Capital Hilton vs Embassy Suites Convention Center?

I%26#39;ve identified with the help of BetterBidding what appears to be the Embassy Suites Convention Center on Hotwire for my travel dates. Right now I have the Capital Hilton booked and can cancel it if need be. Booking thruough Hotwire would provide me with significant savings on my stay. I%26#39;m guessing both of these properties are about the same distance from a Metro Station (2-3 blocks). Just wondered if you all thought it was worth it to go with Hotiwire or it was worth it to stick with my original reservation as reviews tend to be decent for both properties. My mom is most concerned with the safety of both areas.

Thanks for the help!

Capital Hilton vs Embassy Suites Convention Center?

Hi Broadway:

For the significant savings, I%26#39;d definitely go with the Embassy Suites Convention Center. They also offer free breakfast, for an additional savings if that%26#39;s not something offered by the Capital Hilton. I think the area is fine, but with your savings, you could also splurge on a taxi ride or two in the evenings if your mom feels uncomfortable.

Capital Hilton vs Embassy Suites Convention Center?

If you%26#39;re brand-loyal, go with the Hilton, but the hotel is showing its age. The Hilton was built during the Roosevelt Administration (and as a matter of fact, the Hilton was specially designed so that FDR could get from the White House to the Hilton%26#39;s Main Ballroom without leaving the Presidential limo and having to visibly transfer into a wheelchair -- there%26#39;s an elevator INSIDE the Hilton that was designed to carry his limo!).

Anyways, I digress. Although the Hilton underwent a renovation in 2001, the rooms are still physically very small with low ceilings (similar to rooms in the Pentagon, which was built in the same time period and under the same wartime materials shortages). The Embassy Suites are much newer, and the chain offers far better amenities (unless you%26#39;re an HHonors Gold or Platinum member).

I%26#39;m staying at the Embassy Suites this weekend . I will give you my opinion of the area, which I hope is good. Embassy Suites is part of the Hilton chain.

Thanks for your suggestions and help...keep em coming. I%26#39;ll be awaiting that rewiew!

I%26#39;m brand loyal only bc I have a HHonors credit card and I%26#39;m a silver HHonors member. I wouldn%26#39;t get full credit for my stay at Embassy Suites bc of booking thru Hotwire. Id just get points from my credti card purchase, but Id give up the extra points to save the money.

I%26#39;m honestly just looking for something clean and near a metro stop since we%26#39;re ';doing the sites';. I understand the Hilton is not the 4* property it is written up as in alot of places...

I%26#39;m partial to the Hilton because I worked there many years ago in their sales department. At that time, they were also doing a renovation and bringing down the room count from 700+ to make some larger rooms, but I agree that the rooms are tiny in comparison to many hotels today. I was there for 3 days for a conference in June (although I didn%26#39;t stay over since I am local) and enjoyed the restaurant and bar and conference amenities. The staff and service is excellent there. The area is safe, but because it is a high business area, you will find that at around 5 pm it%26#39;s a ghost town in terms of pedestrian traffic. There will be more people walking around the convention center area. The Hilton is also close to 2 different metro lines (orange and red) about the same number of blocks in each direction. Also, it is close to Connecticut Avenue with great shopping like Filene%26#39;s Basement, Talbot%26#39;s, Gap and my personal favorite place to browse, Rizik%26#39;s - a chi chi store for high end shopping. It%26#39;s also worth it to stop in and have a look inside the Mayflower Hotel. It%26#39;s very pretty and they have a nice bar/coffee area in the lobby to lounge.

That%26#39;s right, laurie - I forgot the Embassy Suites are part of the Hilton chain - I usually don%26#39;t think of them when looking for rooms - I usually stay at a Hilton! :-)

And Hilton doesn%26#39;t give points when booking some rooms from an online travel ';agency,'; although they do have their best rate guarantee - they won%26#39;t recognize rates available on ';opaque'; booking sites that don%26#39;t let you know the name of the hotel until you%26#39;ve booked it, but here it looks like you do know the names of the hotels in advance!

VaBelle - did you ever see the car lift inside the Capital Hilton while you were working there?

Drwong -

Yes! On my first day of work, my boss (who is currently the GM there) took me on a tour of the place and showed me all the historical stuff. He told me all the famous people who played on their piano, how they get the President in (several ways-one of them being that one) for the Gridiron Dinner they hold every year with the press corp. It was the coolest place I%26#39;ve ever worked. Of course, I don%26#39;t think I appreciated it as much at 18 ;o)

The ES also offers the advantages of additional space in the form of a living room separate from the bedroom, plus a wet bar with microwave. The extra ';elbow room'; and additional amenities would be especially nice if you%26#39;ll be traveling with your mother (not sure from your post) and staying for more than 1-2 nights.

Thanks for the additional input...

It is me and my mom...so a mother/daughter trip and we%26#39;re staying for 3 nights. Just trying to decide what%26#39;s the best option for us and where we would get the most for our money without giving up clean rooms, safe area, and close to the metro and staying within the downtown area. We%26#39;ve stayed at both Holiday Inns in the past (capitol and on the hill-when it was a best western)

bumping to see if laurie has returned from her weekend stay at the Embassy Suites Convention Center....