Washington DC accommodation
 

Hello - we will be staying in the Washington area for a number of nights but we don't want to stay right in the city due to the high cost of hotels. Could anyone please advise an easily commutable area that has a good choice of hotels that is just outside of the city, on a train line preferably as we won't have a car? We were thinking Tysons Corner due to the big shopping complex, cinemas etc - but other recommendations are welcome.

What is your nightly budget? It's not really a rule of thumb that suburban hotels are less expensive than ones in the city; being within walking distance of the Metro increases prices whether in the city or outside it. If you're willing to take a bus or hotel shuttle to the Metro you can get a real bargain, but that adds so much hassle to the daily commute that I wouldn't recommend it.

Pentagon City has a Fashion Center Mall..very nice area, very close to Pentagon Reagon Airport. Metro in the basement of Fashion Mall. Also nice upscale food court in basemnet of Mall too. Some hotels have free shuttle to airport & Fashion Mall Metro.

There are 2 extended stay hotels in the area & I beleive a Whole Foods for groceries nearby.

http://www.hotels.com/de1660369/hote...united-states/

Best rate in town and in the middle of all the must see.Hotel Harrington.We stayed three nights.It's only a ten minute walk to the White house,FBI building ,Mall...Paul

FORGET Tysons since the Metro to the area is still under construction.

Crystal City, Pentagon City, Rosslyn, Courthouse areas in Arlington are closer and all on the Metro and all have a variety of hotels.

As to the Harrington, it is a very popular hotel, especially for tour groups due to its great downtown location near the Mall and museums BUT I would very strongly advise you to read all of the recent TripAdvisor reviews for that hotel. If it has been updated/renovated and that is a big "if" I might consider it.

Time of the year and day of the week are huge factors in DC hotel rates. Late August is nearly dead time for tourists, conventions and business travel, so you could find a very nice downtown DC hotel for $100 at that time. During spring cherry blossom and school-trip season, no way.

I second the advice to search by Metro station, especially around Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Rosslyn (Yellow and Blue lines). Avoid Tysons, it is a mess these days. Use this handy website to get your bearings and then search for nearby hotels, etc:

http://stationmasters.com/System_Map/system_map.html

We stayed at the Americana in Crystal City last October, paying an average of $99 per night for five nights. It's an easy walk to the Crystal City metro station and free wi-fi and a decent continental breakfast are included in the price. www.americanahotel.com

Lee Ann