Following the April 1997 ZIG meeting, and again following the June 1998 meeting, both in DC, participants were surveyed regarding hotel accomodations. Survey comments are supplied below. These constitute neither endorsement nor criticism from the Z39.50 Maintenance Agency or LC. The comments are supplied mostly verbatim (with minor editing including removal of personal names and identification).

• Radisson Barcelo, P Street NW
  April '97
  The rate was about twice what I'd paid at the same hotel two weeks earlier; I don't make my own reservations (though I asked the person who does to book this hotel because I like being in Dupont Circle better than Capitol Hill) so who knows what the deal was. It was expensive.

• The Hampshire Hotel
  April '97
  1310 New HAmpshire Ave. N.W. rate: $108.00 US (gov't rate) Although the hotel is old and well worn at the corners, the rooms are very large and comfortable and there is a good restaurant in the hotel. The location is great - one block from Dupont Circle and a metro ride away from LC. I would recommend it, unless you are the type that prefers plastic and new.

• Best Western Capitol Skyline
  April '97
  Location: 10, I street SW Rate : Approx 100$+Tx/night (Corporate rate) Recomm. ? No, for one main reason: the area became incredibly NOISY at night! Conv. loc? Not really. Had to take cabs (or walk). No metro nearby.

• Sheraton City Centre, 1145 New Hamsphire Ave NW.
  April '97
  gov't
  $124. It's our regular DC hotel. Most folks complain that the rooms are small. It is well kept, the staff is very pleasant. If you are willing to take the metro it is conveniently located two blocks from the Foggy Bottom Station in one direction and Dupont Circle in the other. Or a $5-7 cab ride.

• Capitol Hill Suites 202-543-6000
  April '97
  
  1. $108.41 plus tax per night convenient, would recommend in general... BUT... They had no record of my CONFIRMED reservation, and I had a bit of a hassel getting a room, although the reservation had been made and confirmed a couple of months ahead of time.
  2. $109/night. Convenient location, but I wouldn't recommend it or stay there again. The rooms are shabby and not terribly clean. I stayed there a year ago, and it seemed worse this time.
  3. $109 per night. Yes, I would recommend it. The location was wonderful - I'd far rather sleep a little later in the morning and be right next to where I have to meet than stay in a more lively location and have to commute. Taking the metro in the evening to go out isn't bad. The staff on the night (late) I arrived weren't too pleasant but, after that, everyone was terrific. The room was pleasant and I thank you for the recommendations.
  4. $109 per night (approx) Hotel was fine. Location was fine. No on-site food preparred - you have to get a token and go to the nearby restaurant.
  5. Convenient location.
  6. Rate $139 per night. Location very convenient. Rooms tired and service on the minimal side. I would stay there again for the convenience.
  June '98
  
  1. Rate = 110$/night
     Recomm = Yes
     Convenient ? Yes
     Everything was quite satisfying (room, service, location). The only minus is the lack of a restaurant in the hotel itself, but the surroundings were fine.
  2. $126. Location very convenient. I was much happier with the hotel this time because I had a nicer room.

• Sheffield Suites
  April '97
  (? The old Embassy Square). $139/night I liked it. It had a nice view from the 7th floor. The room was a reasonably large suite and the hotel was 3 blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro hole.

• Radisson, near Dupont Circle.
  April '97
  I will stay near LC next time. I find it inconvvient to travel to the meeting in the morning - a personal preference. I remember liking the Capital Suites so will be there next time.

• Hampshire Hotel
  April '97
  New Hampshire Ave NW, 1 block from Dupont Circle Government rate: $108 + 15.54 tax Very convenient location; 20 minutes by Metro from LC The rooms are very large, but becoming worn. The bathroom is very small. Separate WC/bath from washbasin Rooms have kitchen facilities. Staff are pleasant. Not my favourite hotel, but cheap.

• Hotel: Holiday Inn Central, Rhode Island Avenue and 15th
  April '97
  Nightly rate: $157.41
  Pleasant hotel, big room, good breakfasts, but room rate seemed high. Easy to get to from McPherson or Dupont Circle Metro stations. My only complaint would be the price. If I could get a better rate I would be happy to stay there again.

• Holiday Inn Central
  April '97
  1501 Rhode Island Avenue $109+taxes,etc=$129 (but they seem to negotiate - quoted $129 then when asked they discounted to $109 - but sometimes "special rates" as low as $69). Hotel rooms are fine as have been recently refurbished. Hotel has bar and a resteraunt which includes a buffet dinner that is good value at $12.95 and buffet breakfast at $8.95. Is 10 mins walk from the metro - which is not so convenient. But is on fringe of bad area - so dont feel like walking from McPherson Square after dark - I walked from Dupont Circle. I will try a hotel nearer the metro next time!

• Dupont Plaza1500 New Hampshire Ave NW (Dupont Circle)
  April '97
  1. $110 (asked for a government rate) I'd recommend this hotel. On the Metro -- an easy ride to LC and the airport. Interesting eating/shopping/entertainment nearby.
  2. Fine.

  3. $144. Yes. Yes. Getting a bit 'long in the tooth, though'. Some of the other guests look like KGB agents.

• Howard Johnson 600 New York Ave NE
  April '97
  $62.50. One of the worst hotels I've ever stayed in; very noisy (right over the train tracks and adjacent to US 50). No nearby public transportation. Dismal neighborhood.

• Carlyle Suites, Dupont Circle
  April '97
  1. $100 per night Convienent location but hotel poorly run and several problems made stay unpleasent.
  2. We told our travel department that we wanted to stay in the Dupont circle area, and they put us into the Carlyle Suites. Our rooms were about $100/night. It's on a very nice street, close to many good restaurants. The hotel facility is fairly nice, but it's very poorly run. They may be in the process of renovating the place. It seems that they've divided former suites into to rooms, so some are just sleeping rooms, and others are just living room/kitchen facilities. These accommodations used fold-out sofas, which weren't very comfortable for sleeping. There's a small bar area off the lobby which provides a very small continental breakfast (coffee, juice, and donuts). We stopped in one morning before heading to the ZIG, and as we were leaving, someone handed us a bill for $7.45. There was no warning that there was a charge for the 'buffet'. Be warned! (The hotel staff told me that this was a private enterprise, not connected to the hotel.)

• The "Dupont at the Circle" Bed and Breakfast
  April '97
  1. Rate: not sure, I think around $120/night Convenience: fine -- close to Dupont Circle and therefore close to dining and Metro to LC. I liked this B&B (this is not a hotel!). The bathroom was especially nice (jacuzzi), the people friendly.
  2. Off of dupont circle Nice hosts, great breakfast. ONLY recomended for heavy sleepers (light + noise in the rooms); and if privacy (among other things the phone) is not an issue.

• Embassy Row Hilton in Dupont Circle
  June '98
  Very convenient via metro; $162 + tax room rate. Will not be my first choice in the future - the management seems to have taken a turn for the worst since I stayed there two years ago.

• Clarion Hampshire (Dupont Circle)
  June '98
  The hotel was very good. I recommend it. Very convenient location. I asked government rate ($ 110 excl. taxes), and I got it without too many problems

• State Plaza Hotel 2117 E. Street N.W.
  June '98
  On campus of George Washington University, 3 blocks from Foggy Bottom Station on the Blue Line. 20 minutes to LC by subway. Nice neighbourhood. All suite hotel. Rates as low as $99/night when booked through the Hotel Reservations Network, 1-800-964-6835.

• Radisson Barcello 2121 P street NW
  June '98
  I always stay in this hotel when I'm in Washington. Close to Dupont Circle which is a nice area. To the Library of Congress is only 15 minutes by Metro. Don't know about the rate. Never do my own bookings.

• Carlton Hotel
  June '98
  
  1. The Carlton Hotel was recommended by our travel agent when I requested a good hotel in a convenient and safe location. The hotel is located on 16 and K-street next to Lafayette Park only 300 meters from the White House. The is neighbourhood is nice and safe. The location is reasonably convenient within walking distance from The Mall and more lively areas with restaurants and shopping. There is a Metro station just one block away. The hotel is very upscale and claim Queen Elizabeth among their regular guests. Service is as professional as one would expect from an international luxury hotel in this class but there is absolutely no free lunch - or breakfast. The total bill came to 320 USD per night including breakfast, taxes and service etc. I don't recall the room rate. I have often stayed at better hotels with lower prices but the location os of course quite unique and probably contribute to the price.
  2. About 250$ a night. Nice location (close to the WhiteHouse), but the area's a bit "dead", really businesslike, not that many places to go at night (found a biker bar though, plus in the same block as the hotel there was a neat place with "exotic" dancers)

     Quite nearby there's all the nessecities, chinese takeaways, pharmacy, SubWay, McD, burger king and of cource a Metro.

     The chinese takeaway ("Hunan") is at 1010 15th street, feels like some mom&pop operation, and the food's good and cheap (I'm, after spending 250$ for a bed & tv, you might want to have some cheap but good food, and enough even for 6"5' people), ****_ hats (4 of five), and if you're hungry, just buy an extra bowl of rice.

     The hotel itself is quite superb (but they do also make you bleed for the service), but be prepared to put on a shirt+tie+jacket if you want to eat dinner or hang in the bar. They thought I was a muscian so I could at least eat breakfast at the hotel :-) So just claim you're a german poet or something odd, and you're in the clear.

     At the hotel they'll clean your shoes, but you'll have to turn them in before 1am (and they're done at 6 (or 7?) am). So bring more then one pair of shoes or don't go drinking one night, free shoe polish is neat when you have size 12 military boots, just hope they used some good grease...

     And for breakfast, they have this utterly excellent muesli, think it was called "birhcers" or something.

     The coffee, ah well, **___ 2 of 5 stars, could have been better, I suspect they're hidin a percolator in the kitchen, yech.