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Washington, DC: Lodging and Accommodations Overview

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Each year, millions of visitors descend on Washington, DC. From families on summer vacation and school groups in the spring to foreign heads of state and men and women attending business conventions, the nation’s capital is always playing host to someone.

Fortunately for these visitors, however, Washington has thousands of hotel rooms. There is a large number of hotels downtown, and in addition, both the Maryland and Virginia suburbs (particularly Bethesda, Maryland, and Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia), offer hotel rooms and access to the Metro. Thus, you can always find a vacant hotel room somewhere in the DC area.

If you can, however, avoid visiting Washington during the busiest weeks of the year. Major events, such as the Cherry Blossom Festival in March, the Fourth of July, and presidential inaugurations bring out huge crowds. As a general rule, spring and summer are both particularly busy, especially on weekends, so the best rates often appear on winter weekdays.

In any case, it is a good idea to book a hotel well in advance to ensure you have a hotel room in your desired price range and location. You may also find it helpful to book your hotel room over the Internet. You can use a site such as Orbitz or Priceline or use the hotel chain’s web site itself; most hotels offer special deals and/or some sort of low fare guarantee for web site bookings. Finally, don’t forget to ask for special discounts; for example, most hotels will offer a reduced rate to military personnel and members of AAA, AARP.

In addition, it is a good idea to have some idea of the location of your planned activities. Washington’s mass transit system, the Metro, is very good, but you will still save time by having a hotel room within walking distance from the area(s) where you will spend your time. On the other hand, if you are driving to Washington, find out in advance about parking procedures at your hotel as hotels in the city often charge extra for parking.

The four major areas of Atlanta, as far as accommodations go, are Downtown, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and the suburbs. Downtown DC includes Capitol Hill and Foggy Bottom, so it is home to most of the major DC attractions (e.g. the White House, Smithsonian, and Capitol Building). This is a great location, but as you might expect, you’ll have to pay extra because of the location. Dupont Circle is a fun shopping and ethnic dining area of town, which has a less touristy feel than downtown. Georgetown is the wealthiest neighborhood in Washington, and the hotels are likewise on the high end. The shopping, dining, and residences in this area, however, are unbeatable for luxury. The suburbs are several miles from the major attractions, but you will find several quality chain hotels at reasonable prices.

Finally, unlike many American cities, Washington hosts many foreign travelers, and thus, its accommodations occasionally have a more European feel than you’ll find in other American cities. In other words, bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, and even hostels appear in many areas of DC. Some of these accommodations are significantly cheaper than traditional hotels while others are on the opposite end of the spectrum.

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