My husband and I are going to spend a few days in DC in June. We would like to find a reasonaly-priced hotel (or B&B) that is within walking distance of a metro stop. Does anyone have any recommendations? Any ideas about how to find out what hotels are near the Metro?
Thanks!!
This interactive map ( http://www.hot-maps.de/north_america/usa/washington_dc/washington/homeen.html ) shows both metro stops and hotels.
Hi Brynda!
I think you’re going in peak season (also hot and humid) so deals may be hard to find. We used to really like the Holiday Inn Capitol. It’s just a block from a Metro Station (L’Enfant Plaza) and just a block from the Air & Space Museum. They used to be fairly inexpensive and the only real downside is that there were often a lot of school groups staying there. However, they recently remodeled so they may no longer be the “best kept cheap secret” they used to be. Worth a try, though.
We have also really liked staying at the Embassy Suites Alexandria Old Town, which is in fact nowhere near Old Town but right across the street from the King Street Metro stop in Alexandria. You do lose a little time getting into the city but it’s not bad. Embassy Suites aren’t cheap, but the breakfast they serve can be a big budget-saver if you would otherwise eat that meal out.
There are a ton of hotels clustered around the Metro in Silver City, right near the Pentagon. They’ve also got some really terrific ethnic restaurants over there. I recommend the Thai and Mexican places.
Yeah, you should also consider hotels that are on a busy bus line. Here’s one for $92/day and is on a bus line that runs at least every 10-minutes to either the Pentagon or Pentagon City stations.
And I think Ginger means “Crystal City”; those hotels run about $250/day.
The good thing about Crystal City is that much of it is connected to a network of pedestrian tunnels. Anything east of Eads and north of 23[sup]rd[/sup] is on or close to one of those tunnels.
The Hotel Harrington. It’s about a block and a half north of the Federal Triangle station. It’s also about three blocks from the Mall, four from the White House, 1 1/2 blocks from Ford’s Theater (See map.. Rooms for two start at $89 (parking is $10 a night; the garage is four blocks away, but you can unload at the door, and the $10 gives you unlimited in and out).
The catch is that it’s an old hotel and doesn’t have many amenities (no pool, not much of a dining room). It’s also a little run down (though quite comfortable).
But no other hotel in DC combines location with ridiculously low price.
Thanks, everyone!!
Cranky, good to hear from you! It looks like the Holiday Inn Capitol has gone upscale. Dang.
Love the map, QTM!
Ginger, sounds like a great area, but too rich for our pocketbook.
Lute, thanks for looking up the hotels! I especially like the one on the bus line. The other one is more than it looks–I couldn’t find it for the low price that was quoted. But the Spring Hill looks good.
Reality Chuck, the Hotel Harrington looks perfect—but it is sold out. Damn! That was exactly the type of place I was looking for.
All other suggestions appreciated!
You’re welcome, BTW. 
Oh, and about 7 blocks in the other direction is a group of local shops & restaurants.
Comfort Inn at 13th and N Street. Sometimes called the Convention Center Comfort Inn.
Braxton Hotel on Rhode Island between 14th and 15th. Next to Hotel Helix. I never see this place come up on hotel finder web sites, so I don’t know if that means it’s unpopular and therefore might still have vacancies or what. From the outside it looks like a house that was converted into a hotel. They’re always boasting rock bottom rates on the sign out front.
My Neighbor runs a B&B but might be booked up for June: Chester A. Arthur House
The McPhereson Sq. metro station is about a ten minute walk from either.
I stayed at
Carlyle Suites Hotel
1731 New Hampshire Ave Nw
WASHINGTON DC US 20009
Phone: 202-234-3200
which was pretty decent earlier this year. It’s a few blocks north of the Dupont Circle metro stop. Cost was pretty reasonable by DC standards, and it seemed safe enough and clean enough (by my somewhat debased standards).
Yep. I’m running on not enough sleep lately. I knew exactly what I meant.
Although in Ginger’s defense, I have stayed in a nice hotel in Silver Spring (a Hilton, I believe, not on my dime) that was a few blocks north of the Metro stop, and also nice, though a bit pricey.
I’ve stayed in the Topaz Hotel for about 3 weeks near Dupont Circle. Their rooms are spacious and very nice. The bathrooms are big and you get Aveda products. It is walking distance from a lot of great restaurants. I’ve also stayed at the Hilton Capitol during that same trip and it not as great and overpriced. Their room service food sucked. The Topaz was also reasonably priced.
A couple of more options, if you don’t mind the outlying areas:
Quality Inn, College Park. I stayed there about a year ago. OK, but not fancy. It’s about three blocks from the College Park Metro, and they have a shuttle. Rooms are about $80, but it’s at least a half hour to get downtown.
The Hampton Inn at Reagan Airport used to have a dirt-cheap rate; now they’re about $119 a night, but it’s about two blocks from the Crystal City Metro stop and has a very nice free breakfast.
Important caveat: there are a few cheap hotels – some linked with well-known chains – on New York Avenue, NE. Stay away: they are dumps.
New York Avenue? We are looking at the Henley Park, which is on the corner of Mass Ave and 10th Street, near New York Avenue. Is that the area you mean?
Thanks, everyone, and keep 'em coming.
Patty, if we stay at the Chester A. Arthur, wanna come for the “neighbor’s breakfast”?
I was just about to come in and recommend the Henley Park. Last time I was in DC, that’s where I stayed, and I loved it! The location is great – walking distance not only to the metro, but to all the interesting points on the Mall, etc. The rooms are a bit smallish, but my recommendation is to spend your time out and about in the city as opposed to in the room anyway.