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This is a quick post looking for some recommendations for a hotel to stay at for one night in Washington DC. Like I mentioned the other day, I realized while looking through my trip to Peru that I had forgotten to book one of my flights.
I ALSO forgot that I need to book an overnight hotel in Washington DC on our way back, since we get in at 6pm and the only flight onward leaves at 10pm and arrives at 11:30 pm. So we’re looking for a hotel. Some considerations
- We fly into IAD and out of DCA the next morning, so something between those two points would be preferable
- Bonus points if it’s on / near the Metro
- We only need it for 1 night
Washington DC hotel options
I plan on using points for my Washington DC hotel stay because cash is for suckers. 🙂
- My first thought was a Hyatt as their award chart seems to have the best values. My wife also has an anniversary night from the Hyatt credit card, so we could get a free night for a Category 1-4 hotel (SEE ALSO: Why are free nights so hard to use?)
- I’m also a Hilton Diamond, but most of those hotels in DC seem to cost 60K / night. I have the points but I’m not sure this is a great use of them.
- Other chains (Marriott, IHG, Best Western, Choice) seem to cost quite a bit of
- Wyndham has a fixed redemption amount (15,000 points) but there don’t seem to be any good options
- If there’s a hotel with a cheap cash price, I could use Chase UR or Barclay Arrival miles (SEE ALSO: The difference between “points” points and “cash” points)
So some questions. Can I use my wife’s free Hyatt CC night but still get my Globalist number on the reservation to take advantage of Globalist perks (upgraded room / lounge access / breakfast benefit / etc?)
If you’re not familiar with the area you can check out Washington DC hotel deals at hotels.com or check out reviews at Trip Advisor
And if so, which is the best Hyatt hotel to stay at in Washington DC? Any recommendations?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
You may want to check out the hotels in Tysons Corner, VA, which would put you about midway between IAD and DCA. There’s a Metro stop at Tysons, now, too. But the Grand Hyatt in downtown DC is nice and right at Metro Center. An IHG free night certificate can be used at the historic Willard, which is also near Metro Center.
Am I reading that you arrive at 11pm and leave early the next day? Then it doesn’t really matter. Hit one of the cookie-cutter hotels in Crystal City next to DCA. If you want to use your Hyatt night, check out he Hyatt Place in Arlington (at Courthouse Metro and near Clarendon if you actually have time to go out) which is a $10 Uber from DCA. Hyatt Centric is close to that too but at Rosslyn which is on the blue line to get to DCA if you want to take Metro. You can hit the Hilton Garden Inn at Courthouse (Arlington) also on Metro. The Cyrstal City list includes Crystal Gateway / Crystal City Marriott along with a Hyatt, Doubletree. No shortage of places.
No – we arrive at 6pm and leave 1030 am the next day. So in a sense it doesn’t matter it’s true, but I was hoping for something with a cool view or close to some things that we could see quickly
The Hyatt Centric in Rosslyn, VA is a good option, especially for a free night. Right on top of the Blue Line metro, so you can easily and quickly get to DCA. It is also only one stop away from DC, and there are three train options (blue, orange, silver) that go through there to take you into DC.
Intercontinental The Willard is available for BRG right now.l for dates thru Labor Day. Priceline is offering about $20 lower. Mine was approved yesterday.
The Arlington Hilton would be my choice. Literally at the Ballston Metro Station and typically 50,000 points or less. Bonus is that I live two blocks from there and will buy you a drink!
My family and I enjoyed the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington. Shuttle from DCA. Metro stop in the building. New lounge on ground floor with great breakfast spread, all day drinks/snacks, evening apps and desserts.
When spouse and I stayed at the PH in New York using his free 2 nights I added my name to his reservation and we were able to get my Globalist benefits.
I stay a lot at the Hyatt Crystal City, and as a Globalist, you can take your free breakfast either at a traditional restaurant on the 2nd floor or at a coffee shop similar to a Starbucks open in the morning. They have a free shuttle to the metro and DCA. I’ve also stayed less frequently at the Hyatt Centric Arlington. The Arlington locations are typically significantly less expensive than DC proper venues and only a short Uber ride from downtown DC.
Best Hyatt hotel is Park Hyatt but is no where near a metro station. Grand Hyatt is fairly nice and close to metro. The Hyatt Place on New York Ave is also convenient and inexpensive. For D.C. hotels, use points Sunday to Thursday be cash for Friday to Saturday.
If this is a weekend, don’t even bother taking Metro. Use Uber.
Park Hyatt. Blue Duck Tavern, sleep, eat again, Metro to DCA.
I stayed at the Hyatt Place Courthouse in Arlington last October after it first opened and it was perfectly adequate for a quick overnight. It’s very close to the metro, as well.
you won’t have a lot of time to see much of anything if you land IAD at 6:00pm and depart IAD or DCA at 10:30 the next morning. Best value IMO is Hyatt at Reston Town Center. In Virginia about 10 minutes drive from IAD and about 40 min to DCA. Solid category 3 property, 17k points for Club level king. Town center has plenty of great dining options for all budgets. If you really want DC location then i recommend the Park Hyatt located a couple of blocks from Georgetown where you could grab dinner by 8:00 and have time to walk around town that night. Good breakfast at Park Hyatt too.
https://www.restontowncenter.com/section/dine/
How are you planning on getting from IAD to downtown DC? Uber would take at a minimum about 45 minutes if not longer. I’m thinking that the only things you’ll see in DC at night will be the monuments as most of the museums would close around 5:30. I would prefer to use a Hyatt anniversary night for a longer stay. I agree with the others, I’d get in closer to DCA by staying in Arlington or Rosslyn since DC traffic is horrible in the morning. Now, if you are looking for an AirBnB in the District, my son runs one out of his home (basement apt with separate entrance) and could probably drop you off at DCA 🙂
Haven’t super decided on that but my thought was either an Uber or shuttle bus to the Silver Line at Reston and then taking the Metro in. I know we won’t have time to do museums or anything – I was mostly thinking of views and monuments and such.
I just booked a stay at the Washington Marriott Georgetown. Near the Foggy Bottom/ GWU Metro station which is on the blue line and only 15 minutes to DCA.
I couldn’t use my Hyatt Diamond for free breakfast on my husband’s free night last year. Was told the system only allows for Diamond benefits when I was the primary name on the reservation.
Sheraton Pentagon City, at Columbia Pike, Arlington – Great views of Pentagon, Air Force Memorial and general Washington DC.
Marriott Courtyard is across the street from the Metro at Merrifield Metro Station. Also a great Hyatt House one block away which is where we stay with a great breakfast. Another place we stayed was Stay bridge Suites at Tysons Corner which has a shuttle (free) to the Metro. Metro is the way to go.