With a life-long hotel obsession, it was natural that my move to our nation’s capital would lead to a job with a major hotel chain representing its hotels in the Washington, D.C., area. This interest, combined with my job experience, renders me an unofficial hotel guru among my friends. The great thing I’ve learned about D.C. is that regardless of your preference, there is a hotel to suit absolutely every need, whim, desire and—most importantly—budget.

Downtown   

Penn Quarter Hotels   

Finding a good “home base” in Washington, D.C., can be a frustrating endeavor if you don’t do your research. If you want to be downtown near the monuments and museums on the National Mall, know that the closest hotel is still a good 10- to 15-minute walk away. The Penn Quarter neighborhood surrounding 7th Street near the Verizon Center sports arena is not the closest to the Mall, but it’s a great option that is still walking distance from the popular sites and has a Metro stop nearby (Gallery Place/Chinatown: Red, Yellow and Green lines). This revitalized area between the White House and the U.S. Capitol is one of D.C.’s hottest neighborhoods featuring art galleries, shopping, theaters and a variety of interesting restaurant options. 

• Hotel Monaco, www.monaco-dc.com, 700 F St. NW, tel. 202-649-1202 or 800-649-1202, Metro-Gallery Place/Chinatown: Fun Kimpton hotel in D.C.’s former General Post Office building where parents can still feel young and hip. Pets are also welcome or the hotel can loan you a goldfish to keep in your room during your stay. Best of all, it is next door to the International Spy Museum. Rates from $219. (Read more about this great kids museum and other cultural sights in our Museums and Memorials article.)

• Hampton Inn, www.washingtondc.hamptoninn.com, 901 6th St NW, tel. 202-842-2500, Metro-Gallery Place/Chinatown: A less flashy option but in the same terrific neighborhood with slightly lower rates. Family-friendly amenities include in-room fridge, free hot buffet breakfast and an indoor pool. Rates from $229.
  

Historic Hotels in Downtown Washington, D.C.

If you are insistent on staying as close to the National Mall as possible, take the opportunity to immerse yourself in culture and history by checking into a historic hotel. Following are some hotel gems that make you forget why you didn’t want to stay downtown in the first place.

• A peek into the Hotel Monaco in Washington, D.C.
• delgaudm

• Willard Intercontinental, www.washington.interconti.com, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, tel. 202-628-9100 or 800-827-1747, M. Metro Center (Red, Orange or Blue lines): Learn why its lobby is responsible for the coining of the word, “lobbyist.” Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his “I Have a Dream” speech in one of the hotel rooms. Photographic museum of the history of the hotel is on the first floor. Rates from $229.
  

• Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, www.renaissancehotels.com, 1227 Connecticut Avenue, tel. 202-347-3000 or 800-468-3571, M. Farragut (North-Red line): Franklin Delano Roosevelt penned his inaugural address in room 570 and John F. Kennedy was a resident while he was a senator. Ask the concierge for a self-guided tour of the hotel that highlights its illustrious history. Historic photographic and memorabilia is on display on the mezzanine level. Rates from $199.
  

Woodley Park/National Zoo Neighborhood

An alternative to pricier downtown hotels is to consider hotels just outside of downtown for the weekends. Located a few blocks north of Dupont Circle and a short walk from the National Zoo are two of the city’s largest convention hotels but they also are two of the city’s most historic hotels. Since the hotels cater to the business convention crowd during the week, there are often great deals on weekend rates when the hotels need to fill rooms. 

• Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, www.marriott.com/wasdt, 2660 Woodley Rd. NW, tel. 202-328-2000 or 800-228-9290, M. Woodley Park/National Zoo (Red line): Ask for a room in the historic Wardman Tower. The main building where the majority of rooms are located is your standard chain hotel and the rooms can be small. There is a large fitness center, as well as two outdoor pools. Rates from $169.
  

• Omni Shoreham, www.omnishorehamhotel.com, 2500 Calvert St. NW, tel. 202-234-0700 or 800-843-6664, M. Woodley Park/National Zoo (Red line): Ask for a room overlooking Rock Creek Park. Rooms are large and the hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, as well as a children’s pool. A jogging and bike path through Rock Creek Park is just outside the hotel. Rates from $199. Special American Express family package rate from $159 for AMEX card holders.