What area in Washington DC would you pick for an extended stay hotel?
 

My 24 year old son has a possibility of a 10 week internship in DC( that would possibly be a paid job later?) from end of November to end of January. His father and I were thinking that perhaps one of the extended stay type hotels would be better for such a short term experience. Does anyone have any suggestions for what area we should be looking at in terms of safety,relative ease of commuting into DC and possibly less expensive? I suggested exploring all options before committing to this intern idea so if you have any information-would greatly appreciate your help!Thanks!

There are SO many interns in DC that a wide range of organizations have programs just to provide housing for them.

Here is a start:

http://www.internsdc.com/housing.html

http://www.studentads.com/dc-interns-housing.shtml

Where would the internship be? You want his commuting to be rather simple, so near a Metro would be good to live, if work is near Metro.
Sharon

The location of the internship really matters a lot, as there are many reasonable locations to stay. It sounds like you think he will stay in the suburbs somewhere, so something in the Arlington area would certainly be good (around Clarendon metro, for example), but a lot of apts are around Rosslyn and that's close. I don't think it has quite the ambience as Arlington, though. Other places can work, there are lots of apts. around Pentagon City that would be fine, also. In Maryland, places close in to the north would be good. I don't really know much about extended stay type hotels, though, I'll admit. That's a real unusual time for an internship, I think, as things are pretty slow at that time of year -- certainly for govt. agencies. It must be some non-govt. job, I'd guess.

I'd choose Pentagon City for a 24 yr old and your criteria.

Rosslyn is IN Arlington but I agree that the ambience of Clarendon and Ballston differs in that there are probably more young sinlgles in the latter areas and more restaurants/nightlife.

Rosslyn does have the definite advantage of being within walking distance of Georgetown.

He would be working around the Mt. Vernon center on K street. He has looked at various places online and even for a rented (basement)room in a house-its $700 a month? He is going to try and go over next week and check out things-any hotel that is reasonable downtown that anyone would recommend for a few days to sort some things out? Thanks!

For a few days, he should check out the Red Roof Inn Chinatown - among the cheapest downtown options and only a few blocks from where he'll be working.

BTW, only $700/month for a "room in a basement" is a steal. DC housing prices are now comparable to NYC or SF.

K St and Mt Vernon, well at least that is in DC and fairly central (wouldn't want to live around there, but working could be okay--he'd better be careful about things).

$700 for a room is fairly cheap, as I gather than means furnished. My niece moved to DC a little over a year ago and budgeted about $900-1000 a month for a studio, and found a couple. She also found people renting out extra bedrooms (other young people) and they often wanted more than $700 for just a bedroom that was unfornished--like around $900. She got a great studio which included all utilities in a large apt. complex next to PEntagon City mall. I think that now rents for at least $1000. I remember one guy in Alexandria (and not the best area) wanted $900 to share his 2 bedroom condo, so that would have been just a bedroom. That was kind of ridiculous, though, as she found some studios for that rate.

She just used Craigslist, so you should look on there. She found some in Columbia Heights that weren't too expensive, but the Pentagon City place was a little more trustworthy in safety and was nicer. In that location, he could look in SW DC or Capitol Hill, they can be cheaper. Really, any place he can find in DC for that price that he likes is workable as the city isn't that big -- at least anything west of N/S Capitol Street and also the Capitol Hill area west of about Eastern market metro/Lincoln Park. I would not suggest he look around where he is interning.