Hotwire Hotel: help with ID 3* in Tysons Corner

[hilltopfamily]

I'm looking at a 3* in Crystal City/Reagan Nat'l Airport DCA and haven't had luck ID'ing it.

Icons are: Pool, Fitness Center, Business Center. Is listed as a "Best Value" and runs $108 per night for July 13-18th stay. It says it retails for $169 per night typically. Ideas please? Any chance this could be the Embassy Suites Crystal City (which is the place I've really been looking for in Crystal City). Thanks in advance!

[thereuare]

I'm doubtful this would be the Embassy Suites.

It is a match for the Crowne Plaza Hotel Washington National Airport hotel so that would be our best guess.

Let us know whatever you decide to do or if we can be of further help.

[hilltopfamily]

thanks for your response. I' still undecided as to whether to go with this or not....a good friend of mine has been trying to "sell me" on using priceline for better $$ savings. I'm fearful because although I'd like the savings, I really want a place with a pool and see no way to insure that if I go through priceline. Is my worry/concern true, or is there a way I can be pretty sure of finding a priceline hotel with a pool ( perhaps by choosing particular # of stars, or regions?) thanks for any further input you may have on this. I much appreciate the help. I was quite successful last summer w/your help in finding a Chicago hotel via hotwire. :)

[TravelGuy]

Good news: All the Priceline 3* hotels that have come up in the Crystal City zone have pools. I would be very surprised if Priceline wouldn't be substantially less expensive than the Hotwire offering..

[hilltopfamily]

So I could feel safe in bidding priceline for a 3* in Crystal City, getting a hotel with a pool and close to the metro? Just seeking clarification (and reassurance I guess, seeing as how I'm not much of a "gambler" by nature :) ) The 2.5 * listing for Crystal City looks like it would be the Courtyard by Marriott and reviews of that property say it is NOT convenient to metro, so I'm thinking that wouldn't be a good one.

Or here is another thought--- it looks as if there is only one 2.5 * property in Convention center/Capitol hill area: The Courtyard Conv. Center. It states it is quite close to metro and has a pool. Might this be a better overall plan for a mom taking her 12 and 9 year old kiddos to DC for the first time ever (not planning on getting a car).

Overall, I am mainly looking for the best deal on place that has a pool and is close to metro for July 13-18 for mom and 2 kids. I would bid 4* if I knew I would have a pool, meaning I'm not adverse to bidding higher stars, just gotta have the pool for the kiddos after a day of siteseeing! As always, thanks for any light you can shed on the overall strategy for getting this! (Guess I'm now looking closer at using Priceline than hotwire for the potential savings of $$$.)

[TravelGuy]

As I mentioned, all the 3*'s that have ever come up in Crystal City have pools (and most if not all of them are outdoor). It's theoretically possible, but highly unlikely that you would get a hotel that's never been reported. But even in that event it's highly likely that any unreported hotel would have a pool IMO because in that zone just about every hotel has one, if not all. Just avoid 2.5* bidding in that zone if you don't want the Courtyard (which has a shuttle to the Metro 2/3 mile away every 15 minutes that would take 2-3 minutes to get there).

The problem with bidding 2.5* in Convention Center/Capital Hill is that you very well might get upgraded to a 3* that doesn't have a pool.

If you were willing to pay $108 for the Hotwire 3* in Crystal City, you may very well be able to get a 4* for about $110 in DC. Your safest 4* bet for getting a pool in town would be Dupont Circle/Woodley Park. There are only two 4*'s that have come up in this zone, the Omni and the Westin Embassy Row. The Omni comes up most of the time and has a terrific outdoor pool. The Westin/ER doesn't have a pool on site *but* they let you use the one at the Westin Grand. A potential problem should you get the Westin however, is that I believe the rooms with 2 beds are just twins.

Another good 4* option would be in Arlington, where there is only one 4*, the Westin Arlington Gateway. It's just across the river from DC in a pleasant area, an easy wak to a Metro and has an indoor pool. Their rates for your dates are just $210, so I think you may be able to get it for around $80 or so.

[hilltopfamily]

great info, Travelguy!

I'm convinced~~~thank you so much! I'll either bid on the 4* in Arlington or go w/a 3* in Crystal City. Looks like a great deal either way. I've just got to firm up the dates for certain, since there is no backing out once I bid. I'll make sure to use the links here on this site when I do and I'll post back with what I end up getting. Thanks again for all the help :) It's much appreciated!

[hilltopfamily]

3* in Tysons Corner

Sorry, but I'm not able to find any Hotwire hotel listings for Tysons Corner area. Am I not looking in right area/place? Anyway, I see a 3* with fitness, pool, restaurant, business center for $121 per night for July 19-25th. Anyone have ideas on what it would be? thanks! :)

[thereuare]

Is this in addition to, or is it replacing, your previous Hotwire Washington DC thread?

Are these dates firm or are you still finalizing your plans?

[hilltopfamily]

these are now firm dates and airline has been booked (different from earlier dates I looked at) and I have added another child to the plans, so have been looking and looking at properties that will accomodate us at this different time and with different needs. (I will now be bringing along a partially disabled daughter who will use a wheelchair part of the time, so I'm especially looking at properties close to metro sites, thus the need to check into as many possibilities as possible prior to my final decision and booking). Thanks.

[hilltopfamily]

as an update to my earier postings:

I ended up having to change our dates to July 19-25th (airfare is booked) and I added my 15 yr. old daughter (who is partially disabled and will use a wheelchair for longer mobility needs) to our trip so I've been looking at different times and properties. I really have to narrow it down to one close to metro for our needs, so I've started a new thread requesting info on a site in Tysons Corner. I hope I was right in starting a new thread since I had changed aspects of this? I did end up bidding 3 different days on Priceline for the 4* in Arlington but was not successful getting it, even with 3 rebids each time. (BTW, would this warrant a thread on the priceline part of this board regarding my unsuccessful attempts?)

Thanks everyone so very, very much for all your help....this board was absolutely invaluable last summer when I took the same kids and made the journey to Chicago. We got a GREAT hotel there via Hotwire and this site! Ended up with big family suite at the Palmer House Hilton for great price. Guess I'm just trying to recreate that same great experience this time around with our trip to DC. Hope I end up doing it!!! :)

Thanks again!

[thereuare]

I've merged your threads into this one... please keep all threads for the same stay in the same thread. If dates change just make note of that and continue the existing thread.

The above property has not yet been identified, but if i were to take a guess i'd suspect that the Doubletree is a good possibility.

It's been awhile since i've been to this area, but if i recall correctly you'd need a car to get to the metro from just about anywhere in this area.

Please use this HOTWIRE link for any purchases you make.

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[hilltopfamily]

well, thank you again to all who helped me out with this difficult decision! I decided against Priceline bid as I checked the 3* sites in Crystal City (what a terrific priceline map you made, thereyouare!) and one of them that was coming up with winning bids had no double-bedded rooms avail so I just didn't feel that priceline was a good choice for the 4 of us (not that much of a gambler, I guess!) Took to heart the advice on Tysons corner not being good for metro travel, and couldn't see paying the high rates for 3*Crystal City sites via Hotwire (they were like $179 a night I think!) so ended up deciding against both Priceline and Hotwire for this trip but definitely will continue trying to find a match for us with them in the future!

I ended up finding the Holiday Inn Telegraph Road in Alexandria (1/2 block to metro, indoor pool, free breakfast to priority members) at fairly good rate ($133 per night average) and it meets all my criteria for this trip (2 beds, close to metro, pool, great reviews on tripadvisor). Disappointed that I wasn't able to "get a great deal" this time around via Priceline or Hotwire, but guess I got tired and felt the "safe bet" was probably prudent at this point.

I used the "Travel Links to support BetterBIdding" to book this hotel stay :) Thanks again, everyone!

[thereuare]

Glad you found something that works well for your needs... sometimes you can't put a price on peace of mind :)

Thank you for using the Holiday Inn link from our support page.

Have a great trip.