A friend and I will be taking a vacation to DC from 12/4 - 12/10. We are looking for a downtown hotel that will allow us easy access to the National Mall and other sights. We think we have narrowed it down. We are considering the Hyatt Regency near the Capital and Union Station or L'Enfant Plaza Hotel new the Mall. I read that there is a Metro Stop directly under the L'Enfant and the location looked good but the location of the Hyatt was good too. Anyone have experience at either? Any other ideas for something close to attractions?

Also, we will be flying into Balimore. What is the best way to get to downtown Washington from there?

All help is greatly appreciated.

Despite being on top of a Metro station and close to the Mall, I don't L"Enfant Plaza is a good area for a vacation. It is ALL government office buildings and a ghost town at night and on weekends.

Hyatt Regency is better if those are the only two choices, but not all that great either.

Even better located (and priced accordingly) are:

Courtyard Marriott Convention Center (perfect location)
Hotel Monaco (perfect location)
Marriott Metro Center (good location)
Grand Hyatt (good location)
JW Marriott (good location)

The L'Enfant Plaza hotel is close to the Mall but not near restaurants, shops, etc. that you might enjoy in the evening. Penn Quarter and Dupont Circle are good areas also, even thought they are further from the National Mall. Penn Quarter is still within walking distance in my opinion and a Metro station is in both locations. The Hyatt Regency location is okay.

Best way to get from BWI is a car and driver. It is also the most expensive. Other options are MARC train (weekdays) or Amtrak to Union Station; B30 bus to Greenbelt Metrorail station and then Metrorail to DC; taxi. You can look at the ground transportation page of the BWI website.

What is the best way to get to downtown Washington from there (BWI)?


The basic choices are:

1)Public transportation - an express bus (B30) from BWI to the Greenbelt Metro Station followed by a subway ride to hotel
2)Taxi
3) Commuter train from BWI to Union Station and subway or taxi to hotel

What is your priority? Price? Time? Convenience?

We took Amtrak from DC to BWI and with advance reservations, it was $10 a person. Very easy to do as well.

Oh, we stayed in Dupont Circle at The Hotel Dupont, loved the area and it was easy to get to National Mall via Metro.

My family has stayed at the L'Enfant Plaza hotel several times over a eight to ten year period for short stays in DC. We would stop on our drive from the Boston area to Florida (holiday visits to relatives), take in the sites for a few days and then continue our drive.

The hotel is just steps away from the Mall. The metro stop beneath the hotel takes you anywhere you want to go in minutes.

I agree that the hotel is somewhat isolated, without the street life that some might seek, but the rooms and service were excellent, and the nightly rate was very favorable compared to other hotels.

The restaurant in the hotel served a good breakfast (most important meal of the day, especially if you're going to trek about the mall!). On one stay our waiter was so gracious as to leave the restaurant and purchase a corn muffin at the local Au Bon Pain for my six year old daughter because the restaurant baker hadn't baked corn muffins that morning. We ate our other meals at a variety of recommended restaurants, none in the neighborhood of the hotel, but this didn't seem a disadvantage, in my opinion. When we travel, we rarely limit ourselves to the local neighborhood.

While some may not find it as desirable as other hotels we returned to it time and again when staying in DC.

We were out most days touring the sites and would return to the hotel usually sometime after dinner.

I'd highly recommend the hotel for families and recommmend it to all for it's comfort, service, and price.

Amtrak or MARC are quick, easy and cheap. The airport has a free shuttle to the train terminal.

I too have stayed at the Loew's L'Enfant Plaza, and unlike portiaperu, I found the isolated location to be a negative. I usually prefer to eat dinner in the neighborhood of my hotel, so I prefer my hotel to be in a neighborhood with restaurants! Last summer we stayed in Dupont Circle, which is my new favorite place to stay. Next time I think we might stay in Penn Quarter (which is close to everything, including restaurants)

I agree with portiaperu that Loews L'Enfant can be a good choice for families with small children, because of its proximity to the Mall, the metro and (big plus) its pool. However, for two adults I agree with bardo1 and others that the neighborhood (or lack thereof) is not ideal. Ditto with the Hyatt Regency. If you get a fabulous deal at either of these hotels, they are not horrible, but you'll be missing an opportunity to experience either the lively vibe of downtown or the unique character of some of our neighborhoods. I suspect there are better options available for the money. In addition to those mentioned above, my perennial favorite to recommend is the Capitol Hill Suites, located close to many of the "sights" and the metro but in a more interesting residential neighborhood.

If you're looking for a hotel that offers walking distance to restaurants in the evening, L'Enfant Plaza is not the best place to stay. Although as stated the metro is right there and u can easily metro it around town.
However for sightseeing during the day if the Mall is your main destination, then its a good location as its easy walking distance to the Mall with all its museums.

I don't love the Hill as a place to stay, so I wouldn't recommend the Hyatt. I agree with those that recommend Dupont Circle location of Penn Quarter. Both are right at metro stops and much livelier than L'Enfant Plaza.

that should be Dupont Circle OR Penn Qtr.

As a DC native, I also vote for the Penn Quarter as the best location for proximity to the mall and a vibrant neighborhood. The West End/Foggy Bottom is also a nice (quieter but still as close in and convenient to the Metro) alternative to Dupont Circle. Also walking distance to Georgetown if that is of interest.

I may be late on this but I have stayed twice at the Woodley Park Guest House by the Zoo. You can see the Metro stop (red line) from the porch. They serve a wonderful breakfast and there are many restaurants in the neighborhood that are open late.

So, if I want to stay in Penn quarter or Dupont Circle and I want a very comfortable hotel, preferably with a pool, what are your favorites?

I would check the Monaco and the Marriot Courtyard Convention Center to see if either has a pool

Thanks. I think Marriot does but reviews are mixed. I started a new thread as I felt bad about hijacking!