Tips on Accommodations

Extended Stays in the Heart of the City

Travelers to Washington, D.C., who plan to visit for a week or longer should know about the centrally located AKA White House District apartment/hotel (1710 H St. NW; tel. 202/904-2500; www.stayaka.com). The D.C. location is one of 10 AKA properties (most are in NYC), all of which offer luxuriously furnished one- and two-bedroom apartments that are available for per-night rates (a minimum of 4-7 nights is generally required) or negotiated lease terms for extended stays. Federal employees will be happy to learn that AKA accepts the government's per-diem rate. Check out the website to see for yourself some of the property's fine appointments and amenities, including fully equipped kitchens, stylish decor, free Wi-Fi, on-site fitness center, washer/dryer (in each apartment), and complimentary continental breakfast. K Street law offices, the White House, the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery, and excellent restaurants, like the Taberna del Alabardero, are just some of the property's notable neighbors.

When All Else Fails

If your luck and time are running out and you still haven't found a place to stay, these ideas are worth a try:

• Call one of the free reservations services listed here, including the Bed & Breakfast Accommodations service. Talk to someone "on location" who can work with you to find a place.
• Check out the Vacation Rental by Owner website, www.vrbo.com, and enter "Washington" as your city to read about furnished apartments for rent around the city.
• Consider house swapping. Try HomeLink International (Homelink.org), the largest and oldest home-swapping organization, founded in 1953, with more than 13,000 listings worldwide ($110 for a yearly membership). www.homexchangevacation.com and InterVac.com are also reliable.
• Call the Washington Convention and Tourism Corporation's local number (tel. 202/789-7000) and ask the tourist rep for the names and numbers of any new or about-to-open hotels. If the rep isn't sure, ask her to check with the marketing director. Up-and-coming hotels may have available rooms, for the simple reason that few people know about them.
• Consider lodging outside the city.

Inside and Outside the Beltway, Beyond-D.C. Hotel Options

Normally, I don't like to recommend hotel options outside the capital, since I believe that to get a real sense of a place, you need to wake up in it. Circumstances sometimes dictate otherwise, however. If you're having a hard time finding available and/or affordable rooms at D.C. hotels, first look to northern Virginia. Route 1, also known as "Jefferson Davis Highway" within Crystal City limits, is lined with hotels for every budget, though most are aimed at the high-end traveler. Crystal City and its Northern Virginia neighbors are also prime locations if you want to stay near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is less than a mile away. (National Airport, by the way, is only 4 miles from downtown Washington.) So, whether you're looking for vacancies or affordable lodging, or simply want to guarantee a free shuttle and a quick trip between your hotel and National Airport, go to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority website (www.mwaa.com), click on "Travel Tips," under the National Airport section, and then click on "Local Hotels," in the Local Tourism section on that page to discover a long listing of hotels. One of the closest to the airport is the Crystal City Marriott (1999 Jefferson Davis Hwy.; tel. 703/920-3230).

Likewise, if you want to stay as close as possible to Washington Dulles International Airport, refer to the same website, but click on the Travel Tips line in the Dulles box, then the Local Hotels line within Local Tourism. Of the hotels listed, one is actually located on airport property: the Washington Dulles Marriott (45020 Aviation Dr.; tel. 703/471-9500).

Finally, the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport's website, www.bwiairport.com, directs you to its list of nearby hotels: Click on "Around Town," and then "Accommodations." As at Dulles Airport, only one of the many hotels listed is located on BWI airport property: the Four Points by Sheraton (7032 Elm Rd.; tel. 410/859-3300).