<p>The Roslyn and Crystal City sections of Arlington have tons of hotel rooms, often available at steep discounts if there’s not a major event to fill them up. Travel websites like Orbitz and Expedia often offer advance booking discounts, but it’s a god idea to compare their prices to the hotel chains’ own websites because sometimes the chains will offer a better deal if you book with them directly; on the other hand, sometimes the Orbitz price will beat the chain’s own website price by $100. Either Roslyn or Crystal City offers convenient Metro access to DC, or if you have a car they’re a quick (except in rush hour) hop over the river to the National Mall. I love staing in the District but Arlington is usually significantly cheaper.</p>
<p>We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, DC, a few years ago. It was a really great deal at the time. The prices fluctuate so much in DC though, sometimes it feels like a crapshoot.</p>