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The Five Best Hotels Just Outside of Washington, D.C.

November 13, 2009 at 4:00 PM | by KatieK | 0 Comments

In many cities, a suburban stay equals hours on the train each morning and night. But Washington D.C. is small enough that its closest suburbs are often destinations in their own rights — from Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, to downtown Bethesda, Maryland. Throw in D.C.’s crime-ridden rap, combined with the suburbs-serving Metro, and suddenly it makes sense why so many D.C. tourists actually spend the night in a neighboring city (where, ahem, the residents have the right to vote).

Of course, this is hardly a secret; so if you’re looking to the suburbs for a no-frills deal, stick to family-friendly classics. Otherwise, here are our picks for five convenient suburban DC hotels that offer more than just a free (stale) breakfast.

Lorien Hotel & Spa in Alexandria: The newest of Kimpton’s vast empire in the DC area (the 11th!), Lorien Hotel opened last February with a dreamy color palette, clawfoot tubs, and a trifecta of food destinations from Chef Robert Wiedmaier. Even better, it’s just a couple blocks from the Metro on cute King Street, with all the antiques shops, crab-slinging restaurants, and ice cream parlors you could, er, dream of.

Hotel Palomar–Arlington: Ranked #1 hotel in Arlington on TripAdvisor, this, yes, Kimpton hotel also sits just a couple blocks from the Rosslyn Metro, with some rooms overlooking the Potomac and Georgetown (and from some you can even see the Washington Monument). Also: ultra-comfy beds, nightly wine tastings, pet-friendly.

Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City: Located, literally, at the front door of the Metro and Pentagon City shopping mall/district, this Ritz has emerged, more interestingly for voyeurs like us, as “ground zero of Washington scandal culture,” according to Washington Post gossip columnists a couple of years ago. Probably most famous is the 1998 Linda Tripp-Monica Lewinsky drinks session that resulted in Lewinsky spilling the beans about her affair with the prez. More recently, the hotel was reportedly a favorite rendez-vous destination for the DC Madam, the late Deborah Jeane Palfrey.

Bethesda Doubletree: Within walking district of the Metro in downtown Bethesda, this 269-room high-rise offers fluffy beds, some rooms that have been treated by PURE for allergy sensitive guests, and, naturally, those amazing Doubletree chocolate-chip cookies. Nothing too fancy but the place consistently garners good TA reviews and has a good location, especially if Bethesda and upper northwest DC are your scenes.

Aloft Dulles-North: OK so this one is the farthest out from DC — and the only non-Metro accessible choice in the lot — but if you’re going to have a car and are flying in and out of Dulles Airport, this might be a fun option. Opened last year just in time for inauguration, the hotel has the usual Aloft hallmarks: a funky, trying-a-bit-too-hard-to-be-trendy vibe, with platform beds, pool tables in the lobby, and the re:fuel food pantry.

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Return to » The Five Best Hotels Just Outside of Washington, D.C.

  1. SallyCan

    HotelChatter Member

    Washington DC 5 Hotels

    Love the picture of the room at the Ritz Carlton---just fabulous decor. This is my top choice (when I'm not on a budget)of the Washington DC Luxury Hotels. The bar is a great place to enjoy a cocktail and people watch---such a juicy past and you never know who you might see. When I'm on a budget and traveling to DC, I check the specials at Cheap DC Hotel Listings. Many times some of the nicer hotels are discounting rooms.
    January 31, 2010 at 12:13 PM
    #Permalink

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