I really can't think of any bad neighborhoods that have hotels that one would choose. There are some along New York Ave NE that are not in a nice place, but not too many are there to begin with.

It would be easier to just narrow down your choices (and if you need help, your EXACT dates and number of people and beds will be needed) and people can let you know what they think.

Dupont Circle and the Penn Quarter and two good neighborhood choices.

Dupont Circle and Penn Quarter are both terrific neighborhoods, but you also might consider the Hilton Garden Inn, which is within spitting distance of the White House and right across the street from the McPherson Square metro station. It's very nice (large comfortable rooms).

Thanks you two! I had my eye on that Hilton. I'm a little nervous that we'll be in DC the same weekend as the cherry blossom parade. Crowds and small children are a challenge.

We'll be in DC 4/11-4/15. We fly out of BMI 4/16 and are also looking for an airport hotel for easy morning travel for 8am flight. I hope, one that has a shuttle.

Yikes! That is a tough time to be in DC. Many private & public schools send their middle school age kids on their respective school's annual DC trip around that time.

We've only stayed in Dupont Circle and loved it because it is close to the metro system and there are a ton a great restaurants. It is also a very walkable area.

>>Are there neighborhoods you wouldn't feel comfortable leaving your hotel at 7pm?<<

None in your price range that cater to visitors. Dupont & Penn Quarter are great suggestions for neighborhoods with easy metro access. Penn Quarter is a couple of city block's walk to the National Mall. The Hilton Garden Inn at McPherson Square is a very good hotel in easy walking distance to the White House and then on to the Mall. Also near a metro. Its location is less "neighborhoody" and more of a business district. But plenty of families with kids stay there.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a popular event for locals and visitors. The city will be packed unless the weather is dismal. There are a lot a special events which are great fun for families, but I do hear your comment that crowds and young children can be an issue.

>>We fly out of BMI 4/16<<

You mean BWI, I'm assuming, and there are plenty of hotels near BWI with airport shuttles. If you want a shuttle from downtown DC to BWI for a weekday 8am flight you'll be looking at a 5 am departure.

>>Many private & public schools send their middle school age kids on their respective school's annual DC trip around that time. <<

Spring for school groups in DC always is busy but it's much busier in May nearer to the end of the school year. I wouldn't consider it a "tough time" to visit DC.

For the last year, I've stayed at various DC area hotels each week on business and can give you two recomendations that are pretty different from each other. First, near DuPont Circle, I would look at The Fairfax at Embassy Row. It is close to the Metro (2 blocks), close to Connecticut Avenue shops and restaurants and not to far from Georgetown. It is a classic old school DC hotel (Al Gore lived there with his family as a child), has a great lounge (JFK and Jackie supposedly frequented) but the hotel itself is not exactly what I would call "family friendly." They have small suites, the X01 room numbers on each floor have adjacent rooms that can be added/linked if you want to blow the budget. A standard room is about $250. Secondly, I would look at Marriott's Residence Inn Courthouse in Arlington, VA. It is right on the Metro, has lots of restaurants and a movie theater next door. The rooms are about $300, but are large with a kitchenette and sitting area. Rate includes breakfast buffet and dinner buffett on weekdays. This place has a small indoor pool. I agree with the previous comment, in April, things can get a little nutty on The Mall with school groups and Cherry Blossom festival. Book early and have fun!

With children 5 and 7, I would definitely NOT choose the Fairfax at Embassy Row!

.....well, if it was good enough for a young Al Gore....but, seriously, before you book any room I would check this site: http://www.bedbugregistry.com/....Hilton Garden Inn has a few incidents reported there.

The photos of the Fairfax are stunning in a classic way. Lot's of glass decorations which could be trouble.

Bedbugs! Oh my gosh!! Thanks for the web site.

Has anyone had experience with the Capital Hilton, Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Sofitel DC Lafayette Square, or the St. Regis...the name alone sounds spendy?

>>Has anyone had experience with the Capital Hilton, Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Sofitel DC Lafayette Square, or the St. Regis<<

They are all very nice higher end downtown DC hotels. Some are in slightly closer proximity to metro stations but none are far from one. My own personal preference from that list would be the St Regis and the Sofitel.

I'm not understanding what makes the Fairfax such a non starter for ages 5 & 7. The St. Regis will have very similar decor. I must be missing something.

I have no idea either.

NO tourist would likely stay in a hotel in a neighborhood that might be undesirable, it just wouldn't cross their radar screen when looking for hotels, they'd be pretty far out and inconvenient.

I personally wouldn't choose a hotel in Columbia Heights but I don't even know if there are that many. I hate the Chinatown area, also and wouldn't choose there. Both areas are rather hectic, which is one reason, but there can be more crime around those metro stations and streets than some other parts of town.

I'm only looking at a Google map when coming up with these hotels (St. Regis, etc.) as I want to be near the White House.

I've just heard from my father, who lived in DC in the 60's, and his work (FBI) told him of areas just north of the capitol that weren't safe. I don't picture us staying towards the Union Station area, so we should be good.

The reason I recommended against the Fairfax for a family with young children is that we once stayed in DC at a very posh hotel (it was then the ANA in or near Foggy Bottom). Every time my kids opened their mouths in something more than a whisper, we got dirty looks. Just not what I'd call kid-friendly.

A good point sf. I'd like to relax while on vaca. Same reason why I won't stay at the Grand Floridian in Lake Buena Vista.

I've just begun to explain to the kids that all hotels don't have pools. Now I'm in the clear with that topic.

I'm so afraid to look at the bed bug site...

>>Every time my kids opened their mouths in something more than a whisper, we got dirty looks. Just not what I'd call kid-friendly.<<

Point taken. But I would say that the higher end hotels are aren't as stuffy as they were even 10 or 15 years ago. And during Cherry Blossom week, families with children will be everywhere.

Perhaps look more closely at the Sofitel which is less frou frou in decor. Also consider the W Hotel which advertises its hipster self as being kid friendly and is directly across the street from the WH.

There are a number of Residence Inns downtown, one of which has a pool.

Given the time you're visiting, I'd lock in a cancelable booking soon -- somewhere that meets most of your needs and then keep honing the search.

Things have changed a lot in D.C. since your father lived here in the 1960's. The area north of the Capitol has lots of good houses and trendy restaurants. My DS lived there last semester and enjoyed it very much.

As previously mentioned, you aren't likely to find a hotel in your price range in an undesirable part of D.C. And don't restrict yourself to the White House area. With Metro, there's lots of places you can stay (even the "wilds" of suburban Virginia and Maryland) and still be close to the D.C. attractions.

The "wilds"...hahaha.

90% of the hotels I am looking into are on the bed bug registry. Ugh! I feel itchy.

Bed bugs can be anywhere - the question isn't whether they were found, but what the hotel did about it once they were. If you're that worried about bedbugs, I'd suggest you stay home.

FYI - It's -11 in Minnesota today. Weatherman says a temp that kills bedbugs.

Anyhoo, we booked Sofitel for first three nights, but am now in a pickle. The fourth night is close to $450 with our family of four keeping the same type of accomodation as nights 1-2. I'm looking for ideas on what to do next. We want to be near the BWI airport on night five, so do we move up there early and explore other areas or move to another DC hotel for night four? Can we do DC justice with staying Thursday noon to Sunday noon?

Your other thread on Points between DC & Baltimore offers you lots of ideas for what to do outside DC and in particular the Baltimore area. If you need to be near BWI for an early flight then I would move to Baltimore for the last 2 night and explore around there. You could easily spend the next to last day in DC and go to Baltimore in the evening if you think you might not have enough time in DC. Then pick among the many suggestions you got for the Baltimore area for the last day.

I now believe that we'll need more time in DC. We will probable rent a car for last 48 hrs and stay outside of DC. Sightseeing Baltimore may take back seat to finishing DC.

What would be the best DC attractions to park a car?

Is this too long of a walk with young kids and no stroller to do this? Metro from Sofitel to Smithsonian stop. Walk to Jefferson Memorial, around to FDR Mem., Korean War Mem., Lincoln Mem., WWII Mem., Wash Mon., and then back to Smithsonian Metro.

<<<Is this too long of a walk with young kids and no stroller to do this?>>>

That's about a 4.5 mile walk altogether.

"What would be the best DC attractions to park a car?"

What does this mean?

4.5 is a long walk. Thanks.

"What would be the best DC attractions to park a car?"

I'm meaning what sites are best for me to save for when we have a car. Ease of parking at Arlington National and other such places. We'd leave our easy Metro sites for when we don't have a car.

Arlington National Cemetery has both a Metrorail station and a parking lot. If you are planning to go to Mount Vernon, that would be a good place to drive to.

My opinion, 4.5 miles and that many monuments is too long a trip for kids who have little context to appreciate them. I'd divide it into two outings with the Lincoln and Jefferson anchoring each trip and then seeing what their tolerance or interest is in walking a couple of miles and seeing monuments.

>> We will probable rent a car for last 48 hrs and stay outside of DC<<

Unless you're leaving DC for a trip to Baltimore or environs, I don't see how that makes much time or money sense. You're going to pay to rent (and probably park) a car you don't need for 24 hours. Not to mention spending time renting it and driving to a hotel outside of DC but returning to the city to visit? Either pay the freight at the Sofitel or find another downtown hotel in your budget for one night. You can stow your things with the concierge at the Sofitel, tour during the day and walk or metro your bag to to the new hotel.

I agree Mount Vernon is one place that having a car can be useful It's also a place that the kids would likely enjoy. In that case, I'd rent the car Monday morning, go spend much of day at MV and then head to some hotel near BWI for your early flight on Tuesday.