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Hotels Overview

Stay in the hotel where Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his "I Have a Dream" speech and become inspired to change history. Or sleep in a cozy bed-and-breakfast near the National Zoo and be able to easily pay a morning call to the pandas. Enjoy the history, grandeur, and White House views of the Hay-Adams or Willard Inter-Continental. Or stay up all night in the nightclubby lobby lounge of the Topaz.

Washington has the same broad range of digs as any major city, but throws in some unique curves. In posh Downtown and Capitol Hill hotels, you can sign a guest register touched by diplomats and then sleep in beds where royalty has rested. You'll also be within walking distance of the National Mall, the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, and the Capitol. The Mandarin Oriental, two blocks south of the Mall and with great views of the Jefferson Memorial, is one of the most innovative hotels in town.

Penn Quarter, the part of Downtown near the MCI Center, is experiencing a revival. The Hotel Monaco here is within the stern facade of the former Tariff Commission Building. But head inside, and you'll find playfully rendered interiors and tip-top service.

Make a reservation in Dupont Circle if you like being around hubbub and close to restaurants, bookstores, and galleries. Brand-name lodgings such as Westin, Jurys, and Marriott share the neighborhood with chic boutique hotels and B&Bs. For those looking for a respite on a quiet side street, the Hotel Tabard Inn offers its own eclectic kind of cozy, affordable comfort.

Whether you stay in Georgetown at the Ritz-Carlton or at the Holiday Inn, you'll be able to get an up-close view of the tree-lined district best known for its wealthy and prominent residents. And although Foggy Bottom doesn't have many tourist destinations, staying here puts you close to the State Department and the Kennedy Center.

There are many appealing options in places you might not think to look. Hotels and inns on Connecticut Avenue north of Dupont Circle are close to the zoo and the National Cathedral, as well as to the shopping and restaurant districts of Adams-Morgan and Dupont Circle. Bethesda hotels give you easy access to the National Institutes of Health, as well as the premier shopping areas of Friendship Heights and Georgetown. Hotels at the foot of Key Bridge in Virginia offer great views of the District's skyline; in Virginia, also, you can take advantage of reasonable prices and the convenience of the Metro, which eliminates the need for parking downtown.

There is no true off-season in the nation's capital, and lodging can certainly get expensive. Varying amounts of demand, however, have meant that many hotels offer attractive packages, so keep your eyes open for bargains.