Traffic/Budget Hotels in Washington DC
 

After leaving the Shenandoah area, my husband and I are heading to D.C. and are considering some budget hotels in the area: Henley Park (926 Massachusetts Ave NW), Eldon Suites (933 L Street NW) or Days Inn Connecticut Avenue NW. Could someone tell me how bad the traffic situation is, driving to any of these places? (or if one of these hotels may be easier to get to)? Does the weekend help at all? We will most likely be there in August. If anyone has stayed at these places, any info welcomed also. Thanks in advance.

Depends on when you are driving. Yes, the weekend helps as does the fact that it is August.

The Days Inn Connecticut Avenue isn't convenient to tourist sites downtown. You would need to take a bus down Connecticut Avenue. I would opt for the other two choices, which are quite near each other. I have never heard of Eldon Suites, I must say. I love the Henley Park Hotel, and it has a great restaurant and a nice lounge/bar with live jazz on the weekends.

All three hotels are going to involve the complexity of downtown city driving. Unless one has some major construction going on near it, I'm not sure any stands out as easier or harder to get to. As already noted, driving on a weekend will mean lighter traffic.

The Days Inn is slightly further afield from the popular tourist sites near the mall but it's close to a metro station (Van Ness-UDC).

You probably already know that August is a hot and humid time to visit DC. Hope you enjoy your trip!

>> The Days Inn Connecticut Avenue isn't convenient to tourist sites downtown.

The Days Inn is incredibly convenient to the red line metro, just a short 0.3 mi walk away. The metro will take you to any tourist destination you could desire.

It is also convenient to UDC which has a bargain parking garage -- $8/per day with unlimited in/out privileges. The parking garage is at the corner of Connecticut and Van Ness and is the same distance from the Days Inn as the metro. I'm not sure how overnight parking would work there, but it's worth a call to ask.

http://www.udc.edu/ps/parking/rates.htm

If you were to park at the hotel instead of the university, parking will run you $22.50.

Driving in the areas around the Days Inn are less hectic than driving in downtown DC/tourist areas.

Agree with the previous poster about the Days Inn. 5 minute walk to the Metro and then a longer train ride but definitely manageable. I would definitely stay there again

Yeah, but why would you come to DC to see the major sites and stay in Van Ness?

Because:

* you are on a budget
* you want to avoid traffic as much as possible since you have a car
* parking 1 block away is 1/3 the cost of parking at the hotel
* the metro is one block away

I'm sure the OP will take everything into consideration when picking their lodging.

Check out travelzoo.com as we were able to get a great deal there two years ago for a Sheraton with free parking near the Pentagon. It was much cheaper than even the budget hotels, and I have seen that offer other times. We went in August.

I really appreciate everyone's info!

I live in DC and drive up Connecticut quite a bit and I disagree somewhat -- the traffic up there on Ct ave is horrendous much of the time, literally gridlock. It's just as bad as downtown DC. So I don't know how you'd get there, but if it is coming in on 66 to Constitution or something and then up 18th and then Ct all the way -- well, you can do, you'd just better not be in a hurry. An alternative is go up Rock Creek Pkway until you get to either the Cathedral or Porter St exit, that might be better. But if you don't know the route, you might get confused about the exits on Rock Creek Parkway, they are a little mysterious.

Eldon Suites is closer to Constitution. It might take just as long to get to the Henley as going up Ct Ave to Van Ness, not sure. Once there, you should use the metro, of course.

The weekend in August does help some.

I've stayed at that Days Inn, actually, but a long time ago. The room was okay but the staff and mgt were not professional at all. Also, they advertise free coffee/breakfast and didn't have any, but maybe don't count on that, anyway. They couldn't even manage to keep a coffeepot going. It's just a pretty cruddy Days Inn, but it seemed clean enough and is a convenient location. there is a reason it is so cheap.