence Inn on E St? If so I pretty much agree with Mike T--they are in a good location for access to the Mall, but will be very empty at night.

Unless your grandchild is young and u plan to visit the sites on the mall and return to your hotel for the night after a day of sightseeing, I would see if you can find another hotel. I would look around Dupont Circle--near the Metro and lots of restaurants and more people walking around at night. The convention center area is also near the metro and has several hotels and there is more around the area.

Thanks so much for all replies. You're making a lot of sense ... grandchild is 11. Dupont Circle does sound like a better location to stay. So now I'll need to find a hotel there ... :)

Yes, you'll be better situated at Dupont Circle. Two places an 11 year old might really enjoy are the Spy Museum and the Newseum.

My recommendation would be to get a reservation you can cancel so that if you get a better price closer to the August, you can snatch it. Don't use Priceline or anything at this point.

The third week of August could be incredibly hot (although August this year was kinda nice). It is no longer high tourist season since Congress is out of session. You should be able to get a good rate, but maybe not in February.

This news about the Residence Inn is good to hear, as we got it on Priceline for a one day stopover from Brazil back to Australia next May. It looks to me that it may be within walking distance of L'Enfant Plaza Station too, which I'm hoping will make it even more convenient.

Carrabella,
There is a closer metro stop to the Residence Inn. I believe it is Federal Center SW - MikeT, is that the one? It was VERY convenient and we loved the hotel.

I assume that's the one. I was by there a few weeks ago and thought, "This is a great location" although will have to go other places for food unless you eat at the hotel. During the day, there's going to be Starbucks and the usual worker-bee lunch places.

I have not been happy staying in the L'Enfant Plaza area. It is at the end of nowhere.

Dupont Circle is lively but maybe a bit too lively for a child that age. The circle in the summer is an active street scene.

I paid $121 including tax for the JW Marriott last weekend on Priceline. The person who stayed in the room the night before me paid $395.

It is no more than 3 blocks from the Smithsonian and the Washington Monument and two or three blocks from the White House. It is near the Metrocenter and Federal Triangle Metro stops, and there are casual eateries in the area and a food court in the International Trade Center, between the hotel and the Smithsonian.

You have to be patient and trusting because you cannot book Priceline a long time in advance, but the strategy of looking for a weekend room in a business hotel works well and not only in Washington.

I'm not exactly sure how you are going to be within walking distance of The Smithsonian when The Smithsonian is comprised of I believe 15 facilities. Many of them are on the Mall but one is at the Dulles Airport and another is near Dupont Circle.

When most people old enough to have grandchildren speak of the Smithsonian, they mean "America's Attic", the National Museum of American History. It was that to which I referred in discussing the JW Marriott.

I discussed my recent (last weekend) impressions of the reopened museum in a recent post, if you want to click on my name.

11-year-old grandchildren would also enjoy the museums of Natural History and Air and Space.

Thank you again for all input. Ackislander, you are correct as to what I think of as "The Smithsonian" though I realize there's way more. I appreciate your comments on the J. W. Marriott, and the DuPont Circle scene. I will check out that hotel. Our time in D.C. would be one afternoon and one full day spent in the Museums, with two nights in the hotel, I think. (We'll be driving from NC to Mass.) We're especially interested in the marine life exhibits.

All comments are very helpful! :)

If that's your special interest, then you might find it worthwhile to stop at the Aquarium in Baltimore.

Not exactly marine life exhibits, but the new Sant Ocean Hall at the Natural Museum of Natural History is really nice
http://www.mnh.si.edu/

What Smithsonian Museum is at Dupont Circle? I am blanking on that.

I would agree that the JW Marriott would be a convenient place to stay if you can get a good price. I'm betting you can in August. I've stayed there a few time most recently in October.

I should add though that I don't think there is a pool there and I know my kids really really want pools at any hotel we stay at.

The aquarium in Baltimore is extraordinary, but there is also a recently-renovated and often-overlooked National Aquarium in DC:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/mu...on,791954.html

oops, that would be the National Museum of Natural History.

We took our GD to the Aquarium in Baltimore a couple of years ago, and she totally enjoyed it. She is thinking of becoming a marine biologist so we usually visit aquariums wherever we go with her, though we won't on this trip. Thanks for the suggestion though. A hotel pool would be nice but wouldn't be a must, as we will have done a lot of beach/pool before Washington. Any further thoughts will be appreciated! :)

There are no Smithsonian Museums at Dupont Circle, but there is the Phillips Collection. That museum, privately owned, has an extraordinary collection including impressionists. The most notable painting there is Renoir's "Afternoon of the Boating Party".

However, you do not need to stay near the Smithsonian. So long as you are near a Metro stop, it really doesn't matter where you stay. You will do a lot of walking wherever you stay to see everything you want to see.

Dupont Circle has a huge choice of restaurants at night which is why people (including me) love it. There is a Hilton at Florida Avenue and Connecticut Avenue, NW, just a couple of blocks up from the Dupont Circle NORTH exit to the Metro. I put "North" in capital letters so that you understand that you get off on that side of the Dupont Circle Metro stop to minimize walking.

Have a great time in DC wherever you stay!

LaurenKahn1-thanks for verifying there is no Smithsonian at Dupont Circle. I was really puzzled. I also wondered if someone thought the Phillips was part of the Smithsonian. I agree that the Phillips is a wonderful. They do charge an admission fee on weekends.

"There is a Hilton at Florida Avenue and Connecticut Avenue, NW, just a couple of blocks up from the Dupont Circle NORTH exit to the Metro."

That would be the Hilton where Reagan was shot.

Please check the location of the National Zoo. I believe it is near the Dupont Circle area and it too is part of the Smithsonian.

The Zoo is several blocks up Connecticut from Dupont Circle (one Metro stop up on the Red Line).

Yes, the National Zoo is part of the Smithsonian and is on Conn Ave NW. It's probably about a 1.5 - 2 miles or so up Connecticut Ave to Dupont Circle. The zoo is closer to Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro -- about 1/2 a mile away.

Those Smithsonian buildings on the mall are a lot farther apart (the buildings are enormous) than you would presume from viewing a map. And, August weather can be brutally hot, humid, sunny.

I prefer to stay in more of a residential area than a business district, where there's great dining at moderate prices within walking distance and the streets aren't deserted at night.

I found a terrific rate on Hotwire last year for the Omni Shoreham. The metro station was RIGHT around the corner along with two blocks of wonderful restaurants of every type of cuisine imaginable with moderate prices.

Highly recommend the National Zoo, though sometimes in hot weather nearly all the animals are in their caves, hidden behind trees, bushes. Last time we went in summer, there was a sign that the Polar Bears were in Chicago due to the hot weather.

If you do go to the zoo, get off the Metro at Cleveland Park (rather than the "official" stop Woodley Park. That way, you walk downhill (about the same distance) to the zoo entrance. (The zoo is VERY hilly...) When you leave, turn left and walk to the Woodley Park station - downhill.

Thanks for ALL recommendations. We won't do the Zoo because we have a wonderful one right here in NC, which we visit every year. This is really just about the Smithsonian museums for a day and a half. With an 11 year old, *great* restaurants are not that important ... :) You've all been very helpful.

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