Hello, we are driving to DC and Williamsburg, VA this fall and want to hear recommendations for a safe area to look for hotels in the DC area? We are a family with 3 young children and we really don't want to drive in the city. Are there areas we should avoid? Price range is around $100 a night I guess. Thanks.

In May we stayed at Embassy Suites, 22nd and M and enjoyed it......price was $139 for two adults and one 13 year old.......that included full buffet breakfast and cocktail hour.

Well, you could stay in the city without driving very much; that is, drive to your hotel, park the car and leave it until you depart, take Metro everywhere. Even if you liked driving in the city, I'd recommend this plan.
So--please do a search here and read the lengthy discussions of where to stay in and around DC! I generally recommend either Dupont Circle (right in the city) or Old Town Alexandria, because: both neighborhoods have lots of hotels within a block or two of the Metro; and both are lively after hours, meaning you can walk to a variety of restaurants after you return from sightseeing; and both are safe areas. Staying near the monuments and museums means that the sidewalks get rolled up after 5pm, and restaurant choices are severely limited.
I know that the Radisson Barcelo, in Dupont, runs specials for under $100 on occasion; I'm not familiar with rates in Old Town, but I have stayed at the Embassy Suites and found it quite nice.
Keep us posted!

I was thinking about the Radisson Barcelo at Dupont Circle also, the rooms are very big ( they used to be apartments) they have 2 double beds and a sofa bed, don't know what sleeping arrangements you usually have. If you are checking the Internet on Radissons website be sure to click on 'show all rates' as sometimes they don't show the cheapest rate first.

We've stayed in Old Town Alexandria and agree that it's a great area - convenient to the metro and nice for evening walks with a variety of good restaurants and pretty waterfront. We stayed at the Hampton Inn - standard motel room size - nice place but not sure how the room could accommodate two adults and three children --

The Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington is an excellent hotel with fantastic weekend rates. It's in Crystal City - a bland area of office buildings and hotels - but it's connected to the Metro by a short passage so you could park your car and leave it. (It's only 3 stops away from the museums along the mall)
There are also a number of family friendly restaurants in the Crystal City/Pentagon CIty area, and the Mall at Pentagon City is one metro stop or a 2 minute car ride away.

I've stayed several times at the Quality Inn Iwo Jima in Arlington. It's about 1/3 mile to the Rosslyn Metro Station (Blue/Orange lines), has free parking, "covered" swimming pool. It's safe, maybe too safe, (boring) at night. Prices vary, have stayed for as little as $60. It's on an access road alongside US-50.

Nothing fancy, but the Holiday Inn Eisenhower (Alexandria) has free parking & is next door the the Metro Station, and often has weekend deals of about $65 (never stayed there).

I've stayed at the Radisson Barcelo, and it is very nice, and big. Parking will co$t extra. Another place nearby Dupont Circle is Summerfield Suites by Wyndham (free breakfast buffet and weekday cocktail hour), and the best rates are often had by calling direct. Embassy Suites Alexandria is across the street from King St Metro (free breakfast & cocktails too). Consider paying a little extra ok if there's a good breakfast buffet, as it may cost less than feeding the family at a separate restaurant.

i would recommend old town alexandria as well. one of the few places in the dc metro that doesn't empty at 5pm.

We just returned from Washington and Williamsburg. We stayed at the Loews L'Enfant Plaza in Washington and we loved it. It is a block from the Smithsonian and easy walk to the monuments. L'Enfant Plaza pretty much shuts down at night, but we packed a lot in during the day, so wouldn't have done much anyway. One night we did a monument walk which was very pretty. Our kids loved the hotel pool.

After Washington we went on to Williamsburg for a family reunion. The hotel was the worst any of us had ever stayed in - the Quality Inn on Richmond Rd. Do NOT go there!

BTW, if you're traveling with kids, be sure to check out Jamestown and Yorktown. Our kids loved it.

You are also smart to drive. We gave Amtrak a try and will never do that again. It took us 16 hours to get home, there was no power, no food, no seats...ugh!

We found Washington to be very accessible and vistor friendly. Great metro system!

Carolv - Was that the Quality Inn right behind the IHOP? Near where Bypass Rd meets Richmond Rd on the west side of town? I've never stayed there, but have heard complaints before, and will put it on my DO NOT STAY list.

Pentagon City is also a great location with kids. Easy access by metro to all of the sites in DC. You can easily find cheap eats near the hotels, and there is one of the best shopping malls in the area if you like shopping. It's located between Alexandria and the city, easy acces to both, also an easy drive to Mount Vernon. Marriott has an a Residence Inn at Pent City, there are several others- just can't think of any names.

Oh, Pentagon City is a good idea! Not scenic, but the mall is nice, and there's a great Korean restaurant a couple of blocks from the mall, Woo Lae Oak (sorry, spelling may be off). Authentic and yummy!

We had a great stay with our kids at the Embassy Suites in Chevy Chase, right on the DC/MD line. There is a Metro stop in the building (Friendship Heights), as is a Cheesecake Factory, and you're only a couple of stops from the Zoo, which is a MUST SEE. Not sure about the rates.