Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - Trip to DC - Location recommendations

Hello Chaps,

This is Andrew. I am visiting Washington D.C for 1.5 days in a couple of weeks. My first trip there!

I need to visit an Embassy in International Place NW, near Connecticut Ave NW, near the Van Ness UDC Metro.

I am flying into and out of DCA Airport off peak hours.

Can you chaps suggest a good location to stay at? I have high status with all the major hotel chains, if that helps.

I will be solo, but may be able to get out and do some sightseeing and grab a nice meal in the evening....

Thank you,
Andrew Millichamp

Marriott Wardman Park (Woodley Park metro station). It comes highly recommended and two stops from VanNess/UDC metro station. It's also a short walk to Adams Morgan where you'll find plenty of excellent dining options.

Enjoy your trip.

I'll second the Marriott. Good location with a few good restaurants nearby, plus an easy walk to all the bars in Adams Morgan.

Also, the National Zoo (free) is a 5-minute walk from the hotel.

Hilton's got a few hotels near Dupont Circle (one stop further than the Marriott) including the Hilton Washington and the Hilton Embassy Row. Both are nice if you're a Hilton fan. Dupont Circle is also a great area for bars and restaurants.

Gallery Place/Chinatown is a hopping area. Renaissance Hotel and Courtyard (both Marriott) are there, and Embassy Suites (Hilton) nearby. Grand Hyatt and Marriott Metro Center nearby too.

Gallery Place is also a straight shot to/from DCA (yellow line) and to Van Ness (red line).

Note that metro has limited hours, so some off-peak flights won't work with metro. For example for 6am departures, you'll have to figure out something else.

Gallery Place/Chinatown is a hopping area. Renaissance Hotel and Courtyard (both Marriott) are there, and Embassy Suites (Hilton) nearby. Grand Hyatt and Marriott Metro Center nearby too.

Gallery Place is also a straight shot to/from DCA (yellow line) and to Van Ness (red line).

Note that metro has limited hours, so some off-peak flights won't work with metro. For example for 6am departures, you'll have to figure out something else.

makes sense to me.

Thank you lads.

One of these options should work. I will look into them.

Much appreciated.

Thank You,

Andrew Millichamp

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If you do stay at the Wardman, keep in mind that almost all of the restaurants near the hotel, especially those on Connecticut Avenue are overpriced and/or poor quality. You have to walk about 15 minutes to Adams Morgan for decent food. (I speak from experience, I used to live in the neighborhood..)

For that reason I would choose one of the Dupont Circle options over the Wardman.

If you do stay at the Wardman, keep in mind that almost all of the restaurants near the hotel, especially those on Connecticut Avenue are overpriced and/or poor quality. You have to walk about 15 minutes to Adams Morgan for decent food. (I speak from experience, I used to live in the neighborhood..)

For that reason I would choose one of the Dupont Circle options over the Wardman.

I do live in the area and agree with this assessment. I almost never eat at these restaurants. The only one that comes to mind that might be ok is Lebanese Taverna. Presumably, the chain places like Chipotle and McDonald's should be as expected.

If you do stay at the Wardman, keep in mind that almost all of the restaurants near the hotel, especially those on Connecticut Avenue are overpriced and/or poor quality. You have to walk about 15 minutes to Adams Morgan for decent food. (I speak from experience, I used to live in the neighborhood..)

For that reason I would choose one of the Dupont Circle options over the Wardman.

There are a number of good restaurants in the area, actually, especially if you are willing to walk 10 minutes up Connecticut towards Cleveland Park. Some of the better options include Ardeo+Bardeo, Dino, Indique, Lavandou, and Palena.

Seeing as how the dining scene around Dupont Circle has deteriorated in the past few years and the two areas are a metro stop away, I wouldn't use food as the discriminator.

There are a number of good restaurants in the area, actually, especially if you are willing to walk 10 minutes up Connecticut towards Cleveland Park. Some of the better options include Ardeo+Bardeo, Dino, Indique, Lavandou, and Palena.

Seeing as how the dining scene around Dupont Circle has deteriorated in the past few years and the two areas are a metro stop away, I wouldn't use food as the discriminator.

Yes, Cleveland Park is a good food destination, significantly better than Woodley Park. The immediate Dupont Circle area is actually not that good, surprisingly. A few good places, but a lot of mediocrity IMHO. In terms of neighhborhoods, I end up in the Penn Quarter/Gallery Place area as my #1 pick for restaurants. After that, it is a matter of identifying specific
restaurants, rather than area.

mhnadel: you don't happen to work at the FCC do you?

"downtown" dc is not a large area. cabs are inexpensive and plentiful. don't sweat the small stuff. find a nice place to stay, and eat within 5miles. take a cab.

If you want convenience, there's a Days Inn right across the street from the Van Ness Metro. The restaurant selection up there is worse than Woodley Park, but you're still a relatively quick cab ride down to U Street/14th Street areas. Don't bother taking the metros during non-rush hour times if you have a connection as the trains are really infrequent.

In terms of neighhborhoods, I end up in the Penn Quarter/Gallery Place area as my #1 pick for restaurants. After that, it is a matter of identifying specific
restaurants, rather than area.

mhnadel: you don't happen to work at the FCC do you?

Nope, not at FCC.

As for restaurant neighborhoods, I've found the West End (e.g Foggy Bottom, but not, alas, Georgetown) has a number of good places latelly, too, though it is not, of course, on the Red Line.

As for restaurant neighborhoods, I've found the West End (e.g Foggy Bottom, but not, alas, Georgetown) has a number of good places latelly, too, though it is not, of course, on the Red Line.

Outside of downtown, I think the U Street, Logan Circle, and Dupont Circle has the best selection of restaurants (Dupont is on the Red Line). There's way too much construction (and fratboys) in Adams Morgan to make it worthwhile.

As a DC resident, totally agree that Adams Morgan has been a terrible restaurant destination for the past 5 years or so. Most of the decent choices seem to have migrated over to 14th street among other places. Cleveland Park along Conn Ave has some notably good choices. I disagree about Georgetown. It is not a bargain area, but the quality can be quite high.

Sad truth is though, that DC lacks the clusters of interesting, affordable dining that you find in cities such as Chicago, Boston, SF etc.