summary.
There are basically 2 types of hobbyists in the DC area, there are those who are more urbane, in the city proper frequently, ride Metro all the time, etc. Then there are the hardened suburbanites who will not get out of their cars & never ride public transit. The former prefer areas like Dupont Circle which has many hotels, is directly Metro accessible & is also a lively urban neighborhood with numerous restaurants & clubs plus art galleries, etc. The other group hates Dupont's traffic congestion & scarce & costly parking & much prefer areas like Tysons Corner, which features numerous hotels with (mostly) free parking but a decided office park/shopping mall feel to it. For a couple of years, while they were building the Metro extension & the HOT lanes on the Beltway at the same time, the traffic in Tysons, particularly in rush hour, was the worst in the area bar none.
So what many touring ladies do is split the difference, doing a couple of days in each area on a visit, thus catering to both. There are also one or two compromise locations, like Crystal City in Arlington, many hotels & restaurants, its own Metro stop, but a lot of underground parking which is less costly than DC areas like Dupont & much of it free on weekends & after 4:00 PM weekdays.
One other consideration is for the provider herself. If you're staying in Dupont or most downtown areas (Capitol Hill, Thomas Circle, etc.), you don't really need a car as you can find restaurants, convenience stores, wine shops etc. within easy walking distance (this also generally applies to Crystal City as well). If you're in Tysons, with few exceptions nothing is walkable & you either need a rental car or have to either eat where you're staying or take taxi's to & from dinner. Sadly, said rental car will spend 90% + of the time sitting in the hotel parking lot at $ 35/day or whatever.
Finally, a word for my Maryland associates, most of them dislike Dupont & downtown as well & dislike the longish trek to Tysons as well, so some touring ladies will add on a day or two in the hotel-rich area around the BWI airport. For visitors staying there a car is probably even more necessary than in Tyson.
Hope this helps.
But, I'm guessing Tyson's is the better middle ground that serves both areas, and alas, I find myself surrounded by shopping malls and car dealerships too often.