viernes, 29 de julio de 2011

Part IV Exploring Washington DC Day 2 and 3 in DC

Part I: Summer Vacation Introduction
Part II: Flight MEX-IAD and Day 1 in DC(United)
Part III: Fairfax Hotel at Embassy Row
Part IV: Exploring Washington DC Day 2 and 3 in DC
Part V: Exploring Washington DC Day 4 and 5 in DC
Part VI: Train from DC to Newark and Day 1 in NYC (Amtrak)
Part VII: Hotel AKA Times Square
Part VIII: Exploring New York City Days 2 and 3
Part IX: Exploring NYC Days 4 and 5
Part X: Exploring NYC Days 6 and 7
Part XI: Flight EWR-MEX (Continental)

Day 2 in DC

Although this wasn't really a day where we were "tourists" in DC we were able to visit some places. Right in the morning after a great breakfast at the Jockey Club, which is the restaurant of the Fairfax, we headed all the way to Washington Dulles Aiport waited 30 minutes and after talking to a supervisor I got someone to open the lost and found room which had everything Kindles, iPads, cameras, cellphones even laptops but not my camera. Sad we decided to go back to the hotel.
Because we used all of the morning in trying to retrieve the camera we just had some hours left.

We went to the Tom Ford Theatre which was the Theatre where Lincoln was assassinated. The theatre also has a museum which is very interesting. We then went next door which is the Hard Rock Cafe for some average lunch. Because we still had some time we went to the U.S. Capitol which you I expected to see more than a movie and an average tour that at least was free.
Maybe not the most productive day but we tried to get back our camera.

Day 3 in DC

We bought tickets with our concierge for the Double Deck Tour Bus. So we went directly to the nearest stop which was 2 blocks away Dupont Circle. The bus takes you up to Washington Cathedral which is very pretty and then down on the Embassy Row crossing the beautiful Georgetown. We decided to not stop at Georgetown so we could see the monuments first. Then we stopped at the Lincoln Memorial which is impressive but very crowded and the fact that the reflecting pool in front of it it's under renovation didn't make it so nice. Then we walked all the way from the Lincoln Memorial to the White House. On the way we stopped at the Holocaust Memorial and at the Washington Memorial although we did not went up.

The walk from the Lincoln Memorial to the White House looks small on a map but with temperatures of 100 F and higher it took longer than expected. Of course you can not see much of the White House and specially if they close the closest pedestrian street to the WH. (Maybe it was because of the meeting of Obama with the Dalai Lama)
We walked a little bit more to the White House Visitor Center which explains you a lot of the White House. We then walked to the nearest Bus stop and we mad it to the Union Station so we could change routes. The DC Double Decker Tour has 3 different routes. Because we were very hungry we stopped at a restaurant inside the Station.
We then took the bus to the National Zoo where we passed the whole afternoon. It is a very very nice place to go specially for families. To end our day we had dinner at the hotel's restaurant.

jueves, 28 de julio de 2011

Fairfax Hotel at Embassy Row

Part I: Summer Vacation Introduction
Part II: Flight MEX-IAD and Day 1 in DC(United)
Part III: Fairfax Hotel at Embassy Row
Part IV: Exploring Washington DC Day 2 and 3 in DC
Part V: Exploring Washington DC Day 4 and 5 in DC
Part VI: Train from DC to Newark and Day 1 in (Amtrak)
Part VII: Hotel AKA Times Square
Part VIII: Exploring New York City Days 2 and 3
Part IX: Exploring NYC Days 4 and 5
Part X: Exploring NYC Days 6 and 7
Part XI: Flight EWR-MEX (Continental)

Like always I wrote my review at Tripadvisor which you can see it here or at their page. You can also check my 105 reviews about hotels, restaurants and attractions around the world: http://www.tripadvisor.com/members-reviews/charal95

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On my last trip to Washington D.C. I stayed at the Fairfax at Embassy Row for 5 nights and although it is a very nice and historic hotel there are a few details that everybody should look before coming here.
Check in- Check out.
Both of them were fast and the service at the small Front Desk is very good. I asked for an upgrade and for 50 USD they gave me a room a bit larger than a standard and a better view. Because it was too small, we were 3, we asked for a larger suite and the offered us, I believe it was the Fairfax Suite and we took it which was 150 USD plus per night and because we got a great Hotwire rate we took it.
I give a 4.8 out of 5 points

Room
The suite was located on the 7th floor offering a very nice view of the Washington Memorial. The suite is a large standard room with a living room. In both, the room and the living room there was a sofa bed plus the King-size bed. There were also 2 tvs one in each room.
Because this hotel is a Luxury Collection I expected some perks for the suites but nothing.
The only 2 small details in the suite where:
1. The bathroom was way too small. The standard room bathroom was the same or larger than this.
2. The living room has two entries for the AC. One is controlled by the AC panel located in the main room but the other one was located in another room which was occupied and it was always turned on and we even called the engineer but he said that he couldn't do anything. The big problem is that my father got a flu and it got worst because of the AC.
I give a 4.3 out of 5.

Location
The hotel is located on the Embassy Row-Dupont Circle which is supposed to be a gay village but I did not see many of them. The whole neighborhood is very safe. There is a Starbucks just around the corner and a CVS pharmacy about 2-3 blocks away. The subway station is 2 blocks away and can take you practically anywhere. Although I would have prefer to stay in a hotel right at the National Mall the location of the Fairfax is very nice.
I give a 4.6

Service
The service is great, I did not had any problem with anyone. From the porter to the Front Desk people to the Housekeeping, they were all great. And I need to mention that the Concierge was absolutely helpful and mad my trip even better. The only person that I didn't quite liked was the waiter at the Restaurant who kept lying about where he was and I just didn't liked him at all.
I give a 4.9

Restaurant
The restaurant-Jockey Club is a very nice historic restaurant. The food is very good and the service, apart from the other guy, is terrific. But in my opinion the restaurant was a bit overpriced but everything was very good.
I give a 4.8

Amenities.
The hotel offers a small Fitness Center which is very convenient to anyone that wants to do the basics. The business center is also great because they offer computers with free internet so you can save the 10 USD per day. If you want to use your computer but not pay for the internet there you can go to the lobby in which there is free wi-fi.
I give a 4.5

Overall
So this hotel in total cost me about 320 USD per night for a nice suite although I expected more. All the hotel is very nice but in my opinion is a bit old and not enough Luxury as the hotel should be. I feel that paying more than 250 USD for a normal room here is not the best idea. I do recommend this hotel for solo travelers, businessman or even couples but not for families.

Room Tip: Ask for a suite.

miércoles, 27 de julio de 2011

Part II: Flight MEX-IAD and Day 1 in DC (United)

Part I: Summer Vacation's Introduction
Part II: Flight MEX-IAD and Day 1 in DC(United)
Part III: Fairfax Hotel at Embassy Row
Part IV: Exploring Washington DC Day 2 and 3 in DC
Part v: Exploring Washington DC Day 4 and 5 in DC
Part VI: Train from DC to Newark and Day 1 in (Amtrak)
Part VII: Hotel AKA Times Square
Part VIII: Exploring New York City Days 2 and 3
Part IX: Exploring NYC Days 4 and 5
Part X: Exploring NYC Days 6 and 7
Part XI: Flight EWR-MEX (Continental)

After some hours of sleep my father my sister and myself woke up to get to the International Airport of Mexico City. As oppose to most of the airpots in the world the Mexico City Airport is right in the middle of Mexico City which of course is a very bad location not only to the people that live 50 meters away from the airport but to all the tourists that get stuck in traffic jams trying to get there. Fortunately the flight was in the morning so there was no traffic at all.
The check in at United was fast in the Premium check in line but it was the double at the Economy class. United offers flights from Mexico City to all of its Hubs except for Denver which is seasonal.
All the boarding was pretty fast and the flight was very good. I was even surprised, because when I went to buy food and explained to the flight attendant that I just had cash, she gave it for free. The only bad thing was the descend, it was very windy and it was just a bad landing.
Internationals arrivals at IAD are very but very strange. After walking for 5-10 minutes you get to a place in which you will board a bus that takes you to the Immigration Building. I was like 1 hour in the immigration line which just makes me want to have the Global Entry membership. After picking up our luggage we went outside to take a cab. And about 25 minutes after we departed the airport we just realized that something was not with us, no it wasn't a bag or a cell phone it was a 2k dollars camera. The first thing we thought is going back to the airport but we decided to go to directly to the hotel settle in and call them.
We arrived to the hotel 10 minutes later. The Fairfax at Embassy Row is a very nice and historic hotel but maybe a bit too old for my style. We asked for an upgrade to a bigger suite which they offered one for 150 USD per night and because we were on a 160 USD per night rate we said yes. The suite is lovely but you will find more at the next segment. Well as soon as I arrived to the hotel I went directly with the Concierge which called United and was on hold like for 40 minutes until we got to speak with an agent that told her that I needed to send an e-mail which I sent 2 minutes after. I quickly got a response that said that they were going to check but that if I didn't receive an e-mail in 7 days it meant that they didn't found it.
So there I was feeling sick for a terrible landing, tired of being 1 hour waiting and very anxious because we just lost a very expensive camera and we had no idea of what to do. Nice first day ...