I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City (Arlington, VA) for three nights, Friday - Monday, March 6-9, 2009. I paid $55 per night through Priceline. I originally only bid for Saturday and Sunday nights, but was offered the opportunity to add nights at the same rate and location on both ends of my reservation, so added Friday night after checking to ensure I could get cheap airfare to DC on Friday as well as Saturday. (I saved enough $$ by not flying in on Monday to more than cover the cost of the 3 nights' hotel costs and 3 days of meals. Why are Saturday night stayovers a requirement by AIRLINES? They're not in the hotel business also, are they?) The hotel was quite nice. I would rate it four stars, but only because the bathroom was small. I had a king room with a very comfortable bed. The room included a full size desk with worklight and power strip for my portable electronics, sofa that would comfortably seat 3-4 adults, a chair, coffee table, two end tables and armoire containg a 32" flat screen tv. If anyone had phoned me using the hotel phone instead of my mobile, I had my choice of three phones to use to answer the call. The hotel is difficult to access unless you are a local accustomed to the streets. As I was not driving, it wasn't a problem for me. I used the free hotel shuttle from Reagan National airport and also to the Pentagon City Metro station. Cabs in the Virginia area are cheap, especially vs. the DC prices. A limo to Capitol Hill for four people was $17.00. Not bad in cold, snowy weather! When I needed to transfer to my conference hotel on Monday morning, there were no cabs available due to a winter storm overnight. The hotel shuttle took me (at no charge) to my conference at a rival hotel. Downsides: No refrigerator or microwave in the room. There are no low-cost food options in the hotel or within easy walking distance. I took the Metro to Pentagon City Metro station and went into Pentagon City mall for meals, or ate somewhere before returning to the hotel. I went back to Reagen National airport via Metro from downtown DC for a meal at Legal Seafood. I then took the (free) shuttle back to the hotel, which kept me out of the wind and snow in both directions. The hotel internet service is expensive -- approximately $12.00/day for T-Mobile hotspot. I followed the popup link to T-Moble and purchased a one-day pass for $5.95 instead of using the hotel's "convenient" link to bill internet access to my room.
