Where to stay · Washington, D.C. · United States
Where to stay in Washington, D.C.
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in National Mall and Penn Quarter. Museums, theatres and the Capital One Arena between the Mall and Chinatown. Best alternatives — budget: U Street and Shaw; nightlife: Dupont Circle.
Key facts
- First visit
- National Mall and Penn Quarter
- Families
- National Mall and Penn Quarter
- Budget
- U Street and Shaw
- Nightlife
- Dupont Circle
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | National Mall and Penn Quarter | Museums, theatres and the Capital One Arena between the Mall and Chinatown |
| Families | National Mall and Penn Quarter | Museums, theatres and the Capital One Arena between the Mall and Chinatown |
| Couples | Georgetown | Federal-era rowhouses, M Street shopping and the C&O Canal |
| Budget | U Street and Shaw | Historic 'Black Broadway', live-music venues and Ben's Chili Bowl |
| Luxury | Georgetown | Federal-era rowhouses, M Street shopping and the C&O Canal |
| Nightlife | Dupont Circle | Embassy Row mansions, bookshops and a Sunday farmers' market |
| Food lovers | Logan Circle and 14th Street | The city's busiest restaurant and bar strip along 14th Street NW |
| Solo travellers | Dupont Circle | Embassy Row mansions, bookshops and a Sunday farmers' market |
| Shopping | Georgetown | Federal-era rowhouses, M Street shopping and the C&O Canal |
| Quiet stays | Capitol Hill | Painted rowhouses, Eastern Market and the Library of Congress |
Washington, D.C. neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and culture
National Mall and Penn Quarter
Penn Quarter sits just north of the Mall's eastern half, a few minutes' walk from the National Gallery, the Archives and the Smithsonian museums. It has the National Portrait Gallery, Ford's Theatre, the Capital One Arena and the Chinatown Friendship Archway, plus a large choice of chain and boutique hotels and restaurants along 7th Street. Gallery Place and Metro Center stations put most of the network within one change.
- Good
- Walk to the Mall museums; Excellent Metro connections; Lots of restaurants and theatres
- Watch out
- Busy and loud on arena nights; Feels commercial rather than residential
- Nearby
- National Mall, National Portrait Gallery, Ford's Theatre, Capital One Arena
$$$$ · Best for couples, shopping and luxury
Georgetown
Founded in 1751, before the capital existed, Georgetown has cobbled side streets of brick rowhouses, the shops of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the C&O Canal towpath and Georgetown Waterfront Park on the Potomac. It is the most picturesque place to stay, with boutique hotels and some of the city's grandest, but it has no Metro station; Foggy Bottom station is about a 20-minute walk.
- Good
- The city's prettiest streets; Riverside walks and dining; Upscale shopping on the doorstep
- Watch out
- No Metro station; Expensive hotels and restaurants; Crowded on weekend afternoons
- Nearby
- Georgetown Waterfront Park, C&O Canal, Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown University
$$$ · Best for couples, solo travellers, culture and nightlife
Dupont Circle
Dupont Circle radiates out from a fountain-centred park, with Beaux-Arts mansions along Massachusetts Avenue's Embassy Row, the Phillips Collection, independent bookshops and cafés. It has long been a centre of the city's LGBTQ+ community and has plenty of bars and restaurants along Connecticut Avenue and 17th Street. The Red Line reaches Metro Center in a few minutes.
- Good
- Walkable, leafy and central; Good mid-range hotel choice; Lively evenings without being rowdy
- Watch out
- A Metro ride or long walk to the Mall; Hotel rooms can be small
- Nearby
- Phillips Collection, Embassy Row, Logan Circle, Adams Morgan
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and culture
Capitol Hill
Behind the Capitol, this is one of the largest historic residential districts in the country, with streets of 19th-century rowhouses, the Library of Congress and Supreme Court, Eastern Market's weekend stalls and the restaurants of Barracks Row on 8th Street SE. Union Station is on its northern edge, convenient for Amtrak arrivals.
- Good
- Residential and calm; Walk to the Capitol and the Mall; Good neighbourhood restaurants
- Watch out
- Limited hotel choice beyond Union Station; Quiet at night
- Nearby
- US Capitol, Library of Congress, Eastern Market, Union Station
$$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife and couples
Logan Circle and 14th Street
14th Street NW between Logan Circle and U Street is lined with restaurants, cocktail bars, small theatres such as Studio Theatre and design shops, while the side streets around Logan Circle keep their grand Victorian houses. It is a good base for food-focused trips, about 25 minutes' walk from the White House area.
- Good
- Dense choice of good restaurants; Lively at night; Attractive Victorian streets
- Watch out
- Few hotels; No Metro station on 14th Street itself
- Nearby
- U Street, Dupont Circle, Studio Theatre
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, solo travellers and food lovers
U Street and Shaw
In the early 20th century U Street was the centre of Black Washington, where Duke Ellington grew up and theatres such as the Howard and the Lincoln hosted the greats of jazz. Today it has music venues including the 9:30 Club and the Lincoln Theatre, the African American Civil War Memorial, Ethiopian restaurants and Ben's Chili Bowl, open since 1958. The Green and Yellow lines stop at U Street and Shaw–Howard University.
- Good
- Live music most nights; Strong local history; Better-value stays and food
- Watch out
- Noisy at weekends; A Metro ride from the Mall
- Nearby
- 9:30 Club, Howard Theatre, African American Civil War Memorial, Ben's Chili Bowl
$$$ · Best for families, couples and nightlife
The Wharf and Navy Yard
Along the Washington Channel, the Wharf is a modern waterfront district of restaurants, hotels and piers, home to the Anthem concert venue and the historic Maine Avenue Fish Market. A little east, Navy Yard has Nationals Park, the riverside Yards Park and breweries. Water taxis connect the Wharf with Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria.
- Good
- Waterfront walks and dining; Concerts and ballgames nearby; Newer, roomier hotels
- Watch out
- Can feel like a development rather than a neighbourhood; Crowded on concert and game nights
- Nearby
- Maine Avenue Fish Market, The Anthem, Nationals Park, Yards Park
$$$ · Best for first-timers, quiet stays and luxury
Foggy Bottom and West End
Between the White House area and Georgetown, Foggy Bottom mixes George Washington University, government offices, the Watergate complex and the riverside performing-arts centre with quiet residential streets. The West End has several upscale hotels, and both are within walking distance of the Lincoln Memorial and Georgetown, with Foggy Bottom–GWU station on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines.
- Good
- Walk to the western monuments and Georgetown; Quiet at night; Metro on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Few lively evening options; Dominated by offices on weekdays
- Nearby
- Lincoln Memorial, Georgetown, Watergate complex, Rock Creek Park
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| National Mall and Penn Quarter | $$$ | National Mall, National Portrait Gallery, Ford's Theatre, Capital One Arena |
| Georgetown | $$$$ | Georgetown Waterfront Park, C&O Canal, Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown University |
| Dupont Circle | $$$ | Phillips Collection, Embassy Row, Logan Circle, Adams Morgan |
| Capitol Hill | $$$ | US Capitol, Library of Congress, Eastern Market, Union Station |
| Logan Circle and 14th Street | $$$ | U Street, Dupont Circle, Studio Theatre |
| U Street and Shaw | $$ | 9:30 Club, Howard Theatre, African American Civil War Memorial, Ben's Chili Bowl |
| The Wharf and Navy Yard | $$$ | Maine Avenue Fish Market, The Anthem, Nationals Park, Yards Park |
| Foggy Bottom and West End | $$$ | Lincoln Memorial, Georgetown, Watergate complex, Rock Creek Park |
Getting to your hotel
Reagan National (DCA) is on the Metro's Blue and Yellow lines, about 15–20 minutes from downtown. From Dulles (IAD), the Silver Line runs directly into the city in about 50–60 minutes. From BWI, MARC or Amtrak trains from the airport rail station reach Union Station in about 30–45 minutes.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Washington, D.C. for first-time visitors?
National Mall and Penn Quarter. Penn Quarter sits just north of the Mall's eastern half, a few minutes' walk from the National Gallery, the Archives and the Smithsonian museums.
+Where should families stay in Washington, D.C.?
National Mall and Penn Quarter: Walk to the Mall museums.
+Which area of Washington, D.C. is best for a budget stay?
U Street and Shaw ($$): Historic 'Black Broadway', live-music venues and Ben's Chili Bowl.