Hotel recommendations: Memorial Day, DC area, IHG
Jan 3, 2017, 10:43 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 102
Hotel recommendations: Memorial Day, DC area, IHG
Looks like our trip this year involves driving vs. our normal flying; gonna see the Smokey Mountains, then bop up to DC [Arlington on Memorial Day possibly?]. We have ~200k IHG points, and need a suite, because it's myself+wife+3 kids. I've been looking on the IHG site and it's been less than helpful, so any recommendations are appreciated; if nothing else, a nudge to a hotel in a decent area would be helpful!
Jan 5, 2017, 1:45 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 151
Not sure what you are driving at with the IHG site being less than helpful? Is it that you can't find a hotel with suites, can't find a hotel to fit your desires that can be booked with your number of points, etc? The Willard Intercontinental is obviously an amazing choice in the IHG with plenty of suites and in an amazing location. Though I suspect if you are planning to stay there multiple nights 200k might not be enough points.
Jan 5, 2017, 7:27 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,507
Most of the hotels in any area of DC proper will be fine for tourists with the usual caveat that some are always better than others; avoid any hotel with an address in Southeast DC (SE). Hotels in Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County) or Maryland (Montgomery or Prince George's Counties) will be fine, too, and not far from downtown DC. You might even consider the recently opened Trump Intl Hotel in the center of town just a block or so from the WH.... There is also the brand new MGM Casino Hotel that just opened.....
Last edited by Section 107; Jan 12, 2017 at 3:58 pm Reason: clarity
Jan 9, 2017, 12:43 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 102
Not sure what you are driving at with the IHG site being less than helpful? Is it that you can't find a hotel with suites, can't find a hotel to fit your desires that can be booked with your number of points, etc? The Willard Intercontinental is obviously an amazing choice in the IHG with plenty of suites and in an amazing location. Though I suspect if you are planning to stay there multiple nights 200k might not be enough points.
Most of the hotels in any area of DC proper will be fine except for those with an address in Southeast DC (SE) will be fine for tourists with the usual caveat that some are always better than others. Hotels in Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County) or Maryland (Montgomery or Prince George's Counties) will be fine, too, and not far from downtown DC. You might even consider the recently opened Trump Intl Hotel in the center of town just a block or so from the WH.... There is also the brand new MGM Casino Hotel that just opened.....
I had also forgotten, we have 90k HHilton points as well, so that's an option; I found a couple of cash+points on the HH site in Virginia that looked promising.
Jan 12, 2017, 4:06 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,507
any Hilton property will be fine. Arlington is literally just across the river from Downtown DC. The subway in the area (Metro) is your best bet for getting to/from downtown unless you really like to drive and is reached easily (short walk or quick but relatively not cheap taxi/uber) from any hotel.
DC area has some of the very worst commuting traffic in the country. In reality, AM rush hour is from 5:00 to 9:30am while PM rush is from 2:30 to around 8pm or later - so yes, depending upon what time you try to travel a 2 mile trip can take 30 minutes or more. The trip to my metro station takes 5 minutes door to door with no traffic but 30 minutes in the am and up to 45 in the pm.
Stay in Arlington - take metro.
DC area has some of the very worst commuting traffic in the country. In reality, AM rush hour is from 5:00 to 9:30am while PM rush is from 2:30 to around 8pm or later - so yes, depending upon what time you try to travel a 2 mile trip can take 30 minutes or more. The trip to my metro station takes 5 minutes door to door with no traffic but 30 minutes in the am and up to 45 in the pm.
Stay in Arlington - take metro.
Feb 27, 2017, 9:25 am
#6
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
You probably don't want to drive anywhere near DC on Memorial Day Weekend. Traffic is horrible everyday, as noted above, and gets worse on holidays. One option would be to look at the Dulles area IHG/Hilton hotels. IHG has a few Staybridge/Candlewood (suites) hotels out near IAD and another Staybridge in Tyson's Corner (albeit Tyson's area traffic is bad too). Hilton also has lots of hotels near IAD and around NoVA: re Homewood/Embassy hotels (again - suites). You could then drive to a metro station outside of the worst traffic areas (e.g., West Falls Church), park, and then ride the metro the rest of the way into DC.
Cheers -
Cheers -