Hotwire Hotel: Please help ID 2.5* (South of Mall)

[Atko]

Hi again,

Looking to book my last hotel for our around the US trip starting in a week. This time Washington DC.

I'm trying to identify 2.5* (South of Mall)

Amenities:

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business

High Speed Internet

Golf

Tennis

T/A 3.5/5 100+ reviews

5/14-5/16 $151

I realise that this property is not yet positively identified (someone has previously asked about it) but I'm looking for a best guess. I'm thinking its CAPITOL SKYLINE HOTEL. Trip Advisor for Capitol Skyline currently shows 3/5 (not 3.5/5) from 100 reviews. The location matches, and Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, and Business Centre amenities match (though I can't find mention of Internet, Golf or Tennis as amenities). It's also in your list of HOTWIRE hotels as 2* with no amenities supplied by user. Couldn't find any other hotels on Trip Advisor that seem to match.

I'm specifically looking for walking distance to the Air and Space Museum, so I believe I'm looking for South of Mall or White House Capitol Hill areas only. Prices seem extraordinarily high for my dates. The only hotels that seem remotely affordable in these areas are down around this star rating. Any idea why so expensive or is this typical for Washington (it's more than I paid for 4* Times Square hotel!) Am I looking in expensive areas - should I be looking further afield. We're only in Washington for 2 nights and just want to be relatively close to the National Mall and the Air and Space Museum in particular so we can make the most of our spare time when we're not on our tour.

Thanks fior any advice you can give,

Atko.

[Atko]

PS If I tried PRICELINE instead to try to make the hotel a bit more affordable, which PRICELINE areas should I look at to again be close to the National Mall and Air and Space Museum, and what do you think I'd have to bid for around a 3 - 3.5 * hotel?

A maximum I would want to pay would be about $120 p/n (this converts to $170 aussie dollars which seems really high just for a hotel room!).

What would a bid up to that amount as a maxium get me in Washington do you think?

[thereuare]

For starters, there are two locations for the Air and Space Museum... i'll assume you're refering to the one at Independence Avenue at 6th Street, SW?

Washington DC has a very good mass transit subway system (the Metro), and there are multiple metro stops near the Smithsonian. Not sure of your price vs. convenience factor, but are you open to other areas of the city which would put you a short train ride away from the museum?

For example, i think the Sheraton Suites (Alexandria) is available for your dates for ~$120/nite. You could walk 7 blocks to the metro station and take the blue line to the Smithsonian (or the hotel claims it would be easier to take their shuttle to the airport and take the metro from there...although i'm not familiar enough with this area to comment which woudl indeed be best).... but either certain sounds do-able, but you may want to inquire first as to how long the metro ride would be just to confirm.

Thoughts?

[Atko]

Thereuare,

Thanks for the alternate suggestion - definitely good for the price and do-able! But I checked out the size of the suites there however and they look just a bit too small for the 3 of us - will keep it in mind though if all else fails.

It is the National Mall that we want to be near.

Our dates may have just moved forward by a day because we are watching a Space Shuttle launch before we fly to Washington, and it looks like the launch may now be a day earlier, moving our whole stay in Washington one day earlier.

I think the only way I'm going to be able to afford accomdoation in Washington is with PRICELINE (unless a much better HOTWIRE deal comes up in the meantime.) To close off this thread, can you please give me a rough idea of what you think I could successfully bid for up to about 3.5* to 4* for around our dates in Convention Centre - Capitol Hill, or White House - Downtown zones.

(Sorry if this is broad question - I'm just trying to plan ahead and like I said I will probably only know our exact dates very close to the actual stay because they're subject to the Space Shuttle taking off.)

Thanks.

Atko.

[thereuare]

Rates are date specific and can, and do, change often, and can also change with the inclusion/omission of just one day... just continue this thread once your dates are firm and we'll take a look at current rates at that time and advise accordingly.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[Atko]

Our dates now appear firm for Washington (Space shuttle was indeed officially brought forward by a day today).

We will be checking in on 13 May and checking out on 15 May (2 nights). Looking for 2 rooms, 3 adults total.

I'd like to use PRICELINE as HOTWIRE looks just completely unaffordable. Can you suggest what and how I should bid to ensure I only get a hotel in either the Convention Center-Capitol Hill zone, or the White House-Downtown zone.

Any hotel 3* or above would suit fine.

Thanks yet again.

(PS I'll miss not checking your site constantly once I've booked this last hotel - it's been quite good fun.)

[thereuare]

(PS I'll miss not checking your site constantly once I've booked this last hotel - it's been quite good fun.)

No reason you can't still come by and visit :) Plenty of users "hang out" here, just to see where the deals are (and some book an unexpected trip just because the deal is so good) or help others with places they're familiar with.

With HOTWIRE prices "completely unaffordable" i'm not sure if you will be success with PRICELINE, which is usually a little less, but not a lot less.

To give it a try using your original $120 maximum bid i would try as follows:

At the 3* level you have TWO re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)

Select 3* Convention Center-Capitol Hill...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $105, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* White House-Downtown...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $105, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Convention Center-Capitol Hill and White House-Downtown...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120

Any quesitons feel free to ask.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.