LondonElite

I think you are best off in the forum of the brand you like best. People there will have the best experience. Travel with Children is more niche, so you'll get more precise, but fewer replies. TravelBuzz is probably too general, but will generate the most replies.

JetAirways77W

You could also try booking two adjacent rooms and open the connecting door, making it (sort of) feel like one big room.

Need

A lot of Disney hotels have family rooms that would allow 6 to be in one room, but then you are probably paying enough to book 2 rooms in a non-Disney hotel next door. If you don't want to be sneaky (tell them 4 and sneak in 6) then your choices are very limited.

gobluetwo

OP suggested that 2 rooms is too expensive, but if 2 rooms at a low rate are cheaper than a single room at a high rate...

@nkp46 - how soon is "soon"? The Residence Inn I suggested in the other thread does accommodate up to 6 people in their suite with 2 queen beds and a sofabed, according to the website.

pinniped

I'm always a fan of Residence Inn for this kind of stay.

How picky are you on location? 2-bedroom suite the RI Largo (at about 3 o'clock on the Beltway) for $152/nt (AAA rate) is a pretty good value if you ask me.

There's also a suite at the CY in Rosslyn (VA) if you want an easy Metro-accessible stay: $159 for a suite or $179 with all breakfasts included. That'll be a little more cramped...2 queens plus a sofabed and only 1 real bedroom...but workable and quick/easy to get up to Bethesda via Metro if that's what you're really trying to do.

I'd also check Hilton's Homewood Suites brand. Plus all of the Hyatt suites brands, although I don't always think of them as up to par with Homewood and RI. (Hyatt Place is great, but I've never seen a two-bedroom suite there.)

If you hold no hotel statuses and don't care about hotel points/status, you might throw in a lowball Priceline bid for two rooms. (Assuming the stay is 100% for certain and you can accept the other limitations of Priceline.) Although with an RI there in the $150 range my PL bid would have to be crazy low to make it a better overall value.

LondonElite

The OP said they don't want to book two rooms though!

wharvey

This is a situation where I recommend to my friends that they book on Priceline or Hotwire. You can often get two rooms for much less than what one room would cost you. You give up some freedom in choice of property and do not get points, and you are at mercy of hotel to give you an adjoining room. But, my friends have never had a problem when they booked in advance and called the hotel.

pinniped

The other wrinkle on connecting rooms is that they are never guaranteed. Even as a mid/high-tier elite with a chain I only get them maybe one out of three times I request them.

I get the sense that most newer hotels don't build in as many of these. I can understand why, given that so many people hate these rooms.

So with any kind of 2-room solution, I'd only do it if one or two kids are old enough to be potentially down the hall from you. (Or, the two adults split up...)

Another reason we favor the two-bedroom Residence Inn or Homewood suite above all else.

slider34

I'm a family of six (kids 12, 10, 7 and 1). When we had 5 we would book a double queen putting 4 down on the booking, bring the blowup mattress and were fine. Now that I have 6 I still put down 4, bring the pack-n-play along with blow mattress and we are still "ok" but sometimes a little cramped depending on the room.

I've stayed about every property under the sun in the US and never once have I been stopped or questioned. I don't slam all 4 kids up to the counter and point it out but most really don't care.

Worse thing they can do is charge you for a suite or another room. Comfort? Book a 2nd room. Price considerations? Put down 4, bring 6

obscure2k

There is a duplicate thread on this topic in the Travel With Children Forum. Therefore, I am going to move this thread to that Forum and ask that the Moderator merge the threads.
Thanks for your understanding.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

nkp46

Thank you. I understand and appreciate what you did.

I want to thank all who replied with suggestions. You guys are so nice!!!^^^
I now have a lot of information and need to do some more research based on your suggestions, and figure out what is the best for me.

I plan to take family to DC next next week, (the labor day week, after labor day), and next year take family to Orlando. Maybe no much time for the DC trip, but I can prepare for the orlando trip more carefully.

The best would be I apply for a hotel credit card now (like Marriott, Hyatt, HH honor etc) and get some bonus points which can be used to book a hotel. But based on the discussion, I do have a lot of other choices.

MoreMilesPlease

You can also look at Hilton Homewood Suites brand. Homewood Suites often has two bedroom suites. Hilton does a 50% off the second room for kids. You have to call reservations to book it. I know you said not two rooms but next year it might be an idea.

pinniped

The good news is that Orlando gives you a ton of other options beyond what DC gives you. The city is full of VRBO-type options, plus all of the major brands have several timeshare villa properties. As long as you travel slightly off-peak you can book large 2- or 3-bedroom villas at very good rates.

We've regularly gotten Marriott Vacation Club 2-bedroom villas for well under $200/nt with no timeshare preview requirements. Regular booking, earns points. (No elite perks, although there's really no elite distinction at MVCI.)

nkp46

Thank you very much for your sharing!
This forum is indeed a great one! I have learned so much info in very short period of time!

AsiaTraveler

We have found Marriott to be good for booking suites on points. They actually have 2 brands that are all suites (although watch out for the 'suite' that is one big room). The 1 bedroom suite we stayed in had 2 beds in the bedroom and a pull out couch. Unfortunately I was never able to find their 2 bedroom suites available for booking on points.