Best Western Capitol Skyline -Great Find. Great Alternative to center city
by A TripAdvisor Member
Friendly staff, great rooms and facilites. Pleasantly surprised about the ease to get in and out of downtown. Used metro most of the time. Nearby is McDonalds, Wendys and KFC. Downtown locations sold out, so I tried this hotel and glad I did. I plan on returning with my family this summer since they have a huge outdoor pool.
An Ancient Symbol, A Young Country's Landmark...
by deecat
"All things are difficult before they are easy." John Norley
Having gone to college at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, where the area is known as Little Egypt, the school mascot is the Egyptian Saluki Dog, and the school year book is called the Obelisk, I have become fascinated with Egyptian culture. So, anytime that I see an Obelisk-like structure, I'm attracted to it...the Washington Monument is no exception.
Fashioned after the obelisks of ancient Egypt, the Washington Monument, a memorial to our founding father, George Washington, soars 555 feet above the Capitol skyline. It is one of the tallest free-standing masonry constructions in the world! This impressive white marble monument took 50 years to complete because of fundraising problems, the Civil War, and political in-fighting. If you look closely, you'll be able to see two different shades of white color in the marble due to the delay.
A fast elevator literally "whisks" (72 seconds) people to the top for a breathtaking view of DC, Maryland, and Viriginia. Once, you could walk the 800+ steps; that is now forbidden.
Starting in 1998 and finishing in 2,000, the Washington Monument was renovated by repairing the exterior masonry and mortar, refurbishing the elevator, installing a new climate-controll system, and polishing the 193 carved commemorative stones (gifts from the 50 states, foreign countries, and various organizations as well as individuals. The most impressive stone was given by Alaska, and it is solid Jade!)
Free tickets are available at the Kiosk on 15th Street.
Open:
April 1 to Labor Day
Daily: 8:00 am-11:45 pm
Labor Day-March 31
Daily: 9:00 am-4:45 pm
Note: photograph from brochure because mine did not turn out5s*
Creepy neighbourhood, nice hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
I stayed in this hotel in september 2003. It's a nice hotel, with clean and comfortable rooms and a very nice swimming pool on hot summerdays. You have tot pay for your breakfast.
The hotel is situated near Capitol Hill in a neighbourhood you could define as being creepy. We took the subway from the city center to a stop near Capitol Skyline and walked back tot the hotel, which was only a short walk.
I thought I had ended up in a scene from a bad movie. Homeless people, oil barrels on fire, car wrecks. Not pleasant! Not something you would expect a short mile from the US government. The only time I didn't feel safe in the USA.
Enjoyed the BW SKyline
by TripAdvisor Member Traveler584
We enjoyed our week long stay at the BW Skyline in September 2004. The hotel has some nice ameneties and our room was very clean! This hotel is a short walking distance from the national capitol and we walked there every day. We found an alternative route to those mostly mentioned in other reviews and it served our purpose nicely as it was a little longer, but envigorating for those of us who are health conscious. The staff was friendly and conscientious. We have stayed at expensive hotels in Boston and LA, but we found the BW Skyline to be satisfactory and it didn't cost nearly as much. We would stay there again!
Nice Staff
by TripAdvisor Member Discerning-diner
The place was about what I expected for the price.
The location is not great but a short cab ride from downtown D.C. I thought the staff was extremely pleasant and helpful. The only negative is the location.
Just fine
by A TripAdvisor Member
The hotel itself was actually very nice, as was the staff. The food in the diner was very good and not badly priced. The elevators are still under renovation, only one is functional, so using the elevator takes a little longer and the stairs don't go down to the lobby which is a bit inconvenient. One awesome feature was the FREE wireless internet access in every room (if you brought your own laptop). I was there for four nights and the internet worked great every day except one. Apparently only 50 people can be signed on at any one time. For a hotel with 203 rooms, that is probably usually enough...but they should really invest in allowing more people online at a time. Sometimes it is urgent to be able to get online, and it always seems to be those times that a person can't get on. The rooms themselves were very nice. The shower didn't drain very well, but when I mentioned that, it was fixed very quickly. I was in a non-smoking hall and I wish that had been better enforced as there was one night where the hall reeked of smoke. The view from the window was stunning. I had a great view of the capital. I made use of both taxis and the metro. The four block walk to the metro is not bad, although I would not advise doing it after dark. As long as a person is sensible and does not walk around after dark, the location is fine.
Way nicer than they say...
by A TripAdvisor Member
Everyone here seems to be scared of this hotel. I stayed there in 12/04 and it was fine. It's easy to get to, the parking is completely secured with electronic doors, and the rooms are as decent as any hotels in its price range. My only problem was with the front desk service. It was really really slow, and they didn't think I had paid for the room even though I had a receipt from the online booking agent. I've been double-charged, but that's something I'll have to work on with BW. The neighborhood can be shady at night, but unless you're afraid of cities, you'll find that it's nothing new. If you are going to party at Nation, it's right across the street. Also, families, you probably shouldn't take your kids to the playground at all or walk under 395 at night toward the capitol.
Forum Posts
What's open on Presidents' Day weekend?
by footstool
I'm thinking of driving down there that weekend. What would I expect to be open or closed? Monuments, museums, etc. Could you recommend a decent hotel for $150 or so? THANKS again!
Re: What's open on Presidents' Day weekend?
by TexasDave
The Smithsonian museums are open every day of the year except Xmas, but most close at 5:30- check their website.
There are many good hotels in the downtown area, although if you're going to drive they charge a lot for parking. Some of the hotels on the outskirts but which are close to a Metro station allow free parking, so that's something to consider. But the Grand Hyatt and the Hilton Garden Inn are good ones (the latter includes a breakfast) and for the holiday weekend you might find good rates.
Re: What's open on Presidents' Day weekend?
by risse73
All the federal offices will be closed, but the monuments (e.g., Lincoln Memorial, etc.) should be open along with the Smithsonian museums. The White House Information center should also be open for visitor inquiries. There will be a few parades going on in town and in the outskirts, so it's an added bonus. Many of the mainstream hotels have lowered their rates in this economic downturn, so this remains an option. You may also look into charming inns in the area. Some non-hotel accommodation options with websites are the Bloomingdale Inn & the Adams Inn in great DC locations with reasonable prices that meet your budgetary requirements.
Good Luck & Enjoy Historic DC!
Re: What's open on Presidents' Day weekend?
by gleenjones
I would prefer to visit the museums, this Christmas season much better to go indoor activities because of the cold weather outside. About the hotel i will introduce you to check the Capitol Skyline Hotel it has a wide parking space and very thrifty. Last time we visit Washington with transfer smart vacationers we spend our night in this hotel