Best Marriott Cat 4 at IAD or DCA
 

Will be spending a couple nights near one of the airports in DC before staying in downtown Baltimore at the Harbor. I have a couple of Cat 4 free nights to use. What is the best option. Not sure which airport I am flying into yet as it depends on fares.

Also considering the Renaissance at the Baltimore Harbor- anyone have nay recent experiences there.

Thanks

Are you considering staying near IAD because your plans are for things near IAD? If you really want to be in DC, IAD is a lousy place to stay.

The Cat-4 Marriott properties that are close to IAD are the Washington Dulles Marriott and the Washington Dulles Marriott Suites. The Washington Dulles Marriott is very old and the rooms are small, particulary the bathrooms, but it does have a nice lounge. There is usually a managers reception on Tuesday nights with free beer and wine. The Washington Dulles Marriott Suites does have nicer rooms, but there is no lounge and no weekend breakfast for elites. The breakfast buffet during the week is adequate, but not too exciting.

The Cat-4 properties close to DCA are mostly Courtyards and Residence Inns. I have not stayed at any of these properties, but have at some of the Cat-5 Marriotts in the area.

Your choices are pretty limited to the Dulles Marriot or Suites, if you want a full service Cat-4. If you will be there during the week, I would go for the Marriott Dulles if you want lounge access or the Suites if you don't care and prefer a nicer and larger room. One of the nicest Marriot properties is the Residence Inn at 28 Center not far from the airport. This is a very upscale Residence Inn with nicely furnished rooms and a large lobby with vaulted ceilings and chandeliers. Not like most Residence Inns that I have been to. The breakfast and dinner options are not too bad and there is free beer and wine during the week (Mon-Thurs). This property is only a Cat-3.

I agree. I stay at that RI often, usually for one or two nights at a time, though I'm not sure what you mean by dinner options, as there is no on site restaurant. Or are you talking about the many choices at the strip mall where the hotel is?

The hotel is fairly new, I believe it opened in 2006, coincidentally when I started regular trips to the area. I have tried other hotels over the years, but keep going back to that RI, a combination of convenience to where I need to go, and the property itself.

When are you staying? Dulles Suites goes to a Cat 5 in May-though you can reserve for a stay after the deadline now as a Cat 4.

I love the Dulles Suites. No lounge-they do give breakfast M-F in the restaurant. There is a great shopping center with lots of eating options right at the property. Rooms are big. Staff is great.

I am also a fan of their $67/night MR rate on Fri/Sat. (Thurs too if staying into the weekend.)

The Dullus Suites is swank. The staff has always been top notch. The IAD FS is one of the sorriest hotels in the Marriott chain. Lounge access isn't worth it, especially when you may have to walk a mile to get from your room to the cruddy, cruddy lounge. Anything you ask for from the hotel staff seems to be an imposition. It always seems like the guests are an interruption for them. The Suites is a no-brainer.

With that said, I would actually choose the RI Arlington Rosslyn. While many of us avoid RIs because of the reduced points, you're using a cert, so that won't matter. The hotel is quite decent. I've stayed there and would stay there again. It's a very slight distance from DCA, but enough of a distance that you won't hear much airport noise. The Metro station is practically in the hotel, so you have easy access to anywhere in the District and all the tourist attractions DC has to offer.

I am considering the RI Arlington Roslyn after doing so research today so thanks for the comments.

If you are flying to IAD and won't use a car for a few days until you head to Baltimore, then the Rosslyn location is not bad. For one thing you can take the Metro Orange line from West Falls Church (and the shuttle from IAD) direct without transferring to another line to reach Rosslyn.

If it's DCA Rosslyn would also work via the Blue line from the airport. I stayed at both it and the RI in Pentagon City quite a bit before relocating here. Using Metro, Rosslyn is only 10 minutes from DCA -vs- about 40 or more from IAD, and the Pentagon City location is about 5.

There are a handful of restaurants on Wilson Ave a few minutes from the Rosslyn property. The Pentagon City RI is quite nice also, equidistant from two Metro stops (2nd or 3rd stop) from DCA on the Blue or Yellow and an easy walk from either of them. Not exactly fine dining immediately adjacent to the hotel, but there are more nearby choices than Rosslyn. The establishments a few blocks away in the outdoor, street-level plaza of the Pentagon City Mall are good. It's about a 5-minute walk.

One thing to consider about Rosslyn if you go out at night on foot. There has been some street crime in the area recently. The Pentagon City area is in my opinion safer late at night simply because there are more people on the streets.

Sorry to hear that. I've always felt safe in that area, but it's been a few years since I've stayed there.

Nothing too serious - purse snatchings, an armed robbery right on Ft Myer drive, that sort of thing. Both Rosslyn and the Pentagon City/Crystal City area can be attractive to thugs, because there are a lot of hotels, and travelers often on foot with bags close to Metro stations. A thief can disappear easily into the large Rosslyn metro facility or with a car he has an easy return back to the District - where most of the perps come from if you periodically read the ACPD reports for situational awareness.

http://news.arlingtonva.us/police/crimereports

The Rosslyn RI doesn't have a DCA shuttle but Pentagon City RI does. From DCA a shuttle or cab is a better bet than Metro around here late at night. I'm in Crystal City a few blocks from the RI. Returning from DCA with just carryons I have a 5-7 minite walk from the CC Metro station which is right underneath the CC Gateway Marriott. If it's much after 10PM I usually get a cab at DCA, because my area of Crystal City - only a few blocks from the RI doesn't have a lot of other people out on foot.

In any case, Rosslyn and Pentagon City are usually safe, but the criminals know there are a lot of travelers around, probably with goodies in their bags or purses.

There are also more things to do (shopping, restaurants) in Pentagon City and Crystal City as opposed to Rosslyn which is mostly a business district with a few apartment complexes

Or simply cross the Key Bridge into Georgetown for shopping, bars, restaurants, etc... Quick cab ride (less than 5 minutes) if you're not inclined to walk or there's inclement weather...

I have a transportation question for people that live in the area. I will be staying at the RI Roslyn Arlington for a few nights then the Renaissance Baltimore Harbor for a few nights before taking a train to New York from Baltimore Penn Station. Does anyone have an idea of what a cab would cost from Arlington Va to Baltimore MD. I am finding crazy drop fees of up to $200 to rent a car at DCA or Arlington and drop it off in downtown Baltimore.

The Amtrak train from Union Station to Penn Station is under $20.

The MARC trains may even be less. The Camden line takes you to the inner harbor.