ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 DD9 has asked to go to Washington DC for her upcoming birthday. We won't have much time due to DH's schedule so I wanted to stay as close as possible to the main attractions (zoo, spy museum, smithsonian), but the hotels I'm finding in the city in our price range seem to be problematic. According to reviews, the best option I've found is in a great location but has problems with smelliness (both the hallway and old smoke smell in the rooms), noise, and general customer service. Going up in quality seems to involve a big jump in both price and parking cost. Since we'll have a car, I'm wondering if it's feasible to stay in Alexandria or somewhere else nearby with free parking and drive in each day. Is it crazy to consider driving into DC every morning? Would we ultimately pay double the parking costs if we did that? I'm less worried about traffic and more worried about actually being able to find parking and afford it. Does anyone have any general tips/hotel recommendations to share? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Have you looked at air b&b? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 When we were there, we stayed in Alexandria with friends and drove to the closest metro station and parked our car there. Parking was relatively inexpensive and we weren't having to move our car to go to different sites. That worked really well for us. We also went to Mount Vernon in Alexandria which was an awesome way to spend a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 You'd ultimately pay double the cost, and double the time. Many hotels charge for parking, even for their own guests...anywhere from $20-40 a day. Then you will pay for parking in DC....ain't no where free during business hours. Even weekends are hard to find unless you park several blocks away....and then walk....after you spent much time driving around looking for a spot. Traffic is horrifying at certain parts of the day, especially if you are coming from Alexandria etc...as so do all the commuters. We stayed in Arlington. We used the Metro, a block walk from our hotel. Our Metro stop was 3 from the Smithsonian metro. Literally 10 minutes or so, once we were on the metro. Paid a few bucks each (cheaer when you get the Smartpass card, like a plastic card). The Metro took us everywhere we wanted to go. It was a very easy process as far as getting to and from everything. The last day, we checked out of the hotel and decided to do one last stop at the National Mall area. That was quite the process....we realized we had been spoiled by the previous day of easy on easy off the Metro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Yes, Alexandria is super feasible because DC has an outstanding Metro. The train is easy to catch in Alexandria to get where you need to go. This site is excellent for traveling families and we used this article when we stayed in Alexandria: http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/alexandria-va-family-vacation/dfv/ After you read the article, scroll to the bottom and click on hotels. There is one hotel in DC that always looked good to me although I never stayed there. It's called: www.theriverinn.com (I'm pretty sure it has a kitchen.) Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We usually stay at embassy suites in Chevy chase. Metro stop right at the hotel. We don't have to move the car until we leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 We stayed in Arlington. We used the Metro, a block walk from our hotel. Our Metro stop was 3 from the Smithsonian metro. Literally 10 minutes or so, once we were on the metro. Paid a few bucks each (cheaer when you get the Smartpass card, like a plastic card). The Metro took us everywhere we wanted to go. Do you remember what hotel you stayed at in Arlington? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Yes, to Embassy Suites. We used the Metro frequently, but a swim dad who had worked at the Pentagon advised us to use taxis when the Metro and walking were going to take too much time. We had four days and a good-sized list of what we wanted to see and his advice worked well for us. We still managed to keep costs within reason and it is our all-time favorite family vacation. My youngest, who used to sleep with an atlas under his pillow, was completely in love with the Metro and probably would just as happily spent all of his time exploring on it. Have a wonderful time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We stayed outside of DC at a chain with free parking and a free shuttle to a nearby metro stop. The little bit of driving we did was awful and this was my dh who drives in traffic everyday! Sorry I can remember the name of the hotel. We loved DC even more than we expected we would! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scootiepie Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 DC is very intimidating to drive in for me, not even counting traffic or parking. The streets don't make sense to me. I would use the metro as much as possible. Check Groupon, I have frequently seen deals for DC hotels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We stayed in a house in Alexandria we found on VRBO. We drove in every day, parked, moved the car when we needed to, and never had a problem with traffic or parking. This was in July 2010, so maybe it's worse now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 You've gotten plenty of good advice, so I will just agree with "don't drive in." Parking is a hassle, but the Metro is easy. Stay in Alexandria or Arlington and take the Metro, for sure. There are no affordable hotels in DC (my version of affordable is under $200, YMMV) that are decent, unless you find a Groupon or something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I've been to DC twice, and the Metro is awesome. Lots of stuff was totally free the last time I was there, but food was a little pricier, so take some snacks and drinks. If you can splurge on something (and don't have difficult food allergies/restrictions) and have time, I strongly recommend high tea at the Hay Adams hotel. It would be a wonderful birthday treat for a 9 y.o. girl. It's $$$, but it's like a whole meal by the time you are finished. My college roommate took me there, and it was wonderful. I don't know if you need reservations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Stay in Arlington on the Orange Line. It'll be just as convenient as being in the city, or at least nearly so. I don't find parking in the city that intimidating or expensive... for us, it is often cheaper and easier than the metro. But I live here and know all the tricks and am rarely going somewhere for the full day like you will be. Basically I think you should aim to metro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Residence Inn in Arlington is excellent. Good prices. Under $150 iirc. Crystal City Marriot is also good, and again, iirc, a little less costly. Metro is easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Last fall we stayed at the Homewood Suites in Alexandria. I highly recommend it. They serve a hot breakfast every morning and hot supper on weeknights (all free). They have a shuttle van that will drive you to the King Street Metro station. We did not have a car, so we used the shuttle service. It was very convenient - left the hotel every 1/2 hour, while another van left the metro station every 1/2 hour. The Metro was cheap and very easy to use. The hotel was all suites, so my family of 4 stayed in a 1-bedroom suite with 2 double beds, a separate living room area (with a door that closed), and full kitchen. Right next door to the Homewood Suites was a Hampton Inn, run by the same people. I didn't see the inside, but the outside looked nice. If you don't need a suite, it might be less expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth78 Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We stayed at One Washington Circle Hotel. Super close to the foggy bottom metro stop and GWU Hospital. The room had a kitchen too. The room for a week was around 750. (Cheaper than the flights ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Metro is simple enough for a child to navigate. I'd stay anywhere within walking distance to a station. Alexandria is beautiful and you can easily work Mt Vernon into your plans. Hotels not within quick walking distance likely offer a shuttle. Be sure you look at the total value. If you stay in a Residence Inn, it is $100+ a night, BUT once you consider the full breakfast, buffet dinner on some nights, and a real kitchen you can end up saving money just by staying out of restaurants. DC is a great city for picnics. You won't even feel deprived. Most home picnics are much tastier and cheaper than anything you'll find in a museum food court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I have to add, even if you're comfortable with city driving and find cheap parking, if you walk a lot, the next metro stop is often closer than the hike back to your car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Do you remember what hotel you stayed at in Arlington? We stayed at the Residence Inn in "Pentagon City". Arlington, but they called that area Pentagon City. We could see the Pentagon from our window (across the interstate). It was a great price, I paid like $135 for a suite. It had a King bed, and a double pull out couch..but the couch itself was like areally long L...so one section pulled out and then another section...the leg of the L was actually the perfect size for my DS8. So all five of us had plenty of sleeping room. Full kitchen..which we only used to keep water in the fridge...but nice to have. Oh, and FREE Wifi!! So many hotels in the area charge for Wifi, which is not what I am used to. While we were not in the room much during the day, I knew once we got back at night, we'd all want to sit around and relax with iPads, etc. So free Wifi was a priority to me...no way was I going to pay $12.95 a night for Wifi! They serve a huge breakfast, more than the regular continental stuff..and weekdays, Mon-Thurs, they serve an actual dinner. We never ate the dinner, but walked through the lobby and they were serving cheeseburgers and different sides. All included in price! It recently has been renovated so it was really nice and practially brand new. One block to the Pentagon City Metro....which has a CVS right next to it...where we bought a case of water for our room. Huge mall across the street..didnt' bother with that. Costco around the other corner. We were super happy with everything. I didn't want a hotel that was not within a block of the Metro...most hotels offer free shuttle to a metro stop..but I've read horror stories of people having to wait for the shuttle...I don't have the patience for that! Here's a tip for you. Because I am ultra cheap, I was aghast that I would have to pay for parking at a hotel I am staying at. I went to www.airportparking.com...I think that was it....anyway, the same hotels that I was considering are there, and they only charge $7.00 per night when you book at this website..as long as you are not actually staying at the hotel...so non-guests could get cheaper rates (I guess the concept is it is for airport travelers to park there and catch a shuttle to the airport). I booked a parking reservation for $7.00 a night at a hotel a block down from where we stayed (and it was a Embassy Suites...very nice hotel too, their secured under ground parking garage). So we checked into our hotel, unloaded luggage, etc, and then DH went and parked the car at the hotel a block down,and walked back to our hotel. The day we left, DH went and got the car, and came back to our hotel. So I paid $7 a night instead of the $21 a night my hotel wanted to charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybee Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 We stayed at the Comfort Inn Arlington. Free shuttle to the metro and complimentary breakfast. It was easy and convenient, and price was reasonable. ETA: Comfort Inn Pentagon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 All great advice upthread. Use the Metro to get into DC. Stay outside of D.C. on a main metro line. You won't regret it. As someone else pointed out, even if traffic doesn't bother you there is a strong possibility that the walk back to your car will be far longer than a walk to the nearest metro station. Have a wonderful time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 We stayed in the embassy suites in Arlington. The metro was across the street. SO easy. There was a happy hour every night at the hotel with free drinks and free food! They had $5 specials for heavy appetizers. Many nights we ate dinner for $20 the kids could swim. After a full day sight seeing it was nice to relax. Free breakfast as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 We've stayed at the Comfort Inn in Ballston, a hotel in DC whose name I can't remember, and we lived in Crystal City for about 4 months. All had their advantages. The DC hotel was expensive, like you mentioned, but it's nice to be right in DC. Crystal City probably wouldn't be much cheaper and you still have to pay for parking, but living right next to a metro stop directly across the river is very convenient. The cheapest option by far was the Comfort Inn and it worked very well for us. The location in Ballston has free parking which is amazing (call to check on that though) and it was about a 10 minute walk to the metro. Or you could drive into DC. I hate driving in cities, but DC actually doesn't bother me too much. Parking is either expensive in DC or hard to find, so you have to balance that with the cost of Metro tickets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 If you want cheap but clean and comfortable try the Americana! We stayed here once before several years ago and plan on returning this fall. Speaking of which, I suppose I should make my own reservation here soon...http://www.americanahotel.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 If you want cheap but clean and comfortable try the Americana! We stayed here once before several years ago and plan on returning this fall. Speaking of which, I suppose I should make my own reservation here soon... http://www.americanahotel.com I'm really glad to hear from someone who's stayed there. We lived across the street from that hotel and know the location is amazing, but I always wondered if it was a good place to recommend to family who visited us. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I'm really glad to hear from someone who's stayed there. We lived across the street from that hotel and know the location is amazing, but I always wondered if it was a good place to recommend to family who visited us. Thanks! Yes, it was great for our needs! No frills, but clean and had everything we needed. Free parking, close to the Metro, great location, free internet, refrigerator and microwave in each room... TripAdvisor people seem to mostly agree: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g30242-d120572-Reviews-Americana_Hotel-Arlington_Virginia.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelAR05 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I'm really glad to hear from someone who's stayed there. We lived across the street from that hotel and know the location is amazing, but I always wondered if it was a good place to recommend to family who visited us. Thanks!For about 3 months in 2009, we lived across the street from the Americana. :) I always thought that would be a good place to stay if we came back on our own dime. Inexpensive and a great location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 For some cities, like NYC, I'd recommend staying right in the heart of it. But for DC, it would not take away from your trip at all if you stayed outside of it. Just be sure and stay somewhere that has the convenience of the Metro. It's clean, safe, and a great way to get around. (We lived there for three years.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I'm really glad to hear from someone who's stayed there. We lived across the street from that hotel and know the location is amazing, but I always wondered if it was a good place to recommend to family who visited us. Thanks! Yeah, I've wondered about that place for years. It's definitely a vintage motel. Also glad to know it's acceptable. I never know where to tell people to stay here. I mean, I know where to tell them not to stay sometimes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Yeah, I've wondered about that place for years. It's definitely a vintage motel. Also glad to know it's acceptable. I never know where to tell people to stay here. I mean, I know where to tell them not to stay sometimes... Very vintage, and I'm into kitsch, so it worked for me, 1950s pink tiled bathroom and all... If you're looking for a place to hang out and relax, swim, get drinks and order room service I wouldn't suggest it, but if you're going to be out and about all day and just need a comfortable, conveniently located place to land at night it's perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 Thank you all! Our budget is quite low--like under $175, ideally under $150. I see a few options here that definitely look promising, and I feel better about staying in Arlington. I knew the DC metro had a good reputation, but I didn't realize it extended out so far! My youngest is very much looking forward to the trip. I'm wishing we had more time for some historical sightseeing, but I'm OK saving that for next time. We live just three hours away, so if I can get comfortable with the area and the transit, I can take the kids in pretty much anytime I want. Now if I could just get over my paranoia about being in DC on 9/11 :( I was in Manhattan in 2001, and it kind of feels like tempting fate to be in DC on that day. Totally irrational, I know, but ugh. Thank you again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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