BearX220

Before it closed last year the Sheraton used to cut off shuttle service in the late evening, 1000pm IIRC, so if your plane was late you were looking at a $15 cab ride or a long wait for a late-night Metro train to ride one stop. The Hyatt and other shuttles would be circulating late at DCA, on demand, but the Sheraton refused to come out for you.

Yeah, I was one of the last guests in the days before they went dark, and you should have seen it then. Nobody cared about anything anymore. I didn't pick it on purpose, it was the hand of Priceline.

Some of the Sheraton managers apparently stuck around to run the place in its new Westin suit of clothes, which really gives one pause. It is only a five-minute walk from Crystal City Metro though.

djohannw

Thanks everyone for your opinions! I decided for the Marriott as the place to stay, basically because of the increased convenience, the lower rate that includes breakfast and the fact it has a Concierge Lounge.

As to my itinerary for the day, I have not done this exact itinerary before, but things close to it in and around D.C.. In fact I am pretty familiar with the Dulles-corridor (and by that the Leesburg Corner Outlet-center) where I go several times a year, however this time we want to shop at a place that only has a store at Potomac Mills, so this is our only option accomplish that. But thanks for the suggestion - without our restrictions this would totally make sense to shop at Leesburg Corner!

Greetings - Dirk

pmcg

Any recent experience/updates on hotels close to DCA?

Really only to sleep, coming into IAD @ 20:30, immigration, then cab to hotel (22:00 or later perhaps) then leaving DCA on AA (Terminal 2?) at 08:00 following morning.

Notice the hotels around are $220~$300+ for the date in July!
Wondering if I'm better having a Days Inn or similar, save the cash/points as it's just to sleep.

I've got IHG, Hilton & Marriot status and points so may burn some points for the stay but really just want a clean bed, shower close to the airport to reduce the time in the morning.

mcgahat

Lots of travel to DC during July so that will likely impact the rates. Keep an eye on rates, they will fluctuate quite a bit so I would not settle too quickly. You might also consider some hotels that are nears stations on the Yellow and Blue metro lines as you can take the metro right to the airport. For that same reason, I am partial to the Westin and the two Marriott properties in Crystal City as I have the option of just taking the metro instead of a shuttle as the walk is a only a couple of blocks away. I think the Crystal City properties tend to be a little pricier during the week versus weekends which can be pretty cheap. For your purpose, about any of the Crystal City properties that meet your budget on cash ore points should be fine. It is a little risky but you could also consider staying near Dulles and taking a Uber/Cab direct to DCA. Traffic will be your enemy if it is during the work week. I have found Dulles properties to be cheaper typically though.

pmcg

Many thanks.

We will stick with Airport Shuttle or Uber etc. as one of the party has a little trouble with walking distances & stairs etc.
With a bit of luggage this can be a bit slow so shuttles are the way to go.

I'll keep an eye on the rates.

Interesting option just staying at Dulles, could get to bed earlier but earlier rise in the morning for an 08:00 flight.

DELee

If you're already planning on using Uber/Lyft then look more widely than DCA or even IAD - especially on weekends since costs for hotels tends to be lower and early AM traffic is much less.

Other issue with getting to DCA and needing to use Metro is, specifically on weekends, the earliest trains into the station are too late for an 8 am flight (https://wmata.com/rider-guide/statio...port.cfm#hours)

David

djp98374

weekday or weekend?

weekday subway/metro starts operating at 5am- midnight. Friday is a little later. Saturday and Sunday it starts at 7am/8am.

dulles airport hotels shuttles stop running at around 11pm depending on the hotel.

since silver line to Dulles just opened from reston to Dulles I’m unsure on hoteks offering hotel to near metro station out there.

om a weekday you can take the subway to the airport.
last Month metro subway station opened at Dulles. Some hotels near the airport are close to the metro line. It will be about an hour subway ride from those near Dulles hotels. Uber/ Lyft/ cab are options.

along the silver line there are hotels right off stops as there are on orange line. These might be cheaper. Son hotels offer shuttle to/ from the metro station.

another option is near Springfield metro station. A few hotels are near there thst offer a shuttle service to Springfield metro. It’s about 15 min to airport on metro from there.

in july near metro stations close in to DCA like crystal city ( across fromDCA) and pentagon city and Roslyn snd alexandria will be high during summer tourist season at the $200+ rate you are seeing. They are not going to drop

Silver line runs along 267.
orange line runs along 66 from vienna and they merge.

you coukd use a can to one of these outer hotels thrn take the subway in the morning if you are flying at 8 am on a M-F. S/S flights you will need to do 2 cabs…or metro after you come from Dulles then cab in the am.

pmcg

Tuesday evening arriving for the overnight stay.

Think we are certainly going to Uber/Lyft etc. as close to DCA as we can, seems to make more sense.

Note sure what M-F S/S is?

Yes, we will do a cab in the evening from IAD then either a hotel shuttle in the morning or a cab if the hotel shuttle has not started.

djp98374

M-F =Monday thru Friday S/S Saturday/Sunday

from Dulles Washington flyer is the only cab offering from the airport.
if you do Uber/ Lyft there isn’t a designated pick up point iirc. Usual way to do it is from baggage claim levrl you will see ramp up snd ramp doen. You use the ramp up and designate a pick up door. These are very clearly seen on signage snd against the wall.

doors 2 and 6 are where the walkways to thr metro station are located. You take upward ramp from 6 and the path is on thr left. From 2 it’s up ramp snd on the right. These two will meet in a Y ( signssre clear) then it’s 3 moving walkway segments/ middle hallway to the metro entrance.

the problem is going to be finding a cheap DCA airport that operates a shuttle. Some appear close but don’t do shuttles.

thr metro ststion at DCA is very very close to the airport. From the airport pick up/ drop off points it’s across 6 lanes of roads by bridge.

at DCA

bottom floor is baggage claim and arrivals pick up
midfle floor is TSA check points snd bridge to metro and parking.
top floor is airline baggage check

you cross the bridge from metro (100 ft/30m if that) then the TSA check entry is right after the bridge ends

if you stay at a metro friendly hotel. Roslyn is 15 minutes. Pentagon city and crystal city is 5 min. Springfield is 15 min.
if you stay on orange/ silver line you have one train+ Roslyn transfer+ another. It’s sbout25 min from ehere they meet to Roslyn. 5-10 min transfer time.

the crystal city marriot is right at the crystal city metro station. Ritz-Carlton is right at pentagon city metro station.

i just picked a random July Tuesday and everything is over $200/ night. There is no sweet spot of cheaper hotel that has a shuttle. The cheapest hotels are Dulles airport ones that have an airport shuttle. Then in the am you can Uber/ Lyft to DCA leaving hotel around 530am. Or you use cab/ Lyft/ Uber to DCA shuttle hotel snd pay tho over $200 per night rate.

many who travel to DC for visit don’t rent cars because you don’t need one. But the trade off is paying higher hotel rates in lieu of car rental cost+ parking cost. Hotels in DC charge $50 per for cars parking and then parking elsewhere costs more.

so DCA hotels are popular options for tourists to stay at on their visit. That's why rates are so high. People who bring a lot of luggage can opt fir the shuttle hoteks without having to pay for cab each way or lugging them.

I live about a mile from DCA in Alexandria near a subway station. I know the area along the subway line from pentagon city- alexandria around DCA quite well.

pmcg

Many thanks for all the good information, a great help and I will study in detail.

I've just paid to extend (bought points) my Marriot points so may end up just burning these as I don't stay at Marriot anymore.

DELee

Just a reminder that, as a work day in the National Capitol Region, hotel rooms on Tuesday night will be driven up by both business folk as well as sightseers travelling. So again room costs will be high.


Confirm that your hotel both has its shuttle to DCA running early enough as well as making sure that you and your group have a reservation for the one you want (basically confirm with the front desk as early as possible) if you go that route.

David

pmcg

Thanks, yes got that, will 100% be a points stay somewhere.


Was checking that today, could see that the likes of Holiday Inn had a shuttle that started early am.
Will of course make sure we are booked for the early departure.

djp98374

Almost all hotels start them by 6am so you would be good for an 8 am flight. If your flight was at 6am you could run into problems and needing other methods.

just make sure they have them existing on their website in amenities or in a description paragraph

blue2chse

Just spent the night at the Sheraton Pentagon City. The rooms have been renovated since the last time I was there 5 years ago, and they have an airport shuttle. It's a little further away, but for $76 for a Friday night, it was a good deal.

IADCAflyer

DCA area hotels are at a premium in July - its a high travel season period for those who are insane enough to DC in July. Eeks.

The notion of staying near Dulles is an interesting one. Hotels in general are much less expensive out near IAD. You could take the metro - although you said one in your party has some mobility limitations....