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Where to stay in Washington, DC

The best places to stay in Washington, DC

Penn Quarter and Downtown, Capitol Hill and Navy Yard, Georgetown, Dupont Circle and hotels by Reagan and Dulles airports. Here is where to stay in Washington, DC, with honest advice on picking a base near the sights you'll see, getting around without a car and what a night really costs.

By the Things to Do in Washington DC editorial team Hotels checked 25 October 2026

Compare the 6 areas
A row of colorful painted row houses on a street in Washington, DC
Short answer

On a first visit, stay in Penn Quarter and Downtown Washington, about a mile from the National Mall. Pick Capitol Hill to walk to the Capitol, or Dupont Circle for a Metro stop at the door. By Reagan Airport, Crystal City hotels run free shuttles to the Metro.

Best areas to stay in Washington, DC

AreaBest forNearest sightsGetting around
Penn Quarter and Downtown A first visit, the White House and the Mall White House, National Mall, Smithsonian museums Walk to the Mall; McPherson Square Metro
Capitol Hill and Navy Yard The Capitol, Union Station and ballgames US Capitol, Union Station, Nationals Park Walk to the Capitol; Union Station nearby
Georgetown The waterfront and a village feel Georgetown Waterfront Park, Theodore Roosevelt Island Walk or ride; check your route first
Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom A Metro stop at the door and art museums Phillips Collection, White House Dupont Circle Metro, 394 feet from one hotel
Arlington and Reagan National Airport Early flights and free shuttles The Pentagon, Reagan National Airport Free hotel shuttles to Crystal City Metro
Washington Dulles Airport Early flights and the Udvar-Hazy Center Udvar-Hazy Center, Dulles Airport Hotel airport shuttles; Silver Line to the city

Area 1 of 6

Penn Quarter and Downtown: hotels near the Smithsonian museums

Penn Quarter and Downtown are the easy choice for a first visit. You can walk to the White House and the National Mall, where the Smithsonian museums stand.

The Hilton Garden Inn is 3 blocks from the White House and 1 mile from the Mall. The Morrison Clark Inn is 1.2 miles from the White House. Mint House is an aparthotel by McPherson Square Metro.

Keep in mind
Only Mint House names its Metro stop: McPherson Square. Check the walk from the others.
Pennsylvania Avenue running toward the US Capitol through downtown Washington, DC

Our picks in Penn Quarter and Downtown

More hotels in Penn Quarter and Downtown on Booking.com →

Booking.com list of hotels in the Downtown district of Washington, DC.

Area 2 of 6

Capitol Hill and Navy Yard

Capitol Hill suits you if the Capitol is your main sight. The Capitol Hill Hotel is a few blocks away and has kitchenettes. The Hyatt Regency is about 1,600 feet from Union Station.

Navy Yard is a little farther out, by Nationals Park. Coda on Half is 1.2 miles from the Air and Space Museum.

From here you can walk to a Capitol tour; see our US Capitol, Library of Congress and Supreme Court tours.

Keep in mind
Navy Yard is by Nationals Park, 1.2 to 1.8 miles from the Mall. Capitol Hill itself is closer.
A wide view of the US Capitol with its dome and both wings, behind green lawns

Our picks in Capitol Hill and Navy Yard

More hotels in Capitol Hill and Navy Yard on Booking.com →

Booking.com list of hotels in the Capitol Hill district of Washington, DC.

Area 3 of 6

Georgetown

Georgetown is for a quieter base near the river. The citizenM is a 17-minute walk from Theodore Roosevelt Island and 1.7 miles from the National Mall.

The Graham and the Georgetown Inn are both about half a mile from Georgetown Waterfront Park. The Poppy is a small guesthouse with a garden.

Keep in mind
We found no official source on Metro service in Georgetown, so check your route to the sights before you book.
Colorful row houses with front gardens on a street in Washington, DC

Our picks in Georgetown

More hotels in Georgetown on Booking.com →

Booking.com list of hotels in the Georgetown district of Washington, DC.

Area 4 of 6

Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom

Dupont Circle is for a Metro stop close by. The Dupont Circle Hotel is 394 feet from the station and 1.9 miles from the National Mall.

Hotel Madera is 1 mile from the White House. The Tabard Inn and Lyle DC are a short walk from the Phillips Collection, an art museum.

Keep in mind
You are about 2 miles from the Mall here, so plan on the Metro for sightseeing.
Painted brick row houses with shutters and small front gardens in Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC

Our picks in Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom

More hotels in Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom on Booking.com →

Booking.com list of hotels in the Dupont Circle district of Washington, DC.

Area 5 of 6

Hotels near Reagan National Airport (DCA)

Crystal City, by Reagan National Airport, suits early flights. The Courtyard and the Residence Inn run free shuttles to Crystal City Metro. The Hampton Inn is about 2,500 feet from the station.

The airport has its own Metro link. A ride costs $2.25 to $6.75 on weekdays before 9:30 p.m., and $2.25 to $2.50 later and on weekends.

Keep in mind
You are across the river in Virginia. Use the hotel shuttle to Crystal City Metro to reach the sights.
The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, seen from the air, with the Potomac River and Washington, DC behind it

Our picks in Arlington and Reagan National Airport

More hotels in Arlington and Reagan National Airport on Booking.com →

Booking.com list of hotels near Reagan National Airport, including Crystal City.

Area 6 of 6

Hotels near Washington Dulles Airport (IAD)

Stay by Dulles only for an early flight or the Udvar-Hazy Center. The Westin runs a free 24-hour airport shuttle. The Fairfield Inn is 5.6 miles from the Udvar-Hazy Center.

To reach the city, take the Silver Line. It is about 50 to 55 minutes to Rosslyn, where you change to the Blue Line. A ride to Metro Center costs $6.75.

Keep in mind
Dulles is far out: the Silver Line takes about 50 to 55 minutes just to Rosslyn.
The curved roof and control tower of the Dulles Airport terminal at night

Our picks in Washington Dulles Airport

More hotels in Washington Dulles Airport on Booking.com →

Booking.com list of hotels near Washington Dulles International Airport.

Where to stay in Washington, DC without a car

Pick a hotel near a Metro station, and you won't need a car. Dupont Circle, McPherson Square and the Crystal City shuttles all put you close to a station.

  • Metro fares: $2.25 to $6.75 on weekdays, and $2.25 to $2.50 after 9:30 p.m. and on weekends.
  • Day pass: a 1-day Metro and bus pass costs $13.50.
  • Airports: our guide to getting around Washington, DC has every airport route side by side.
  • Sightseeing: once your hotel is set, plan the sightseeing with our guided DC tours.

Where to stay in Washington, DC on a budget

In the 2026 Washington, DC Travel Cost Study, a 4-star hotel night in Washington, DC cost a median $202 per room for two. That is from 475 Google Hotels prices for stays from November 2026 to September 2027, read on 25 October 2026.

To spend less, look at aparthotels and suites with a kitchen: Mint House, Coda on Half, the Capitol Hill Hotel, Hyatt House and Sonesta. Airport hotels with free shuttles are another option, if you don't mind the ride in.

Questions people ask about where to stay in Washington, DC

Where should I stay in Washington, DC on a first visit?
Stay in Penn Quarter and Downtown. The Hilton Garden Inn there is 3 blocks from the White House and 1 mile from the National Mall.

What is the best area to stay in Washington, DC for sightseeing?
Penn Quarter and Downtown, for the Mall and the White House. Pick Capitol Hill if the Capitol is your main sight: the Capitol Hill Hotel is a few blocks away.

Where can I stay in Washington, DC without a car?
Pick a hotel near a Metro station, such as the Dupont Circle Hotel, 394 feet from its station. A Metro ride costs $2.25 to $6.75 on weekdays, and a 1-day pass is $13.50.

Where should I stay in Washington, DC on a budget?
Look at aparthotels and suites with a kitchen, such as Mint House or Coda on Half. Hotels by the airports with free shuttles are another way to save.

Hotels checked on Booking.com on 25 October 2026: each link opened in the browser and showed the hotel, rated 8.0 or higher there. The scores shown are from that day; we list no prices because they change daily. Booking.com shows the live ones.

Sources (10), facts checked on 25 October 2026

Written by the Things to Do in Washington DC editorial team.