DC Hotel

[Manny T]

I booked a room at the Phoenix Park Hotel while on board a train that was 6 hours late due to an accident. You can't imagine how swell it was to leave Union Station, walk exactly one block, cross exactly one street (all deserted at midnight), and enter the hotel. I was in bed literally ten minutes after the train arrived. And had a great breakfast in the Dubliner the next morning.

 

[Chey]

Chey--

It's very safe in Alexandria--I just came back from a short trip there--I am a lady in her 60s who was traveling by myself and felt just fine. I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn up the hill, which is very new and nice, but many people stayed at the Embassy Suites for the Gathering last year and liked it.

If you want something to eat without paying DC prices, there is a restaurant up the hill called Table Talk (I think--Table something), which serves a fantastic full breakfast at not much more than diner prices. Also, right next to the Embassy Suites is a sports bar restaurant, but you don't have to sit inside with the TVs--they have a very nice covered patio that looks toward the Metro, so you can see the Metros come and go as you eat.

Probably the most dangerous thing in Alexandria is the uneven historic bricks--just watch where you're walking and you should be fine.

Hope these suggestions help (and are not too late) and that you have a great trip!

Thanks! It's coming up this week. I believe Embassy Suites serves a "free" breakfast but the Sports Bar sounds good!! And thanks for the reassurance about Alexandria, my situation is identical to yours.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Chey--

It's very safe in Alexandria--I just came back from a short trip there--I am a lady in her 60s who was traveling by myself and felt just fine. I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn up the hill, which is very new and nice, but many people stayed at the Embassy Suites for the Gathering last year and liked it.

If you want something to eat without paying DC prices, there is a restaurant up the hill called Table Talk (I think--Table something), which serves a fantastic full breakfast at not much more than diner prices. Also, right next to the Embassy Suites is a sports bar restaurant, but you don't have to sit inside with the TVs--they have a very nice covered patio that looks toward the Metro, so you can see the Metros come and go as you eat.

Probably the most dangerous thing in Alexandria is the uneven historic bricks--just watch where you're walking and you should be fine.

Hope these suggestions help (and are not too late) and that you have a great trip!

Thanks! It's coming up this week. I believe Embassy Suites serves a "free" breakfast but the Sports Bar sounds good!! And thanks for the reassurance about Alexandria, my situation is identical to yours.

Oh, that's right--I forgot about the free breakfast at Embassy Suites--that is even more perfect than diner prices at another place! The sports bar/restaurant (Joe Theismans) has the menu posted outside near the front entrance, so you can check it before you go in and see what you think. I have eaten there on the patio several times and never felt awkward because I was by myself. Hope you have (or are having!) a great trip--let us know how it turns out!

 

[MARC Rider]

You might want to rethink the desirability of a hotel on a Metro line for the coming year. The DC Metro is going to be experiencing numerous shutdowns of various parts of the system in order to fix several decades worth of deferred maintenance. They're trying to cram 3 years of normal maintenance work into a year.

Google Washington Metro and "Safetrack" to get the details of which lines are shutting down on which dates. However, there will still be Metrobus, MARC and VRE service, so you won't be totally left without travel alternatives to a car. I believe that the Red line will be having the fewest shutdowns, but service will be disrupted during a good part of August, and I think also in October. There will be more shutdowns and limited service on the Orange.Blue/Silver lines and the Yellow/Green Lines. Again, check to see what's going to be disrupted during your trip.

 

[Chey]

You might want to rethink the desirability of a hotel on a Metro line for the coming year. The DC Metro is going to be experiencing numerous shutdowns of various parts of the system in order to fix several decades worth of deferred maintenance. They're trying to cram 3 years of normal maintenance work into a year.

Google Washington Metro and "Safetrack" to get the details of which lines are shutting down on which dates. However, there will still be Metrobus, MARC and VRE service, so you won't be totally left without travel alternatives to a car. I believe that the Red line will be having the fewest shutdowns, but service will be disrupted during a good part of August, and I think also in October. There will be more shutdowns and limited service on the Orange.Blue/Silver lines and the Yellow/Green Lines. Again, check to see what's going to be disrupted during your trip.

Great advice for anyone planning to ride the metro. I've heard all about their problems, having a relative in the area. It's old town Alexandria I'm there for, and then my Amtrak ride home!