Need a little info...

Best places to stay? Areas to avoid?

Weekdays or weekends?

I hear great things about this area and want to have a very good trip. Any info would be great.  

-- Modified on 11/6/2011 8:35:44 AM

I can't speak only for myself, but weekdays are best. You want to stay in Northwest DC. The better and more accessible areas are Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom and Connecticut Avenue near the zoo. Each of these areas has a number of hotels and the close to the Metro. Downtown near 14th street or the convention center is also convenient.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from. Are you listed on TER.

DuPont Circle and Tyson's Corner.  Dulles area is also gaining popularity with some providers and is a great place to stay if you are flying into Dulles Airport (IAD). Very convenient to take cab.

As far as actual places to stay, you are better off back-channeling that information with your fellow TER Provider friends.  They will be able to provide you with better insights.

Also, wanted to ask you if you have any reviews...

Lastly, welcome to our city. Hope you have a blast.

with providers.  Dupont Circle and Tysons Corner are far and away the mot popular, while the Dulles and BWI airport areas are also somewhat popular.  What has been discussed here ad nauseum is that there is one group of DC hobbyists who are very comfortable with being n the city and using the Metro system to get around and thus love to see providers in downtown locations like Dupont Circle & Foggy Bottom, and who dislike going into the traffic/construction mess at Tysons Corner, or going way out to Dulles or BWI.  Likewise there is another group who abhor going into the city, dislike or don't know the Metro system, and prefer to drive everywhere and thus prefer the suburban locations.  There's no 'right' or 'wrong' here, they're just different.  So what many experienced providers do is spend 2-3 days at Tysons & 2-3 days at Dupont Circle (and sometimes a couple at either Dulles or BWI), thereby appealing to both groups.  
But be advised of one thing: if you do as one respondent suggested and fly into Dulles and take a taxi to a nearby hotel, you will find that there is virtually nothing nearby but other hotels & office buildings, and will largely be stuck with the hotel for meals, etc.  This is also true of the BWI area, and somewhat of the Tysons Corner area.  By contrast, if you stay at Dupont Circle, there are dozens of restaurants of all sorts in easy walking distance.
Best of luck.

Well, I have no TER, sisterhood to backchanel but I will check other sources.  I have three reviews on Eccie and no, I am not a new provider.  Just slightly below the radar . They are all good and honest I assure you! No photoshopped pics either,

This explains the mixed answers that I got from the ladies elsewhere about where or which way to go. Perhaps a few days on each side is the way to go.

I do know the metro system somewhat but I am not a pro by any means.  I can't live on fast food as it will make me fat and cranky Soda's and chips aren't gonna cut it. A resturant with table cloths is almost a requirement, or a grocery store.  So thanks for the airport info.

haha your message made me laugh as I definitely had some 'food' issues in some of the hotels I used to stay in while touring in Washington. Unfortunately it was for an agency, so I had very little to say about the location / hotel.

I have stayed in Tyson's corner a lot and at a certain point I saw so many other providers in the hotels that I'd stay in, that I would feel a bit uncomfortable. The fact that nothing is walking distance can be very depressing because let's face it, you don't want to be stuck for a couple of days in a hotel room. You want to have your coffee in the morning, or go out for a jog or a blow dry before starting your day. Well at least I do

I have also stayed in the suburbs a bit and even some hotels have decent restaurants, a starbucks and OK gyms , I still miss the feeling of being in a City.

So my advice would be to split it up as well and AVA if you need some recommendations on hotels, I can def. help you out with that, just IM me !

♥
Estella

I would tend to agree with the advice given but I would forget about Columbia or BWI if I were you.  During the weekday traffic / construction will reek havoc with your appointments and schedule.  I have had several appointment in these areas and dreaded the commute each time.  The funny thing is I live fairly close to both but still find it difficult to navigate traffic.   I also think your risk of cancellation and late arrivals are greater in those two areas.   During the week day between 10am and 4pm Tyson is pretty easy to navigate for clients but is not necessarily Metro train friendly.  Anyway,  I think the argument against metro are overblown and exaggerated.  My only issue is that I'm liable to be spotted more easily coming and going in DC than other locations but life is gamble, right?     I personally think the metro are a pretty cool alternative if you don't want to drive to DuPont, Foggy Bottom, or practically any downtown metro stop you might choose.    DC offers the best assortment of High and medium end hotels and you will also get some  pretty good choices of hotel, restaurants and entertainment.   Please send us any review links that have been posted of you, we are all very curious.....!!

food and such

OK - for some reason this message did not post yesterday ... so I'm trying again ....

Vamikey: haha your message made me laugh as I definitely had some 'food' issues in some of the hotels I used to stay in while touring in Washington. Unfortunately it was for an agency, so I had very little to say about the location / hotel.

I have stayed in Tyson's corner a lot and at a certain point I saw so many other providers in the hotels that I'd stay in, that I would feel a bit uncomfortable. The fact that nothing is walking distance can be very depressing because let's face it, you don't want to be stuck for a couple of days in a hotel room. You want to have your coffee in the morning, or go out for a jog or a blow dry before starting your day. Well at least I do

I have also stayed in the suburbs a bit and even though some hotels have decent restaurants, a starbucks and OK gyms , I still miss the feeling of being in a City.

So my advice would be to split it up as well and AVA if you need some recommendations on hotels, I can def. help you out with that, just PM me !

♥
Estella

the ladt times I saw a provider there on a late afternoon appt., when I walked back to the elevator, six rooms I passed had the 'Do Not Disturb' tags on their doors!

I know haha it makes you wonder who you'll run into on the elevator ! Funny because last time I was in DC one of my clients came in all flustered, telling me he saw one provider smoking outside and when he stepped in the elevator another one stepped in right behind him, they got off on the same floor and she turned out to stay in the room next to mine ...

Seriously, it didn't make me feel good ... at all.

♥
Estella

I always have it up unless I want my room cleaned.

Rent a car....If you stay in suburbs rent a car...The hotels are lot cheaper in suburbs than downtown DC. So if you rent a car and stay in burbs, it would still end up being more economical. Also, guys who live and work in the burbs don't like to travel to DC for hobbying, and same is true for guys who live and work in DC.

you don't want me driving a car ! It's def. NOT one of my fortes !

You're so right, and the restaurants are generally cheaper.

Even though there are constructions in the area, Tysons Corner is still the best. I live in Maryland and I don't mind driving there, as long as it is not rush hour. Do not stay at Dulles; it is just too far away. If you want to be near an airport, Alexandria, Arlington or BWI are better. At BWI, there is DC in one direction and Baltimore in the other; at Dulles, there's practically nothing out west and you would be losing potential clients from Maryland.

Staying near the Washington Beltway (I-495) helps.

Parking in DC is just bad. To compromise, you could stay at Dupont Circle on weekdays for those who like to hobby on their work days, and Tysons Corner on a weekend.

I live near DC and not Baltimore but I disagree that it is way out. BWI is near population centers -- Baltimore, Columbia, Laural, and a reasonable drive form Rockville/Bethesda. Dulles is way out, not BWI.

I just avoid those times.