Anyone stay at the Americana Hotel in DC before?
If so, please share your insights. It looks old, but online reviews don't look too shabby. But, I know they are also be deceiving...

You mean the one in Crystal City?

That hotel is mentioned quite a bit on TripAdvisor by locals. It is usually mentioned as favorable for someone looking for a barebones budget hotel in a good location

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._Virginia.html

VJP, would you rather stay there or the Days Inn CT Ave? Im coming in August and we are looking for cheap as possible. We are not going to be spending much time at the hotel so amenities are not important.

Not being familiar with the hotels themselves, I'd give Americana a slight edge for convenience to the Mall. It is three stops from Crystal City to L'Enfant via the Yellow Line, which seems to be the least delay-plagued of the five Metro lines (that's always subject to change of course).

From the Conn. Ave. Days Inn (Van Ness metro) the trip to Metro Center on the Red line is a longer ride and a longer walk from there to the Mall, though Van Ness is handy to the Zoo (Cleveland Park metro, one stop away).

Definitely the Americana if there is a Nats game on the agenda: CC is five stops with a change at L'enfant, while VN is ten stops with a change at Gallery Place.

Look at the Metro map here:
http://www.stationmasters.com/System...ystem_map.html

Given that they are both really barebones hotels, I am leaning towards the Americana, given that is more than half of the cost. Reviews are decent enough. May even add a night onto the trip to give me 5 nights in DC.

tchoiniere, I think the Americana is a good bet for you and your friend. You're about 10 minutes from either the Crystal City or Pentagon City stations and, as kayd said, you're definitely closer to Nats Park. As a neighborhood CC lacks a lot of charm but plenty of people live there.

For the OP, the Americana certainly meets her price criteria. There is a large grocery store and a 24 hour pharmacy in the immediate area which would be a positive for me if I was traveling with a baby.

My friend agreed and we just booked the Americana with the extra night so now coming on Monday, leaving on Sat. May do 2 Nats games now. Will feel funny not having to buy tickets ahead of time (may still do so though) as the games would be against the Reds. We are still laying out our itinerary but given more time, it will be at a nice leisurely pace rather than packed in. Definitely fit Mt Vernon in now.

Im glad there is a pharmacy there too when I inevitably run out of batteries for my camera ... or lose them.

To the OP, sorry about slightly hijacking your thread but it may help you too. Enjoy your trip.