Courtyard (Alexandria Pentagon South)

When I book travel reservations I tend to go for Marriott properties first. My recent trip to Washington DC was no exception. I have previously stayed at the Crystal City Marriott which is an exceptional hotel very close to public transportation. That hotel was unavailable during my trip so I opted instead for the Courtyard by Marriott - Pentagon South. Judging by the name of the hotel, I thought it might be close to the Pentagon, which would also make it close to mass transit. I was wrong on that count. The hotel is directly off of I-395 making it readily accessible by car. If you intend to drive into the city, then this hotel is conveniently located several miles from the Fourteenth Street Bridge. That can be a lifetime during rush hour, but a short trip during off peak hours. If you plan on using public transportation to get into the city, then you are in for a long trip.

The transportation/location issue is the only detriment I found with this hotel, so I will begin by expounding on the negative. The hotel has on site parking which runs ten dollars per day. You can enter and exit as much as you want without incurring additional charges. Your room key allows you access to the parking garage which is covered but detached from the hotel. If you plan on taking public transportation into Washington DC, you have several options. There is a Metrobus stop across Seminary Road which runs behind the hotel approximately one block from the front entrance. I used this option once to get into the city. The bus required a twenty minute ride to arrive at the King Street Metro Station in Old Town Alexandria. I looked longingly at the Embassy Suites across the street from the Metro stop as I started the second leg of my journey. The bus ride was $1.35 followed by a $1.85 non-rush hour train ride to the Mall (South Capitol Metro Station). During rush hour, I believe the price goes up about a dollar. The train ride was an additional half hour added to my commute. My next trip into DC happened during rush hour. I decided to drive to the Van Dorn Street Metro Station which advertised Park and Ride. All of the spots in the parking ride were filled (otherwise parking would have been $4.50 per day). I ended up driving to the Eisenhower Metro Stop where I paid ten dollars for parking. I needed to get to the White house for a tour and had limited options as time was running short. The Metro trip added close to another three dollars during rush hour (it was $1.85 on my return trip). I secured parking in the city during other trips, relying on a friend with a parking pass in the city. Driving into the city was not treat...a ten mile drive took more than half an hour. If you have to pay for parking in the city, you can expect to pay more than ten dollars per day if you can find an open lot. I prefer to use the Metro, which makes this hotel very inconveniently located.