Where to stay

Find a hotel near Downtown Washington D.C. to be in the heart of the museum district, where 11 Smithsonian museums and numerous historical monuments, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, line the National Mall. The White House and other government buildings offer living history lessons. A reservation in Foggy Bottom provides a perfect spot between Downtown and the Potomac River, with the Kennedy Performing Arts Center and famous Watergate Hotel nearby. Stay just north in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, which is surrounded by independent museums and galleries, such as the Phillips Collection, and the foreign state houses along Embassy Row.

As the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C. attracts people from all over the world, and this is reflected in its diverse dining scene. Book a hotel in the Downtown or Capitol Hill neighborhoods, where dining reservations are a must because restaurants fill with staffers and lobbyists on power lunches or dinners. For a more eclectic dining experience, stay in the Georgetown area; here college students and young professionals flock to casual waterfront restaurants along the Potomac or more classic fine dining along the shopping streets in the oldest neighborhood of D.C. Book accommodations near Chinatown, which has great Asian fare, of course, but is also very close to Peruvian, Japanese, Spanish and Mediterranean restaurants.

While many of the 20 million people visiting Washington D.C. each year focus on historic sites, it's nice to get away from the big stone buildings once in a while. Stay in the Arlington neighborhood for some quiet, and take a peaceful stroll among the trees and flowers of Arlington National Cemetery. Make a hotel booking in Woodley Park and walk to the Smithsonian National Zoo. The Northwest area is one of the best spots to stay to enjoy the biking and hiking trails of Rock Creek Park

Book a hotel in Alexandria, just south of D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport, for neighborhood shopping at its best in the historic district of Old Town Alexandria, complete with the free King Street Trolley. For concentrated high-end shopping, stay in Downtown Washington D.C. and visit the huge CityCenterDC. Accommodations in Tysons Corner are near two large shopping centers with high-end brands.