Priceline Hotel: 4* DC (Dupont Circle - Woodley Park) Omni Shoreham

[KatiesMom]

We just recieved my daughter's school schedule and my husband would like us to take her on a short trip to D.C. over Columbus Day weekend.

We'd check in 10/8 and check out the morning of 10/11 (3 nights).

D.C. hotels confuse the heck out of me. I read an hour's worth of tripadvisor.com and am no better off than before I started.

If anyone can help with advice I appreciate it.

There will be 3 of us (2 adults/one 16 year old). We plan on focusing on the Smithsonian and glancing at the usual historical sites. Not opposed to taking subway to destinations, in fact we prefer it to driving around and parking. Would like our hotel to be nice and comfortable. The key for us to bid Priceline is we need a room to accomodate 3. For NYC that would prevent me from bidding 3* but I'm comfortable bidding 4* in NYC because those caliber hotels are more accomodating and I don't mind chatting it up with desk clerks.

There are so many neighborhoods in D.C.... Any suggestions and advice are appreciated. I'm ready to bid now. Thank you! :)

[KatiesMom]

I just did a quick Hotwire search for our dates... There is a 3.5* in White House/Capitol for $106/night that sounds like the Club Quarters (restaurant, fitness, internet, laundry). Reviews on here seem to indicate the rooms are tiny so this would not be one I would be interested in.

There is a 4* Dupont Circle, restaurant, fitness, tennis, for $137/night that sounds like the Westin Embassy. Any thought about this one?

I'm still probably going to bid priceline...I'm just not sure where to begin....

[thereuare]

I'd wait to see if gleff or TravelGuy respond... they know the DC area much better than i do (i'll be happy to give a strategy once a zone is chosen).

[TravelGuy]

If you're interested in a 4*, I think that Dupont Circle/Woodley Park is a very good choice. You get an urban vibe blended with somewhat of a residential feel - the excitement of being in town, yet the peacefulness of being a bit removed from it. If you're interested in this zone, I would definitely use Priceline. The price range for a successful bid at 4*'s should be $80-110.

There are two 4*'s that have come up in the Dupont Circle/Woodley Park zone, the Westin Embassy Row and the Omni Shoreham.

The Westin Embassy Row is a swanky, pretty formal hotel with a great location on the embassy lined portion of Massachusetts Ave., just before where the downtown office buildings begin. It's just a short walk from the Dupont Circle Metro stop. Dormant on Priceline for the last couple of years, it has been making a reappearance lately.

The Omni is a large, very good hotel with flourishes of elegance, although fairly old school and somewhat convention-like. It's in Woodley Park, a primarily residential setting, but with restaurants and cafes, and still quite close to downtown. The Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro stop is just a half block. The hotel has unusually large, very well appointed rooms (I believe around twice the size of the average hotel room.)

Another good 4* option would be the Convention Center/Capital Hill zone, further downtown, closer to the Smithsonian and National Mall. (But IMO it gets rather dead down there after the workday has ended - and here you are smack in the middle of the downtown office buildings.) However, the Grand Hyatt comes up often in this zone (for $69/70), and would make for an excellent stay.

One last idea: Embassy Suites Downtown. $149 on Orbitz. *But* $171 on embassysuites.com, so you should be entitled to their lowest rate guarantee upon booking on embassysuites.com first, then showing them a print-out of the Orbitz rate. According to the info on their website, it looks like they'll match the Orbitz rate and give you a $50 Amex gift certificate. So you're looking at $133 for a two-room suite, plus free full breakfast for 3 people each day with free drinks and snacks at the daily manager's reception in the late afternoon. Nice deal!

[TravelGuy]

I forgot to say that 4* in the Downtown/White House zone would be another good option to consider. The JW Marriott has been coming up a lot at $70 or so - a very good hotel centrally located to the Smithsonian museums and with easy access to Metro.

In sum, I would say that if you want to be very close to the National Mall and museums and don't mind an exclusively urban setting, go for the Convention Center/Capital Hill or Downtown/White House zones. If you'd rather put a little distance between yourselves and the office buildings, but still be very close to the action, try Dupont Circle/Woodley Park. The Embassy Suites would be nice in that it would give mom/dad and daughter private sleeping quarters.

[KatiesMom]

Thank you, thank you Travel Guy and Better Bidding!

I got the Omni Shoreham for $120.00/night

We changed our dates--- Check in 10/7/04, Check out 10/10/04, 3 nights

As this is Columbus Day Weekend, rates are very high. I moved our trip up one day because I noticed a huge difference in prices/availability with a Thursday v. Friday check-in. Since my daughter is off from school Thursday, it made no difference to us.. The Omni Shoreham's Web site lists their lowest room at $335/night (mega ouch).

What a luxury 5 rebids is and I used em all. Started at $65 (just had to test the waters) then $80, $90, $100, $110 and finally $120.00.

The hotel and location sound perfect for us. Thanks again. Travel Guy. Also, Thereuare, I used SavingsBarn link.

[thereuare]

Glad to hear of your success.

I must say that this board has become a great resource of travelers from all over the world and i'm thankful for the community that we have built and continues to evolve. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part everyone is willing to help other users and the recipients are very appreciative of the information that they receive.

I hope your family had a great trip and a great stay... and thank you for the support. :)