Hotel Choice: RC vs. Marriott Crystal City?

Planning to spend part of Christmas week in DC with my extended family (10 of us). Celebrating our parents%26#39; 75th birthdays. Chose DC because my dad was a member of the Old Guard that guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the 50s. Have always wanted him to be able to show his grandchildren (ages 18, 17, 12 and 10) that site.

Debating hotel choice. Thinking that the Pentagon City/Crystal City area might be convenient due to Metro, proximity to Arlington National Cemetery and would have cheaper parking. Parents like Ritz Carlton%26#39;s. Thinking Marriott Crystal City might be better due to slightly better rates and ability to get parents a suite.

Any thoughts? Would you chose a different in town hotel? My mother can%26#39;t walk too far so any hotel needs to be near a Metro stop. Also considered the Willard, the Jefferson.

Thanks!

Hotel Choice: RC vs. Marriott Crystal City?

I think your idea of staying in Arlington is fine one for your purposes! If you%26#39;ve not yet compared prices for the dates you need [use the Check Rates feature on the TA ';home page'; for each hotel], you may be pleasantly surprised at the rates of the Ritz Pentagon City for that time of year (and on weekends otherwise).

One note: that Ritz is undergoing renovation. If/after you%26#39;ve booked (I%26#39;m predicting Travelocity will have the best rates), give the Ritz a call and explain the special nature of your visit %26amp; see if they will give your party updated rooms (for the same price) if renovations of all rooms won%26#39;t be completed by December%26#39;s end.

Hotel Choice: RC vs. Marriott Crystal City?

I just came back from a six night stay at the Marriott Crystal City and I had a fantastic time. I had a room with a king-sized bed on the 8th floor. The room was very comfortable and I found it to be large, even with the refrigerator in the room (it%26#39;s a small one, but it fills up the space they put it in). The view was nice (a huge deal for me; I left the shades open all the time)...looking straight out you can see the hotels and office buildings but since they aren%26#39;t so high it%26#39;s a lovely view out, plus to your left is the airport and the river, and in the mornings the sun looks wonderful. Take the elevator to the ';G'; level and you have access to the Crystal City shops and the Crystal City Metro Station. There%26#39;s lots of places to eat there (your standard fast food and fast-casual places plus several restuarants and there was a Cold Stone) and room service is good (I%26#39;m a vegan and the few times I ordered they were able to fashion something good for me). There%26#39;s WebTV, plus the hookups for your computer and there is a business center on the dining level (';D'; on the elevator), plus a Kinko%26#39;s in the shops downstairs. And I thought this was nice: I had brought along a bunch of bottles of toiletry products and the maid organized them for me on a tray with a towel underneath so nothing spilled. No question, on my next trip I will be staying there. The Marriott Crystal Gateway is another choice; that%26#39;s just a couple of blocks away and is also connected to the underground shops. And another thing that made me feel good was that you can%26#39;t access the hotel from the underground without a key card.

I agree with CockleCove... I%26#39;d check out the RC in Pentagon City. If you are not familiar with Pentagon City, it has a super-luxury shopping center called The Fashion Center and several smaller shopping centers with lots of restaurants. It would be a great place for folks who can%26#39;t get around easily to be able to do a lot of shopping, eating, etc. There%26#39;s a Metro stop and, of course, a cab stand at the hotel. Pentagon City, imho, has a more pleasant vibe than Crystal City, and it definitely would be easier to negotiate. As far as in-city, the Willard would be your best bet for step-saving luxury, with lots of great shopping, restaurants and theaters within a few blocks.

With all due respect, while I like the Fashion Centre Mall at Pentagon City I would hardly call it ';super luxury';. True, it does have some independent shops but for the most part, the shops are the same cookie cutter ones found in malls everywhere. It is anchored by 2 department stores--Macy%26#39;s and Nordstrom%26#39;s (yes, Nordstrom%26#39;s is more upscale than Macy%26#39;s). Also, there is an extensive food court in the lowest level. The Ritz is right next door.

Thanks all for your thoughtful responses. I have called the Ritz Carlton Pentagon City and can get some good rates ($179 for a double/double). Like the idea that it%26#39;s connected to a mall. The women in the family (including Grandma and the college freshman/h.s. senior) love to shop.

I am also considering the Mayflower in downtown D.C. Can get a suite for $269 which looks quite nice online. With my mother not being too mobile, I%26#39;m not sure it%26#39;s really worth it to be downtown and the kids would like having a pool and the mall, so Pentagon City might be a better bet. Would welcome thoughts from all of you on Mayflower vs. RC.

I%26#39;ve stayed in a Club Level Executive Suite at that Ritz, but not a double-double room, so I can%26#39;t give you a first-hand assessment of that. The service was excellent, and because it%26#39;s about half the size of the Mayflower, the overall ambiance feels more ';personal'; to me.

The Mayflower is within close proximity to the Metro, so I don%26#39;t think staying there would prove any harder for your mother in that respect than the RC. And one thing you should be aware of: the Ritz%26#39;s pool is a lap-style one, part of their spa/fitness center. The pool hours are, thus, somewhat limited -- and they may restrict the use of it by kids; the one in DC lets children use their pool only on Sundays! (at least, that was their policy last year). So, since the pool appears to be no small factor in your decision, I%26#39;d definitely give the Ritz a call to clarify this.

In addition to the RC being attached to the Pentagon City Mall

http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=157

it is also VERY close to Pentagon Row which will be a GREAT place for your entire group to eat. Lots of excellent choices.

http://www.pentagonrow.com/

You can walk to Metro without having to go outside (in case weather is stinky) and there is a cab stand right outside.

I%26#39;ve stayed at the Ritz Pentagon City 2x and it is one of my favorite hotels in that general area. Love that it is attached to the mall and the Metro, Pentagon row restaurants nearby and downtown DC a quick ride on the Metro. It is a nice hotel, but I am a fan of the Ritz Carlton properties in general and this one is a bargain in my opinion. Club level is really nice, with 5 different food/beverage presentations daily and worth the extra $$$ daily. However, I have read as well that they are renovating, so take that into consideration as well. If you do decide to reserve, call and speak with a live agent as opposed to making your reservation online and explain that you want a renovated room. RC%26#39;s usually do anything they can to accomodate you.

Also, we came to DC this summer and stayed at the Grand Hyatt - a very nice property as well (I%26#39;d say 4*) and they are located right in downtown DC with a metro located right in the basement of the hotel. We really enjoyed our stay - and got a great deal through the Hyatt website that included breakfast every morning.

Hope this helps, good luck!

Suzanne

Sounds like the Ritz in Arlington would be more convenient for the thing you want to see. Willard and Mayflower are better hotels overall, but the Mayflower is downtown DC where there are more office buildings than interesting sites. Close to Metro. Willard is sort of a little old lady hotel--maybe not so fun for the kids. But it is close to the White House, so it%26#39;s pretty. But if you want to visit Arlington and go to a decent mall, the Pentagon City choice might work better for you.