Washinton DC hotel in April
 

Any suggestions for an affordable and convenient dc hotel in April 2007? Prefer to be w/in walking distance to metro and/or mall and museums. Maybe a pool? We will be arriveing on Amtrak.

No pool but good value for money. Hotel Chandler.Paul

Sorry about that I gave you a hotel for Boston. For Washington we stayed at Hotel Harrington only two blocks from the mall. It's not the Hilton but you wont spend that much time in your hotel anyway.Paul

If you are coming up from the South and your train stops at Alexandria, you'll be walking distance to King Street Metro station and the Embassy Suites ... I think they had a pool .. we didn't use it if they did. Unless you have checked bags on Amtrak, just get off one stop early. Same advise if you were to find rooms near airport (DCA), Crystal City, Pentagon City or Rosslyn -- just get off at Alexandria and get on Metro.

If not arriving from south or stopping at Alexandria, still consider Rosslyn area of Arlington VA. There's a Holiday Inn (pool) and a Hyatt very close to Metro. The area is safe, quiet .. in fact sort of boring, but you plan to be in DC most of the time anyway, right?

If you do get a room at Rosslyn and your train stops at New Carrollton, you might want to get off Amtrak and take Orange line from there .. Orange line starts at N.C. (best seating availability) and goes to Rosslyn & beyond -- but will take longer than going to Union Station then transfering (twice).

I've found Rosslyn area to be a good compromise for staying outside of DC (those lower taxes and hotel rates) yet being not too far from DC - it's the first stop outside the District on the Blue & Orange lines. But if you find an acceptable price for w/in DC, then go for it.

What is your budget?

There are plenty of hotels within walking distance of Metro and Mall and Museums, but they don't tend to have pools like suburban hotels. Also, they are a little pricier than the suburban hotels in Virginia (but worth it, IMO). Is the pool a deal breaker?

Again, a budget number would help a lot.

As a native Washingtonian, it is amazing to me that people recommend the Hotel Harrington, which is totally skanky. I don't think much of Rosslyn either; if you want to see DC, you should stay in the city. As for the pool, since April is too cold for an outside pool, you must mean an indoor pool. Actually, an outside pool is easier to find since a couple of the big hotels like the Hilton Washington and Omni Shoreham have them. Also, One Washington Circle has a small outdoor pool, too -- it is near GW University, and not particularly close to tourist attractions, but it is very close to the orange/blue line station at Foggy Bottom. For an indoor pool, you might find a hotel that has a deal with a health club that has a pool; for example, perhaps a hotel near the Rhode Island Avenue YMCA. There is one right there, but I can't think of the name (sorry). I would forget about the pool and stay somewhere like Jurys right on Dupont Circle.

It's the Tabard Inn that has guest privledges at the Rhode Island Avenue YMCA (one short block away).

The Tabard Inn is also a good, inexpensive choice for a DC hotel and two blocks to the Dupont Metro stop.

http://www.tabardinn.com/

People recommend the Hotel Harrington for the price. Some people want and can afford luxury and others know they won't use the pool, exercise equipment, etc., and just want a place to take a shower and crash.

That's right.We were staying 4 nights at the Harrington in Sept.last and got a nice room (recently renovated)so what more do you want.Only two blocks from the Mall. The FBI building around the corner. How much safer neighbourhood could you wish for.When we're on our holiday we want to see as much as possible
. We're not going to loose our precious time in hotels after having flown more than 8 hours to get there.Greetings from Belgium.Paul

If you can forgo the pool, then Hotel Harrington is a good suggestion. It's in a great location. From there you can easily walk south to the Mall and museums. The Spy Museum and National Portrait/American Art Museum are also very close. You're also very close to the Metro (red, blue/orange, and even green/yellow). The hotel is only 2 Metro stops from Union Station (Amtrak).

What about the Churchill Hotel in Dupont? Not sure if it has a pool, but a friend of mine stayed there through priceline and got a great rate (can't remember it, but am sure it was less than $150). It is safe, and within 2 blocks of the Dupont metro.

I just stayed at the Hotel Helix on Rhode Island Avenue and it was pretty cool. Very mod decor and only $125 a night. Room was very big and bed was super comfortable. We walked to the White House from there and a bit further but I don't know if it was close to the Mall. Very centrally located, though.