NYC and DC with kids -- accomodations edition
March 6, 2018 9:55 AM Subscribe
We'll be heading to NYC and DC for a few days each next month. We have a 7-year-old. Do you have hotel/B&B recommendations?
For NYC, I'd like to stay somewhere around midtown Manhattan, though anywhere on the west side from Chelsea to 125th would be fine.
For DC, I don't really have a good idea of where to stay (I grew up in NYC so I know it much better) but we'd like to explore some of the Smithsonian: Air & Space Museum, Portrait Gallery, African American Museum... so I guess that's the near the National Mall?
I'd like to keep our budget below $200/night. A king bed and a sofa pullout would be awesome, and a suite would be outstanding. If two queens is the best we can afford for $200 though, that'll do.
We may or may not have a car with us. (Bonus question: should we Amtrak? We won't need a car for NYC, but will we for DC? Is it worth paying a bunch to park a car in NYC for a few days?)
There are just so many options, so if anyone has personal experience staying in those areas I would really appreciate it.
For NYC, I'd like to stay somewhere around midtown Manhattan, though anywhere on the west side from Chelsea to 125th would be fine.
For DC, I don't really have a good idea of where to stay (I grew up in NYC so I know it much better) but we'd like to explore some of the Smithsonian: Air & Space Museum, Portrait Gallery, African American Museum... so I guess that's the near the National Mall?
I'd like to keep our budget below $200/night. A king bed and a sofa pullout would be awesome, and a suite would be outstanding. If two queens is the best we can afford for $200 though, that'll do.
We may or may not have a car with us. (Bonus question: should we Amtrak? We won't need a car for NYC, but will we for DC? Is it worth paying a bunch to park a car in NYC for a few days?)
There are just so many options, so if anyone has personal experience staying in those areas I would really appreciate it.
We won't need a car for NYC, but will we for DC?
If you're not a DC driver, not driving in the area will keep you much saner. The roads can be confusing (even with GPS), there's speed cameras everywhere that can lead to very expensive bills from car rental places if you'd be renting, bad and aggressive drivers, and finding parking is both pricey and time consuming in many parts of town (even if there's a garage near where you're going, finding a spot can often take 15 minutes of creeping around and exiting isn't that much faster). There's cabs, Uber, and Lyft everywhere plus the metro.
should we Amtrak?
Compare the prices for flying for your specific dates. In some cases it'll work out to be as cost effective to fly and it's more likely to be on time. I really want to like Amtrak but on the east coast corridor I've just had it be late so often at a price that's not often great that it's hard for me to stay enthusiastic about it.
I don't have any specific hotel suggestions but check AirBnB if you're comfortable with their business model as well as the usual suspects like Kayak. Try to be near something that's a straight shot on the Metro to the museums so you don't have to deal with transferring.
posted by Candleman at 10:19 AM on March 6, 2018
If you're not a DC driver, not driving in the area will keep you much saner. The roads can be confusing (even with GPS), there's speed cameras everywhere that can lead to very expensive bills from car rental places if you'd be renting, bad and aggressive drivers, and finding parking is both pricey and time consuming in many parts of town (even if there's a garage near where you're going, finding a spot can often take 15 minutes of creeping around and exiting isn't that much faster). There's cabs, Uber, and Lyft everywhere plus the metro.
should we Amtrak?
Compare the prices for flying for your specific dates. In some cases it'll work out to be as cost effective to fly and it's more likely to be on time. I really want to like Amtrak but on the east coast corridor I've just had it be late so often at a price that's not often great that it's hard for me to stay enthusiastic about it.
I don't have any specific hotel suggestions but check AirBnB if you're comfortable with their business model as well as the usual suspects like Kayak. Try to be near something that's a straight shot on the Metro to the museums so you don't have to deal with transferring.
posted by Candleman at 10:19 AM on March 6, 2018
Look at hotels in Crystal City (Virginia). It's on the Blue and Yellow metro lines, both of which go to the National Mall area (L'Enfant Plaza, Archives, Smithsonian) as well as the airport if you fly. It's close enough that the hotels will have free shuttles to the airport as well. It is also much cheaper than staying in the city. My dad usually stays at the Crowne Plaza and he loves it. They have rooms with a king bed and sleeper sofa, I just looked for a random weekend in April and it comes up as $163/night. It is also close to Long Bridge Park and Gravelly Point, which are just small parks but good if your kid needs to run around for a bit. Bonus points if your kid is one who likes planes - they're close to the end of the National Airport runway.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 10:35 AM on March 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by everybody had matching towels at 10:35 AM on March 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also seconding everyone who says you won't need a car in DC. Probably the only thing you'd drive to would be the Udvar-Hazy part of the Air & Space Museum out by Dulles. You can get there by public transportation or rent a car for a few hours (easy if you stay in airport-adjacent Crystal City.).
posted by everybody had matching towels at 10:42 AM on March 6, 2018
posted by everybody had matching towels at 10:42 AM on March 6, 2018
I don't know about B&Bs, but under $200/night is not really a realistic number for a hotel in that area that you wouldn't mind bringing your kid to. The downtown Fairfield Inn & Suites is probably your best option. It's further south than you want, but, really, your alternatives are mostly those grimy hotels along 8th between 34th and 50th, which do not look particularly pleasant to me.
posted by praemunire at 11:08 AM on March 6, 2018
posted by praemunire at 11:08 AM on March 6, 2018
We also have a 7 year old, and we've taken him to NYC a few times. We drive (from the metro-Boston area) and park, because we really like being on our time schedule and not having to rush to the train station. Amtrak doesn't have reserved seats (maybe in First Class? I don't know about that), and when I take the Acela for work it's a free for all stressful situation getting onto the train to come home, I would absolutely not want to do that with a kid, but your tolerance for stress is probably higher than mine. Also, I wouldn't take the non-Acela local Amtrak with a kid (and I don't like it taking myself without the kid)- the seats are the size of Greyhound bus seats, and it's a loooong trip to make squished in an uncomfortable seat.
NYC hotel recs: It is so hard to find rooms in NY for 3 people! They seem to think that 3 people are going to sleep in one king bed! I've had good luck finding good deals on hotels.com, we paid just around the $200/night price point for these (before tax).
Luma Hotel, my #1 fave. It's a new hotel, has good views, and you can get a king bed + sofa pull-out. They also have a little robot that can bring you small toiletries, so if you tell the front desk your kid wants to see the robot, they'll send it up with some coffee creamers or something. It's delightful. They also give you a free glass of sangria when you check in (I think only during certain late-afternoon hours). Also, it's super close to a Whole Foods, so that can be easy food sourcing if you're tired or just need quick snacks.
Avalon Hotel, got a room with 2 queen beds. Comfy & clean, but scary elevator.
We've also stayed at the Cassa Hotel 45th Street, before it was bought by Radisson, not sure how that change has affected it, but it was a nice hotel. We got a king bed executive room there, and it had a sofa for the kid to sleep on (not a pull-out sofa, though, but it was big enough for him to be comfy enough to sleep).
Only stayed here as a couple sans-kid, but it has a rooftop bar, and a good breakfast buffet is included with the room: Fairfield Inn Penn Station.
FYI, the SpongeBob SquarePants musical is surprisingly good, and a real blast for kids. We got half-priced great seats the day of the show when we were in NY in January.
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 11:21 AM on March 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
NYC hotel recs: It is so hard to find rooms in NY for 3 people! They seem to think that 3 people are going to sleep in one king bed! I've had good luck finding good deals on hotels.com, we paid just around the $200/night price point for these (before tax).
Luma Hotel, my #1 fave. It's a new hotel, has good views, and you can get a king bed + sofa pull-out. They also have a little robot that can bring you small toiletries, so if you tell the front desk your kid wants to see the robot, they'll send it up with some coffee creamers or something. It's delightful. They also give you a free glass of sangria when you check in (I think only during certain late-afternoon hours). Also, it's super close to a Whole Foods, so that can be easy food sourcing if you're tired or just need quick snacks.
Avalon Hotel, got a room with 2 queen beds. Comfy & clean, but scary elevator.
We've also stayed at the Cassa Hotel 45th Street, before it was bought by Radisson, not sure how that change has affected it, but it was a nice hotel. We got a king bed executive room there, and it had a sofa for the kid to sleep on (not a pull-out sofa, though, but it was big enough for him to be comfy enough to sleep).
Only stayed here as a couple sans-kid, but it has a rooftop bar, and a good breakfast buffet is included with the room: Fairfield Inn Penn Station.
FYI, the SpongeBob SquarePants musical is surprisingly good, and a real blast for kids. We got half-priced great seats the day of the show when we were in NY in January.
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 11:21 AM on March 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
DC: I spent a week at the Woodward, 733 15th St NW, Washington, DC, 20005. It's a StayBridge hotel. Super clean, great location. I had a small kitchen, sofa sleeper, WD. We took the subway and bikes everywhere.
It is close to the museums and practically across the street from the White House.
posted by jennstra at 12:15 PM on March 6, 2018
It is close to the museums and practically across the street from the White House.
posted by jennstra at 12:15 PM on March 6, 2018
DC: I stay in Crystal City which is right on the Metro. It's adjacent to the airport so has every flavor of hotel and don't think I"ve ever paid more than $200/night. Usually under $150. Some in the Hilton chain have pull out couch, I think the Radisson specifically.
If you don't have tix for African American Museum, you're probably not going to get in. WOuld also book ahead for the National Archive.
Can't help with NYC hotels as I live here, but ping me if you need suggestions. Depending on when you were last here, MoMATH could be fun for that age
posted by TravellingCari at 12:21 PM on March 6, 2018
If you don't have tix for African American Museum, you're probably not going to get in. WOuld also book ahead for the National Archive.
Can't help with NYC hotels as I live here, but ping me if you need suggestions. Depending on when you were last here, MoMATH could be fun for that age
posted by TravellingCari at 12:21 PM on March 6, 2018
I managed to get my tickets(It took me 2 days to see everything and the 1st day I didn't stop for lunch) to the AA museum by going online midweek sharp at 6:30 am.
posted by brujita at 2:36 PM on March 6, 2018
posted by brujita at 2:36 PM on March 6, 2018
Amtrak between NYC and DC is great. If you fly, National (DCA) is on metro. If you want to keep bags low, find a family friendly AirBnB condo (yes, read the reviews) near central DC (on the Metro) that has a washer/dryer. And you are set. National portrait gallery was a big hit with my kids this year and we walked over from the National Mall. Enjoy!
posted by childofTethys at 3:58 PM on March 6, 2018
posted by childofTethys at 3:58 PM on March 6, 2018
I’ve found that taking the train between NYC and DC is more convenient then flying. Taking the train involves no security theatre and goes from downtown to downtown. Tickets can be cheaper if you purchase them at least 2 weeks in advance (and have some flexibility about traveling midday). I’ve found that Amtrak is great about sitting families together.
Depending on when you will be in DC, you might run into large crowds for the cherry blossom festival. If it’s cherry blossom season, definitely don’t drive. Even if it isn’t peak cherry blossom season, it’s probably a wash between the time spent waiting for public transit, and time spent finding a parking space.
posted by oceano at 4:25 PM on March 6, 2018
Depending on when you will be in DC, you might run into large crowds for the cherry blossom festival. If it’s cherry blossom season, definitely don’t drive. Even if it isn’t peak cherry blossom season, it’s probably a wash between the time spent waiting for public transit, and time spent finding a parking space.
posted by oceano at 4:25 PM on March 6, 2018
In DC you can often book a Kimpton hotel for about $250. They used to have a hotel with bunk beds, xboxes and games and other family friendly stuff so that's what I came to suggest, but it looks like they've renovated it into a more romantic/modern style. I still recommend anything in the Kimpton family in DC. I would stay in downtown DC because it really is much more convenient if you like to walk or want to take a taxi (try Metro Center, Gallery Place, Dupont Circle areas). Depending on when you go, be careful about staying in Virginia and relying on metro to get you in and out of the city. Last weekend I was delayed by about an hour because of weekend track work around Pentagon City and National Airport.
posted by perrouno at 8:22 PM on March 6, 2018
posted by perrouno at 8:22 PM on March 6, 2018
We went to D.C. in April of 2016, with a family of six, and we got a big basement apartment through VRBO.com. It had off-street parking for the minivan (which we only used one day out of seven: to go to Mount Vernon). It was like seven blocks due east of the Capitol.
The surcharge to park our minivan for a week, plus normal hotel costs, were more than we paid to rent this sweet apartment (which also included use of two bikes and some other stuff). We got two bedrooms plus a couch, a shower, a kitchen, and a basket with maps & menus & some half-used Metro cards. In addition, it put u sin a really cool neighborhood with restaurants and shops, instead of being in a suburban hotel surrounded by sterile parking lots, or somewhere with nothing to do outside the door.
$200/night might be tight. With one kid you can get away with a single room -- whereas with four kids, we need two hotel rooms wherever we go.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:29 AM on March 7, 2018
The surcharge to park our minivan for a week, plus normal hotel costs, were more than we paid to rent this sweet apartment (which also included use of two bikes and some other stuff). We got two bedrooms plus a couch, a shower, a kitchen, and a basket with maps & menus & some half-used Metro cards. In addition, it put u sin a really cool neighborhood with restaurants and shops, instead of being in a suburban hotel surrounded by sterile parking lots, or somewhere with nothing to do outside the door.
$200/night might be tight. With one kid you can get away with a single room -- whereas with four kids, we need two hotel rooms wherever we go.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:29 AM on March 7, 2018
I liked the One Washington Circle Hotel in DC. I paid a little over $300 for a week in a king suite with a full kitchen and a balcony (but I was there during Christmas). There's a Trader Joe's nearby, the Foggy Bottom Metro station is across the circle or you can take a bus to get to the National Mall.
posted by healthytext at 8:51 AM on March 16, 2018
posted by healthytext at 8:51 AM on March 16, 2018
Response by poster: a little over $300 for a week in a king suite
That's gotta be $300 per night, not for the full week, because for a king suite right now is over $300/night... which is above my price range.
I ended up booking a VRBO in both Manhattan and DC and both were about $175/night. They look good, hopefully they'll live up to expectations.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 12:13 PM on March 16, 2018
That's gotta be $300 per night, not for the full week, because for a king suite right now is over $300/night... which is above my price range.
I ended up booking a VRBO in both Manhattan and DC and both were about $175/night. They look good, hopefully they'll live up to expectations.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 12:13 PM on March 16, 2018
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posted by ferret branca at 10:17 AM on March 6, 2018