<p>will be spending two nights in DC in two weeks to look at schools.... anyone have a good recommendation for a place to stay that won't break the bank? Thanks.</p>
<p>ivoryk -</p>
<p>Have you tried hotels.com or qwikbook.com? They often have very good deals in DC. I live in NoVA and got a terrific deal on a room in the heart of Georgetown to take my wife to for our anniversary. They are especially good if you are coming on a weekend but worth a try at other times as well.</p>
<p>The room rates fluctuate wildly, based entirely on what else is going on in town. When we stay in DC, we usually try to stay near the National Mall. We've also stayed at the Ritz at the Pentagon, and the JW Marriott across the street from the White House at times when the rates were at freakish lows. You can also look at hotels that are a bit further out, but convenient to a metro station. However, if you're visiting Georgetown, it's not particularly close to any Metro stations, I don't believe....</p>
<p>D is at UMD, so we usually stay in MD, lately have been staying in Greenbelt, which is generally a nicer locale than the College Park options....(except the oncampus Marriott, which is great, but the rates vary wildly there, as well...) Every time we are up there, though, we go into the city at least once or twice...</p>
<p>Stay on Dupont Circle...they have the most hotels near restaurants open at night in a safe strolling place with a Metro stop that is also safe and easy..the Watergate/Foggy bottom area is deserted at night. We have stayed at Jury's...the rooms with two double are large and plain. Eat at China Lights for good prices when you are busy and your mind is on college tours. I also favor the Kimpton hotels greatly when I can find a bargain..however it take some doing to get a room with two beds..I love both of the Kimptons in Dupont Circle. I also love the George..but it has less options for cheap and convenient eats..their restaurant is very pricey but great...Kimptons run specials so explore them..they are boutique hotels with a sense of DC style.<br>
For quick and cheap and large..I like the Marriott Residence Inn property in Pentagon City/Crystal City..I think parking is included (rarity) and the Metro stop is also safe and easy but you have farther to ride to get into the city if you are looking at GW or Georgetown.</p>
<p>Depends on the schools. If you are looking at more than 2 schools and are here for only 2 nights, my guess is the touristy things won't happen. You prefer easy access to the campuses. Find out the Metro lines the schools you'll visit are on, and pick a hotel near to a Metro station.</p>
<p>We're headed to DC in 3 weeks, also to visit schools. I booked at L'Enfant Plaza Hotel - because it is at a Metro station. Literally, built over the station. I'd rather not have to drive in DC.</p>
<p>Because the cherry blossom festival is going on at that time, there is a webpage devoted to events that also has links to special hotel rates:</p>
<p>Official</a> Website of the National Cherry Blossom Festival - Washington, DC</p>
<p>we also stayed there before Loew's sold it. It has an excellent, and I do mean excellent access to the Smithsonian and the Holocaust Museum..which is why we were there. Access to the Metro is also safe. Request the Smithsonian Views. I didn't care that this was a rather sterile location...It was cold, raining and I was only there to show my two kids the museums and we had no gourmet goals.</p>
<p>You do have to shell out for valet parking but ditto anywhere not in the burbs really. However, warning is that it is surrounded by deserted Federal Office buildings on weekends..and there is no place to eat except in the hotel...you would likely need to take the Metro to Dupont Circle for meals early in the evenings..make reservations if this matters to you--this can be done online at almost all DC restaurants. Suburbanites come into Dupont Circle to eat, too. The area around the Mall is lacking in places to eat after dark, and all closes at five..the beauty though is all the things you can see are for free. I do recommend highly the cafeteria in the National Gallery..which you can use for huge midday meals only in the middle of the day if you don't care about going out at night for meals anyway and are happy to retire to your room. It is not safe to stroll the monuments at night without a tour group..you can pick up the trolley at Union Station though and get on and off as you please any hour of the day. I would check tripadvisor.com for latest commentary on all these hotels.<br>
For college age kids, a stroll through toney Georgetown eateries is a good plan so they get a feel for the neighborhoods in the city. There are way more college kids in Dupont Circle at night wandering around..and near Georgetown, and I still think you might be happier there and get a better sense of the life of a 20 something if you go to Dupont Cirlce hotels..a quick skim is kayak.com..and quikbook has good rates. Jury's has good prices and is located next to iconic bookstores and places my older teens like to go and see people their age. The Le Enfant Plaza is NOT in a neighborhood so you will not experience what DC natives experience. If you stay there, you might enjoy looking up the NYT's video of Joshua Bell playing there with a hat...in the Metro station..only one person stopped and recognized him as he filled the Le Enfant station with his violin...it is likely on youtube as well...stunning.</p>
<p>You're right, L'Enfant Plaza is in an official building area. However, in addition to being over the Metro, it is on a DC Circulator route:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dccirculator.com/routemap.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.dccirculator.com/routemap.html</a></p>
<p>These buses only cost $1 (or $3 for a daily pass) and go around the major tourist sites. My plan is to hope on one from the hotel to go to Chinatown for dinner.</p>
<p>thanks for the suggestions so far -- we're looking at GW, Georgetown, and American.... not sure in which order.</p>
<p>No Metro at Georgetown. GW is on Blue/Orange, AU is on Red.</p>
<p>I would stay in Roslyn (on Blue/Orange lines).
Take the GUTS (Georgetown University Transit Service) bus to the campus, it runs through this area of NoVa. Check with Admissions in case you need to show a pass to board.
Take the Metro (either Blue or Orange) to Foggy Bottom for GW.
Take Metro (Blue or Orange to Metro Center and switch to Red line to Tenleytown for AU.</p>
<p>The Crowne Plaza in Silver Spring is near the Metro station there. For a clean budget hotel, try the Comfort Inn in Silver Spring, about 5 blocks from the Metro</p>
<p>We actually got the Fairmont, a 4 star hotel, for $149 next weekend. It is at 24th Street and M Street, so close to GWU and Georgetown, by the Foggy Bottom Metro stop. I called in house reservations and ask what the cheapest rate they had. If you are a President Club member, they usually have Great Rate special, but the DC hotel was not on the special this month. The in house reservationist said he would give me the Great Rate price from last month, which was $149.</p>
<p>I have found that many hotels will give you a deal if you call in house reservations. Find the one you want to stay at and give them a call.</p>
<p>I second the suggestion to stay in Roslyn. That's where we stayed when we visited GW, GU, & American 2 years ago. We've stayed at the Residence Inn in Roslyn and the Key Bridge Marriott. Getting to the various campuses was pretty easy.</p>
<p>snowball..you done good</p>
<p>We are Virginians..and neighbors with two young adult employed sons who reside near Georgetown call the Roslyn Key Bridge Marriott their fave for price and convenience when visiting their sons.</p>
<p>Check travelzoo.com for deals. We stayed a little south/southwest of Dupont Circle on a similar trip two years ago, and could walk to GWU. It's a great neighborhood. There is a hotel called Georgetown Suites that had a good rate, although we did not stay there.</p>
<p>We got a very good deal at the Doubletree Suites, 801 New Hampshire - an easy walk to the Lincoln Memorial - it is virtually ON the GW campus and very very close to the Foggy Bottom metro station. The rooms are a bit odd, but comfortable - you really do have a kitchen and a living room and a bedroom. It was great for us - check the prices the week you are interested in. Mmmm, cookies.</p>
<p>Try the Holiday Inn in Chevy Chase. It's a block from the Red Line Metro, not too far from American. Rates are very reasonable, parking is free, and there are restaurants and shopping right there (Cheesecake Factory).</p>
<p>We stayed in Arlington, across the river. Hotel reasonable, parking free, we took metro around (2 minute walk).</p>
<p>Rosslyn is a good choice. Lots more going on there for food/fun and safer than L'Enfant Plaza area at night. A fair number of GWU and Georgetown students make River Place their home.</p>
<p>another vote for the Roslyn Key Bridge Marriott...on weekdays a bus runs from the front lobby of the Marriott to the Georgetown campus, and you are within a few blocks of the metro stop to visit GW and AU (AU being the longer trip)</p>