Where to Stay in D.C.

1990C4S · 02-14-2011, 05:26 AM

I am heading to Washington D.C. to spend some of my overvalued foreign currency.

I think Georgetown will be out of my price range (I have to pay for some kids too).

I was thinking of staying a few miles away and driving in each day to see the sites.

Anybody know of a Days Inn (or similar) in a decent area?

EarlyPorsche · 02-14-2011, 06:01 AM

Will you have a car?

Seahawk · 02-14-2011, 06:06 AM

Best thing to do is find a hotel near a metro stop...driving around DC can be a bit tedious.

Think about Bethesda, Alexandria. A quick HIE search: holiday inn express dc metro - Google Maps

targa911S · 02-14-2011, 06:09 AM

The Lincoln bedroom.

1990C4S · 02-14-2011, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EarlyPorsche

Will you have a car?

Sorry, should have mentioned, yes, I am driving there. I don't mind driving to DC each day.

Seahawk · 02-14-2011, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

Sorry, should have mentioned, yes, I am driving there. I don't mind driving to DC each day.

It is not just the driving, it is the parking!

PorscheGAL · PorscheGAL's Garage

Crystal City & Pentagon City Marriott Hotels | Crystal Gateway Marriott | DCA Hotel Washington

I like this Marriott in Crystal City. I know you say you are willing to drive but there is a metro station in this hotel. You just ride the elevator to the ground floor and hop on. Easy.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Georgetown has no Metro and so the traffic there is particularly bad in a city with already very bad traffic. Stay in VA. Look up some hotels in Crystal City, Alexandria or Rosslyn. FWIW, the Key Bridge Marriott parking garage (in Rosslyn) is where Deep Throat met with Bob Woodward to pass on info. Most of the major chains have hotels in those places. If you're serious about driving in every day, you will pay plenty for parking and sit in awful traffic during rush hour. Metro is probably a better choice. There are stations in those places I mentioned above.

kanadary · 02-14-2011, 06:27 AM

when i lived in toronto and made frequent trips to DC, i stayed either in georgetown or tyson's corner. if you look at the cost of transporting everyone on the metro it sometimes may be cheaper to just park in a lot downtown and walk around. i learned that the last time we were in san fran, the bart was like $8/adult round trip to downtown from the airport, cost only $25 to park for the day, four adults..

esample · esample's Garage

Downtown Washington DC Hotel Suite Reservations- One Washington Circle- Downtown DC Hotels

We stayed here last summer. Converted apartment building near Metro and walking distance to Georgetown. Very affordable and clean with kitchen, bedroom and living_dining room. Balcony with nice city views.

-e.

Joeaksa · 02-14-2011, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by targa911S

The Lincoln bedroom.

Was thinking the same thing. We pay for it, we own it... and surely you can do better than the idiot in there now!

1990C4S · 02-14-2011, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Was thinking the same thing. We pay for it, we own it... and surely you can do better than the idiot in there now!

You paid for it. You own it. Not me. Ferr-en-er.

fluque · 09:18 AM

Rick Lee nailed it, stay in VA. DC is a nightmare to drive and park, especially during the week.

I lived in the area and now come often for work. Sometimes my family comes along and we rent a car. We stay at the Key Bridge Marriott, it has parking for a charge, it's walking distance to the metro (Rosslyn) and Georgetown, and by car has easy access to highways route 66 and GW Pkwy. Some times they run specials on their site if you prepay.

For lodging in the DC/VA area you can also check Washington.org - Official Tourism Site of Washington, DC

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

PorscheGAL is on the money. That is an extremely convenient hotel and the price was decent, the last time I stayed there.

scottmandue · 02-14-2011, 09:33 AM

I stayed in Alexandria... there is a hotel right across from the metro (don't know the name)

Take the metro into DC and grab a bus pass... take you pretty much anywhere you want to go.

Can we keep the political content out of this please?

1990C4S · 02-14-2011, 09:38 AM

I found a cheap place in Arlington. Thanks.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

The Alexandria Metro stations are King Street and Braddock Rd. King St. is much better, though the really cool parts of Alexandria are all the way down at the end of King St. by the water. If you go to the end of the Blue Line, you're at Franconia-Springfield and I don't think any of the hotels there are easily walkable from the Metro. Bear in mind that parking at the Metro stations SUCKS around morning rush hour. Crystal City is excellent, but parking there can suck too. 23rd St. is where the bars and restaurants are.

Rosslyn is a great choice, short drive to anywhere, short walk to anywhere. I don't understand the excitement about Georgetown. But if you haven't seen it, go see it and you'll know why it sucks. Traffic there is just unimaginable. They thought building a Metro there would let too many commoners in, so they didn't build one. Now the commoners (aside from the drunken students) come in and can't leave when the bars close, so the sidewalks are full and roads are jam packed with taxis. It's an overpriced, overrated, overcrowded nothing. Some cool houses, though, if you really know the back neighborhoods. If you want restaurant suggestions, let me know. Lots of super, off-the-beaten-path, unfancy ethnic places in the 'burbs.

If you take the Metro, bear in mind the local custom on the escalators is to stay right, walk left. I know, I know. But it's really strictly adhered to in DC and you stand out as a tourist for standing on the left side while the rat racers curse you under their breath.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Rick, last time I was visiting Alexandria with my ex-wife, the bar called last call around 12:30-12:45AM. She was ready for an all nighter and asked if they rolled the sidewalks up at 1AM...

The only late night place I knew were on "K-Street". I think we ended up in Camelot...

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I've ended up at Camelot a few times too, even brought a GF there once. She was really into it. Yes, DC is the place for late night stuff. I think bars usually go until 2am, but some go later. There also some really good places in the burbs that probably go later. Check out Mike's American Grill in Springfield and Coastal Flats at Fairfax Corner. In Crystal City, it's the Crystal City Sports Bar. Crystal City Restaurant is the titty bar down and across the street, but they wear pasties there. Camelot is better for that stuff. And there's Archibald's upstairs from Fast Eddie's on K St.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Well, it was ex-wife....This one wouldn't go on a bet...