Where to stay in Washington DC?
 

Hi

We are looking into a trip to Washington DC and I'm trying to decide which hotel I should book. I have never been there before and I'm just wondering if someone here has advice with regards to which area we should stay in in the city. I'm about to buy a travel guide online but it will of course take a few days before I get it :-) Thanks in advance for any advice :-)

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Harrington hotel in the centre of the sites.Only 5 minute walk to the Mall and the museums or to the White house.I f it's the first visit take the Old town trolley.You can get on/off all day and the drivers are great guides.they also have a night tour where they stop near the war memorials to visit.Paul

I would definitely look at downtown or Dupont Circle for convenience. What is your budget? Would help with recommendations.

As we are staying quite a few nights it would be nice to find a decent hotel for less than 250 USD per night.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Check out the Sofitel which is a couple of blocks from the White House, it a great hotel which we found convenient to most of the sights. If you like the location you can probably get a better rate at the Hilton Garden Inn just around the corner. As a matter of fact we ate breakfast at the Hilton even though we stayed at the Sofitel, it was a very good deal.

How about renting an apartment in the Dupont Circle or Penn Quarter area through VRBO?

If on our own dollar we stay near DuPont Circle - has a lot of restaurant selections nearby and is a convenient location. If on the company's dollar we go to the Willard.

We like to stay out of central DC in Alexandria. the Embassy Suites is right across the street from the Metro and walking distance to Old Town Alexandria

Metro takes 30 - 40 minutes to get to central DC and Old Town Alexandria is a pleasant place to be at night

We've stayed all over DC, and our favorite is Dupont Circle for the reasons nyt posted. It's a lovely residential neighborhood with great choice of restaurants, plenty of shops, etc, easy access to sites (nice long walks, or easy access to public transportation).. We love Alexandria, but when we visit a city (any city) as tourists, we always prefer to stay in the city itself.

I also think Dupont Circle is a great area for staying when visiting DC - lots of great restaurants and cafes and easy access to DC's "red line" metro. If you want a bit of character and are willing to consider a B&B, you might check out the Tabard Inn:

http://www.tabardinn.com/

If any of their rooms appeal to you, consider making a reservation as soon as you can, as is often booked well in advance. One of Washington DC's oldest inns, it's interior decoration is generally period specific, but comfortable. If elevator access is important to you, check in advance - I don't think all rooms can be reached by elevator.

And whether you stay there or not, do consider having dinner there one night!

I lived in the Dupont Circle neighborhood for years and loved every minute of it. I wish I was there now, and I live in Charleston.

I second Tabard Inn. It's a lovely place, and the restaurant was great back in the day.

"I wish I was there now and I live in Charleston"

That is high praise indeed!

sf7307,

Thank you for helping me make my point! Shrimp and grits are great but sometimes a girl needs
Kik Alitcha and injera.

I, too, would suggest the Tabard Inn - two blocks from Dupont Metro and a short walk to the White House. All of their rooms are a good price for DC, but their most expensive rooms offer the most value for the dollar. In particular, the penthouse suite for only $230/night is an incredible bargain. The hotel restaurant is a worthy destination in itself.

http://www.tabardinn.com/rooms/tour/private_bath

Other Dupont Circle area hotels (shown as small red squares) can be found on this map:

http://www.stationmasters.com/System.../dupontci.html

Google them separately rather than clicking on the red squares.

Another good area to stay in is Penn Quarter, shown here:

http://www.stationmasters.com/System.../gallrypl.html

Look at the hotels on the above map on H st. and points south.

The Monaco (probably over-budget, depending on time of year) and the Courtyard Marriott Convention Center are particularly well located.

If you like B&B's, I suggest the Woodley Park Guest House. It is only one Metro stop from Dupont Circle and also offers a nice neighborhood. 500ft from the Metro. Nice bright decor. I have stayed there twice and I am planning my third trip. So far I have not found another hotel comparable in price and location.

gardendiva's recommendation is worth considering. There are some great restaurants very near the Woodley Park Guest House and, as she notes, it very close to the Metro - even closer to the red line than the Tabard. The Woodley Park neighborhood is a bit more quiet at night than the Dupont Circle area (I'm referring to the neighborhoods, not the B&Bs themselves, which should both be quiet). Depending on your preferences for night life, that could be an advantage for either one.

Hi

We ended up booking a room at Washington Plaza - we need something that is not too expensive as we are staying there for quite a few days. And it even has a pool and I guess that could be a useful feature in the July heat :-) But thanks for the advice and recommendations so far :-) Now we have to figure out what to see and do while we are there.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

gard,

Not the "best" location, but not too bad. As you said, price was a priority, especially for a long stay.

While all the tourists sites will be south of you toward the Mall, I would strongly advise you to head NORTH for meals and such - 14th St. between your hotel and U st. as well as P st. between a 14th and 15th are good starting points for eating and drinking.

Gard, what to see is always the fun part though...

Enjoy it. There are a lot of great threads on here about DC including 1 under my user name for my trip in August.