rolling thunder washington dc The hotel s overall feel is intimate, funky, and friendly, and the colorful lobby is very inviting.

bathroom. They can be had for $199, if y ou search the Kimpton w ebsite for specials. 77 There are some interconnecting rooms as well. Unlike at other Kimpton properties, you will find neither complimentary morning coffee nor afternoon wine in the lobby, but the hotel does have two good restaurants on site: Caffe Espresso and Scala s Bistro. The view is better and the street noise less audible on the upper floors.

Taylor s R efresher (1 F erry B ldg.; & 866/328-3663) comes in a close second, with burgers made fr om all- natural, local beef , topped with a tasty secret sauce and garnished with lettuce and tomatoes fresh from the Farmer s Market. See p. 125.

The hotel s overall feel is intimate, funky, rolling thunder washington dc and friendly, and the colorful lobby is very inviting. Ozumo is a great Japanese restaurant off the lobby, but it s not really a family- friendly destination. In fact, and herein lies the rub, the hotel itself was designed mor e for couples and business trav elers, as it has no double-double r ooms. You can r eserve a twin-bedded room for the kiddies, but you ll be sleeping elsewhere because the maximum occupancy her e is two, unless rolling thunder washington dc y ou splurge rolling thunder washington dc on the two-bedr oom suite. rolling thunder washington dc That basically makes it suitable for couples toting a bab y or families with kids old enough to sleep in their own non-interconnected guest room. But the great waterfront location, rolling thunder washington dc excellent rates, and full use of the YMCA next door (including its O lympic-sized pool, fitness center, and ev en a bab ysitting facility) make the H arbor Cour t wor th looking into. Check the website for packages and weekend specials.

Having breakfast in your hotel room cuts back on restaurant bills. Also, some kids wake up at the crack of dawn when in new surroundings or time zones, well before any cafes are open. If you can t get a kitchenette, a fridge (and a coffee- maker for mom and dad) will do. If they re not already in your room, many hotels will provide these at no charge. Buy some disposable dishware, plastic cutlery, and some milk and cereal (or bread and butter, if that s what you re used to at home) and you re all set.