Hotwire Hotel: 4* DC (Dupont Circle-Embassy Row) Hotel Palomar

[ang4vols]

Hello! I am new and have been researching with the help of this forum for several days. I would like to surprise my husband for his 40th birthday with a trip to Washington DC. I would like to go 6/7/08-6/14/08. I would prefer to stay somewhere for under $100 per night, has free parking and is within walking distance or has a shuttle for the metro. Mostly, I have been looking at hotwire although I would be open to priceline. When I search, hotwire is coming up with a 2.5 * in Alexandria and Old Town for $62.00 per night. When I looked in the other thread, I am thinking this might be the Hawthorne Suites because that is what was referenced; however, I am not convinced for 2 reasons. First, Hawthorne Suites does not have a restaurant yet the hotwire search indicates a restaurant. Second, Hawthorne Suites has a pool which didn't show up in the hotwire info. Can you please tell me your opinion on if you think it is Hawthorne Suites and if not, any idea of what it could be?

I also have a few other questions:

1. Do you think it is too early to be looking for a good deal because the trip isn't for another 6 months?

2. Does the $32.00 7 day fast pass cover unlimited metrorail travel for all hours and distances?

3. Do most of the hotels on hotwire or priceline in the area have a shuttle to the metro if it isn't in walking distance? If not, how would I be able to pick one out on hotwire or priceline that I would know I would be able to get to the metro.

Thank you so much for any help, advice and opinions! Angela :)

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Regarding the 2.5* HOTWIRE hotel... what are the complete list of amenities associated with the property HOTWIRE is offering?

1. Do you think it is too early to be looking for a good deal because the trip isn't for another 6 months?

See the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ.

2. Does the $32.00 7 day fast pass cover unlimited metrorail travel for all hours and distances?

I'm not familiar with it, but THIS LINK from the WMTA suggests it's unlimited.

3. Do most of the hotels on hotwire or priceline in the area have a shuttle to the metro if it isn't in walking distance? If not, how would I be able to pick one out on hotwire or priceline that I would know I would be able to get to the metro.

I wouldn't make the assumption that all have a shuttle or are walkable. Never any guarantees, but your best bet in this situation would be to use HOTWIRE and try to figure out the hotel offered, then determine if that property is close to a Metro stop or offers a shuttle.

Please use our HOTWIRE link for your searches/purchases.

[ang4vols]

Regarding the 2.5* amenties: They are: Free breakfast, fitness, restaurant and laundry.

I will definitely use your link for my searches and purchase.

I guess worst case scenario, I could use the HOTWIRE link and make a reservation for 1 of the nights there (at the 2.5*) just to see what exactly it is and then book the rest of the week there if it is walking distance or has a shuttle to the metro. If it is the Hawthorne Suites, that would be my first choice.

I have found a Days Inn in Arlington that also seems to fit my criteria, but it is only a 2*. Do you have a link I could use if I decide to go with that?

Thank you so much for your help and advice!

[thereuare]

Given the Hawthorne Suites doesn't have a Restaurant i'm doubtful that is the hotel you're being offered.

You could purchase one nite in order to "look behind the curtain", but you first need to make sure that the same hotel (based upon the amenities) is being offered for the remainder of your stay. Currently on my HOTWIRE searches, i can't get the same hotel to appear using a variety of different search dates.

If you do split the purchase as such, please be sure to use our HOTWIRE link for each purchase (ie- click our link and make the first purchase, if satisfied, return here and click our HOTWIRE link again to begin the second purchase)

Is splitting twice (3 hotels... 2 hotel changes) a possibility? In searching the dates above i did find a 3.5* hotel for just about the same amount of money, and this would be an incrase in quality rating (but note no free breakfast nor hi-speed internet, if either are important to you). I believe this hotel is likely the Sheraton Suites, available for beginning nites of your stay as well as the ending nites, but still leaves 3 nites in the middle. If corret on this ID, the hotel is about 8 blocks from a Metro station, but if that's too far, they have a shuttle to the airport where you can get the Metro (as per their front desk)

Let us know your thoughts on the above and/or if you're able to get the original hotel above to appear for two seprate portions of your stay.

EDIT TO ADD: i did get the same hotel to appear when splitting the purchase 6/7-6/10 and 6/10-6/14... but not sure if you'd want to 'risk' 3 nites in order to see the name of the hotel

[ang4vols]

Thank you so much for all of your ideas and help!!!

Using your HOTWIRE link, this morning a new hotel came up. It was a 4* in the Dupont Circle/Embassy Row for $99 night 6/7/08-6/14/08. The amenities were fitness, pool, restaurant, business and high speed internet. Given the fantastic location, I went ahead and booked it for that price. It ended up being Hotel Palomar, Washingon D.C.- A Kimpton Hotel. I will record this information in the proper place. Now, I just need to figure out what to do about parking because it is $32.50/day. We don't need the car all week so I hate to pay that much to just let a car sit. I am hoping to maybe park somewhere much cheaper and take the metro to the hotel.

[ang4vols]

4* Dupont Circle/Embassy Row

Hotel Palomar- Washington DC- A Kimpton Hotel

Amenities: fitness, pool, restaurant, business, high speed internet

$99.00 per night

6/7/08-6/14/08

Please note: Parking is extra $32.00 per night

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to hear that this hotel appeared out of the blue for you and you were jumped in it! Looks like a great rate and a great place to celebrate his birthday.

Thank you for sharing your results with the board and for using our HOTWIRE link to begin your purchase.

Not sure which direction you're heading to Washington DC from, but perhaps you can find a remote location outside of the city (near a commuter railroad line) where you can park your car for the week less expensively than in the city itself.

Thanks again and have a great trip!

[ang4vols]

Thank you so much!! I am definitely going to try to figure out something on parking. I read that 3 of the metro's have limited multiple day parking that is available on a 1st come basis. Also, there is supposed to be some free street parking in some places although I'm not confident in being able to get that. Also, I am going to look into the airport to try to figure out if I can park there and find a way to the metro.

I have a quick question, what is the difference between this thread and the pinned topic in the other thread (hotwire hotel list). Is this one where people are just getting bidding help and recording what they won and the other one is a consolidated list?

[blindman]

I have a quick question, what is the difference between this thread and the pinned topic in the other thread (hotwire hotel list). Is this one where people are just getting bidding help and recording what they won and the other one is a consolidated list?

Spot on

it is ONLY a compilation of hotels that have already been reported on this forum

The hotel lists can only be amended by Admins

[thereuare]

I am going to look into the airport to try to figure out if I can park there and find a way to the metro.

Using Metro to get to Airports

[ang4vols]

Thanks for that link!!! It looks like Reagan National has economy parking for $10.00/day so if I can't find multiple day parking at the metro, I will park at the airport. . Here is what I found about the multiple day parking at the Metro

"Note: There is no charge for multi-day parking beyond the regular fee (paid with a SmarTrip card) on the day of exit, if customers exit during collection hours (10:30 a.m. - midnight on Monday - Thursday, and 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 a.m. Friday). Multiple day parking is available at three stations: Greenbelt, Huntington and Franconia-Springfield. Each of these stations has between 15 and 17 spaces allocated for multi-day use of up to 10 days, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis."

http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/daily-parking.cfm

So, if I am reading the above correctly, it looks like I may be able to park for free all week at the metro multiple day spots because we are arriving and leaving on a Saturday. Is that how you intrepret the above?

[thereuare]

Sounds correct, but i'd try to find out from a local if this is the case. As well, 15-17 spots doesn't seem like a lot at all :)