Deb, try quikbook.com. I was looking for DC hotels today and it seemed to have some good specials. I booked at the Washington Court Hotel and got good rates. Looking at their website, they have a lot of discounts for coming b/w June 1 and Sept 1 (mine didn't end in time)

Thanks for the heads up, I will check it out.

No problem.

Also, check out my trip report under my user name or my post on this years trip as there is a link. Hopefully it helps you. DC is a lot of fun and can't wait to come back. Our biggest highlight last year was the Portrait Gallery (which we weren't even planning on going to...)

I agree with kayd that those are the three Priceline areas to bid. Of the three, my preference would be Convention Center-Capitol Hill. The only hotels I've stayed in without a car have been in this area where it's easy to walk to the metro stations.

checking on biddingfortravel, it looks like some bidders have gotten 4* hotels for under $100.

Try to stay on the east side of the Potomac. Once you cross the river, the metro stops are few and far between.


Transportation: To get to BWI from downtown, I've found the easiest way is to take the Green Metro line to its very end at Greenbelt. Then take Bus #30 to BWI. This is much better than trying to negotiate the surface streets.

The other way is to take a MARC train, but they don't run all the time.

This webpage lists different ways you can get from BWI to DT Washington, just do the trip in reverse when leaving DC:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2301563_get-...n-dc-from.html


The DC Metro is different from the New York Metro in one aspect: you need your ticket when exiting the station, so don't throw your ticket away! Otherwise, you can use your Metrocard to enter and exit.


Finally, have you heard of Megabus? You can get from Philadelphia to DC for as little as $1. yk was the one who clued me in on this savings.

http://us.megabus.com/

Even if you're uncertain of your exact date, buy a couple of tickets anyhow, because it costs just another $1 per ticket to change your itinerary.

These are extremely comfortable buses and quite clean. I love to get there early and snag a seat upstairs at the very front of the bus.

Sounds like a fun trip! Have a great time!

As always, great info, easy! Thanks~

BIG thanks, booked megabus from NYC to Philadelphia for $3 each and from Philadelphia to Washington vDC for $1 each!!!

Hi, DebitNM! Great job! ((y))

Those Megabus fares are truly unbelievable! So glad you were able to snag a few!

Here's my trip report from last year in case you need more information, especially on the transportation side. Alas, my trip reports are pretty dull compared to maitaitom's inimitable sense of humor! He has inspired me to do Central Europe more in depth with his Middle Europe TR.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ltimore-dc.cfm

The two corrections to the transportation section would be a) in New york, as yk suggested, get the 7-day card, it's way cheaper than paying for each trip the way I did; and b) in Washington DC, the cheapest and best way to get to BWI is to take the Metro to the Greenbelt stop and then the #30 bus. I did this on my second East Coast trip last year and it was way better than taking the MARC train earlier last year.

Oh, in Philadelphia, I loved the Phlash buses running the tourist route:

http://www.visitphilly.com/tours/philadelphia/phlash/

I'm getting excited for you - such a fun trip!

<<<The DC Metro is different from the New York Metro in one aspect: you need your ticket when exiting the station, so don't throw your ticket away! Otherwise, you can use your Metrocard to enter and exit.>>>

Deb, I know you've been in SF many times, so this ought to help -- the DC Metro is designed exactly the same as BART -- same ticket purchase and same ticket "use" system.

We stayed at the Omni Shoreham and were thrilled with the hotel and location (along with the ridiculously low Hotwire rate). The metro station is right around the corner, along with Connecticut Avenue lined with appealing dining choices on both sides.

I just started my bidding on pricline without luck. Will try again tomorrow; I was probably too low. Bid on 4* in Dupont Circle - started at $80 and went up to 98 on free rebids.

Will try just Dupont Circle for a few times before adding in Convention Cnt and Downtown.

I must be hotwire challenged, I can't find good prices one hotwire., even using better bidding and bidding for trave.

Seeing a good deal $109 for a 4* Dupont Circle Hotel, from Better Bidding looks like it could be Dupont Hotel or or Shoreham Omni... Any inout on Dupont Hotel?

It is newly renovated, in a great location and has a nice bar on the first level. I've never been in it or read any reviews. I think it reopened a year ago.

I recently booked the Quincy for @$99. through Quikbook. We will be in DC Labor Day Weekend and are flying in to BWI, so this thread will be helpful to us as well. Thanks Fodorites.

Anyone know why I can't open maitaitom's trip report links?

I may be too late for this-sorry. DH and I spent our honeymoon (in 1978!) at the Hyatt Regency on New Jersey Ave. It was very convenient to the area you mentioned.

Now, with more metro stops available, you might indeed be happier in the Dupont Circle area for nightlife at the end of the day. Here's a link:

http://washingtonregency.hyatt.com/h...tels/index.jsp

TD, I know for a fact that DebitNM is staying at the Dupont Hotel (as did I when I was there a couple of weeks ago). There's another thread on this.

Thanks sf and a big Gilda Radner "never mind"!

Loved Gilda :-)