Visiting Washington DC - need advice!

[Smid]

Got the Washington Hilton on priceline $100 bid, and looking at hotels.com, could have got it same price there.

Now onto the real problem, Boston.

[Skywatcher]

@Smid

As the planner of this trip, the plan is to fly into Boston, spend 4 days, fly or Amtrak down to Philly for a night, and then Amtrak into Washington.

Nice way to get in & out of the city. We’ve done the round trip to the Boston suburbs before.

[Lamar_Mundane]

@Smid

Got the Washington Hilton on priceline $100 bid, and looking at hotels.com, could have got it same price there.

Now onto the real problem, Boston.

Washington Hilton is nice. On top of a hill, five blocks or so from the circle. Also known as the Hinkley Hilton, where Reagan got shot.

That’s the one I get the 20% of the time I don’t get the Omni.

[John_Mace]

@Omar_Little

I’ve heard that there’s a new Trump hotel in the district that’s fairly nice and close to the Metro.

Go to your room. And no dinner!!

[Smid]

@Lamar_Mundane

Washington Hilton is nice. On top of a hill, five blocks or so from the circle. Also known as the Hinkley Hilton, where Reagan got shot.

That’s the one I get the 20% of the time I don’t get the Omni.

Thanks for the advice. Despite it being also being bookable on hotels.com at same price, it does feel like a proper bargain though and wouldn’t have seen it for the chaff…

Got the Hyatt Regency Boston for a not horrible price, which is cancellable if no good…

[Lamar_Mundane]

@Smid

Thanks for the advice. Despite it being also being bookable on hotels.com at same price, it does feel like a proper bargain though and wouldn’t have seen it for the chaff…

Got the Hyatt Regency Boston for a not horrible price, which is cancellable if no good…

Probably a $250-$300 rack rate. Tell the concierge what you like (or are willing to try) and they will set you straight.

[friedo]

@Smid

As the planner of this trip, the plan is to fly into Boston, spend 4 days, fly or Amtrak down to Philly for a night, and then Amtrak into Washington.

I’m a big fan of the Acela but I recommend avoiding Amtrak in August. Penn Station will have significantly reduced capacity over the summer due to emergency track repairs, and the Boston -> DC route goes right through Penn.

[RealityChuck]

I’d recommend the Hotel Harrington. Great location (about three blocks from the White House and about two (long) blocks from the Smithsonian and the National Mall). Metro stations are about a block and a half away and plenty of restaurants to choose from.

And the prices are about as good as you can get. The most expensive rooms are $169 a night, and two double beds are $139.

Caveat: the hotel is old (opened in 1914). It’s been kept up, but isn’t luxurious. Still, you can’t beat the location and price.

[Smid]

@friedo

I’m a big fan of the Acela but I recommend avoiding Amtrak in August. Penn Station will have significantly reduced capacity over the summer due to emergency track repairs, and the Boston -> DC route goes right through Penn.

Hmmn, we were considering flying down to Philly then getting the slow (business) train to Washington. It did say things were cancelled during that period, but it seemed to be telling me which ones not. The Acela seemed prohibitively expensive as a business class only train (and not only that a couple of hundred dollars more than business class on the slightly slower train).

So hopefully will not be that much of an issue.

[scareyfaerie]

Advice taken, and hotels booked.

Thank you, Dopers!

[Skywatcher]

Although July is prime season for free movies, some locations are still going in August. Here’s a list.

[Mama_Zappa]

OBE since you’ve already booked a place, but: a lot of the suburban hotels will have shuttles to the nearest Metro station. Look at some of the hotels along Eisenhower Avenue in Virginia, for example.

Where did you wind up booking?

Also as an alternate for transportation, there are a number of bus lines (Bolt / Megabus etc.) that run buses from Philly as well as from NYC. Significantly cheaper than Amtrak.

[Mama_Zappa]

@shiftless

I agree with Igor. Without a car, Metro is the only way to go if you’re not staying in a downtown hotel so you’ll want a hotel along one of the lines. Check out Crystal City for example.

I would also suggest dropping the Zoo plan unless you just have to see a panda. It’s a good walk from the metro and my family was very disappointed the last time we were there. There’s plenty of better stuff to see in DC and plenty of better Zoos around the country.

And August … It’s going to be sticky and hot. Walking can be uncomfortable.

Yeah - it can be miserable here in August.

A hint on the zoo: if you DO go, don’t go to the “Woodley Park / Zoo” station: it’s a longish uphill slog from there to the zoo. Cleveland Park is a titch closer and not uphill.

And… anyone up for a Dopefest while you’re here?

[iiandyiiii]

I’m open to a Dopefest. Seems like we tried before a few months ago (or was it longer?) but it didn’t work out.

[MoonMoon]

@shiftless

And August … It’s going to be sticky and hot. Walking can be uncomfortable.

Oh, there’s no “can be” about it. August is the worst time of year in DC. It’s like the surface of the sun, if the sun was encased in Satan’s sweaty sock.

[Hypno-Toad]

I recommend going to the Newseum. It’s not cheap, but it has some very interesting stuff.

[scareyfaerie]

@Mama_Zappa

Where did you wind up booking?

The Hilton on Connecticut Ave Northwest in the end.

[SciFiSam]

@Lamar_Mundane

I tell this to everyone who asks this question.

DC is full of hotel rooms and if there isn’t anything big going on (rally, conventions) half of them are empty, and Congress is out of session in August. Go to Priceline and bid $100/night for a 4* hotel in Dupont Circle. Eight times out of ten you’ll get the Omni Shoreham, a very nice hotel overlooking Rock Creek Park and literally across the street from the Zoo Metro station. It is one stop from the Dupont Circle stop (you’re going to want some sort of pass) which has every variety of cuisine imaginable and bars out the wazoo. Sign up for the Omni loyalty club and you’ll get free wireless and express check-in.

If you don’t get the Omni, hey, still a 4* in Dupont Circle. I checked Biddingfortravel.com and people are getting it for $90-$95, but I’d go $100 to be safe. That’s probably less than what you’ll get in Crystal City, which is a depressing wasteland of 80’s glass buildings and chain restaurants.

Dupont Circle is about 5 stops from the Smithsonian station with an easy change of lines or three stops and a short walk to the Mall.

Seconded. We got a posh hotel in Dupont Circle for very little because it was August. Had a pool too. I didn’t actually find the weather bad at all but maybe we were just lucky. Apart from getting a taxi to and from the station because of our luggage we found it easy to get around on foot and with the occasional metro journey. The day tour bus we took round the city also stopped there, handily.

The museums are all free and very kid-friendly so I wouldn’t bother with the Zoo either. The Newseum and the Spy Museum are expensive but very entertaining for children and those who act like them

[Wendell_Wagner]

scareyfaerie, give us a day for the Dopefest and we’ll start to plan for it.

[scareyfaerie]

@Wendell_Wagner

scareyfaerie, give us a day for the Dopefest and we’ll start to plan for it.

Woohoo! We arrive in DC on 23rd and we leave on 27th so anywhere in there would be good. There’s a Friday and Saturday in that timeframe which might be easier for people if there’s any travel involved.

What do you think?