MSPeconomist

I think I stayed here before it became a Starwood. It's a great neighborhood, central but still away from most of the tourist crowds and somewhat elegant with great restaurants nearby. Indeed, Metro is very convenient and easy to use, but watch out for summer weekend track work delays and diversions to buses.

jb3t

Need a little DC help. What ares have a better area to hang out in? I'm in my mid 40s and am going to DC with my wife and friends. I stay in Old Town Alexandria a lot for business and like the area a lot. However, I'm not sure how that compares to DuPont Cir or G-Town.

I don't care much to see "the sights". We are more into a place where we can walk out of the hotel, grab some food (ranging from a slice of pizza to a nice meal), and have the wives do some shopping.

Little help?

ckendall

For me the answer would be Dupont Circle, but then again I live not far away and do some work there. In Dupont there are some great restaurants a few hundred yards from your hotel (Pizza Paradiso is about as good as pizza gets in DC, Obelisk and Al Tiramisu are quite good Italian restaurants), you are near a fair amount of shopping (Connecticut Avenue) and well connected by Metro. For weekday lunches I enjoy CF Folks, and other places of note I can vouch for range from a decent deli (DGS) to hipster tapas (Boqueria) and a hotel with a nice restaurant (Tabard Inn).

I find Georgetown a bit less interesting by comparison; while there are interesting places there I find it a bit more focused on younger (students) and older (owners of expensive local housing) residents.

If you go to the DC forum you will undoubtedly find strong advocates for both locations.

jb3t

Thanks for the above how does this compare to Old Towne Alexandria... Which I am very familiar with?

ckendall

I am not out in Old Town that much (call me provincial) but I find it a bit more suburban and less interesting food and shopping wise relative to Dupont. Dupont is a bit more like a real city in both positive and negative ways. I am a "city person" and prefer life in the city but I recognize that others prefer the "colonial charm", access to the river at the Torpedo factory and the cute "shoppes" in Old Town.

KENNECTED

Agreed.

My go to properties are the Fairfax followed by the Westin Georgetown.

I say stay at the fairfax one night then switch to the Westin Georgetown (actually in West End). The Fairfax is on Dupont and also easily walkable to Georgetown.

The Westin is just west of Georgetown proper and walkable to dupont and the GWU area. I've even walked to the White House from here.

youvesaiditall

Was just in DC this past weekend and I really enjoyed my stay at the Fairfax just off of DuPont. It was a easy cab ride or walk to a number of different neighborhoods for dinner or to go out for drinks. It was about a 5 minute walk from the DuPont Metro station (About 35 minutes overall from Door to DCA)

As a platinum, I was told I was upgraded to a "deluxe room" but seemed quite standard. With that, I thought the service throughout was excellent, and this would be my hotel when I return to DC.

saltytheseagull

Over the fourth I stayed at the Fairfax and W. I enjoyed the Fairfax more than the W. I think mainly because it was in a more lived in area. The W was great for access to all of the sights. Next time I might try the Westin Georgetown as well.

etsmyers

I am leaning toward Fairfax or Gtown Westin.

Anyone know if these properties have club lounges?

cfpmcleo

If you go Westin Georgetown, upgrade to the junior suite, it's worth it. Traditional rooms are really tight.

There is no lounge here. Location is great.

The kicker was a thread about valet parking damaging the car at the Fairfax.

www.flyertalk.com/forum/starwood-preferred-guest/721873-fairfax-embassy-row-washington-d-c-post-2008-renovation-master-thread-12.html[/url]


Cleo

SceneStealer7

The Westin doesn't have a lounge either.

KENNECTED

No. No Starwood property in the District has a lounge. Westin Arlington and Alexandria both have an Executive Lounge.

frenchie2

I will be going to DC for the first time with my 3 kids (age 9-15) end of June next year. I have a BRG rate approved at the Westin City Center for $114 a night for 6 nights 2 rooms! Is that a good choice in terms of location, transportation and food choices? I read that renovation is going on at the hotel, there are quite a few complains on tripadvisor that made me a bit concerned. But with the low price, it is very tempting, and seems to be better choice than Residence Inn pentagon city?

KENNECTED

Trip Advisor and Flyer Talk do not belong in the same post!

Look at a google map of DC. It a good base of location, if you don't mind walking as DC is a walking city. It's not a too far walk to the Mall area. However, with kids, I would say the Westin Grand-Georgetown and the Fairfax are better for walking and food as they are located on major commercial streets in residential neighborhoods.

Boraxo

+1 But very tough to get two rooms @ $112 each, and you would be pretty cramped at the others with 4 to a room (though I saw a family of 5 at the Fairfax). So in this case I'd take the rooms over the location as your kids are old enough to walk. Not to mention that taxis are cheap and plentiful.

Definitely stay in DC and not Pentagon City. IMO the only reason to stay in Virginia would be due to having business or friends there (or a great rate at the Ritz Carlton).