Phoenix Park Hotel, Washington D.C., August 24-27, 2003.
Please make your reservations directly with the hotel BEFORE July 25th to get the special rate. To get the special rate of $129 (single occupancy) or $149 (double occupancy) reference Group "COLT'03" . You can either call the hotel at +1 (202) 638 6900, (+1) (800) 824 5419, or send them a fax at (1+) (202) 638 4025.
There is a $30 charge for any triple occupancy rooms. Parking is available at a rate of $6 per hour and a maximum charge of $21 per day. Cancellation must be made 72 hours prior to the arrival date to avoid a cancellation charge. For guests who depart the hotel prior to their scheduled date of departure, a $75.00 early departure fee will be charged. Guests will have the opportunity to verify and amend their departure at the time of check-in.
The Hotel is located at the Corner of North Capitol Street and Massachusetts Avenue, less than 5 minutes walk from Union Station with Amtrak and Metro trains. Exit from the front (south) of Union Station, head toward the right (west) along Massachusetts Avenue. You should see the hotel by the time you clear the station building, ahead and to the left. The hotel overlooks the small park in front of the station. If you need to ask directions, ask for Capitol Street.
The Metro requires the purchase of a farecard. If you are unfamiliar with the system, please review the instructions on how to buy and use a paper farecard with a magnetic strip. If you want to use the Metro system for more than just getting to the hotel, you may want to consider either putting more money on the paper farecard (you get a 10% bonus for putting $20 or more on at one time) or purchasing one of the various passes. The Metro closes at midnight on week days and 2:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.
From IAD (Dulles International Airport):
Take the Washington Flyer bus from the arrival level outside to the West Falls Church Metro station ($8, every half hour 7:30-22:30 on Sunday) then take the Metro Orange Line towards New Carrollton, 10 stops, change at Metro Center to the Red Line towards Glenmont with 3 stops to Union Station. The bus takes 15 minutes and the train about 40 minutes. The subway will cost $2.10 on Sunday.
Alternatively, you can take the Washington Flyer bus from the arrival level outside directly to Union Station ($16, every hour 9:20-12:20, every half hour 12:20-18:20 on Sunday).
You can also take a SuperShuttle from the airport directly to the hotel ($22 for the first person and $10 each additional person).
Of course, you can always take a taxi directly for about $70.
From BWI (Baltimore Washington Airport):
There is a free shuttle from the ground transportation to the BWI Amtrak station. Trains run on Sunday about every half hour, with a sporadic schedule. Please check the Amtrak page for the precise schedules from BWI to WAS (Union Station in Amtrak speak). The fare will be at most $21 (for the fastest train) and the trip will take between 20 and 40 minutes depending on the train (no rhyme or reason here, just funny American train schedules).
You can also take the SuperShuttle ($30 for the first passenger, $8 for additional passengers).
Alternatively, you can take a taxi for about $60.
From DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport):
There is a Metro station at the airport. Take either
the Yellow Line toward Mount Vernon Sq., go 6 stops, change at Gallery Place to the Red Line towards Glenmont with 2 stops to Union Station. The cost is $1.10 on Sunday and the trip takes 22 minutes.
take the Blue Line toward Addison Road, go 9 stops to Metro Center, change to the Red Line towards Glenmont with 3 stops to Union Station. The cost is the same as the first option, but it takes a little longer and is less scenic as the Blue Line goes under the Potomac River and the Yellow Line goes over the river, giving a nice view of several monuments and the Kennedy Center.
You can also take a SuperShuttle from the airport directly to the hotel for $9.
Alternatively, you can take a taxi for about $25. The Washington Flyer operates there as well, but primarily serves passengers trying to connect to the other airports.
By train:
All Amtrak trains to the Washington D.C. area will stop at Union Station (WAS).
By automobile:
Please find driving instructions from Interstate 95 at the hotel website for driving instructions.
You can take a boat to the Washington Harbor, near the Waterfront station on the Green Line. However, there are no scheduled ferries or ocean liners to the harbor. See the Water Street entry in the dining guide below.
There is a very large food court, with dozens of choices, in the basement of Union Station The station is also home to about 6 nice sit down restaurants with full service on the street level. In reality, Union Station is a shopping mall with theaters and restaurants on the Metro line that just happens to have a few intercity trains stopping there.
You will encounter restaurants all over area. Price and quality are more or less related and most establishments have their menu posted outside. You may want to check out menus and reviews from the Washington Post Restaurant Guide. There are some areas that are noted for having several restaurants:
Georgetown: take the Red Line from Union Station to Foggy Bottom on the Blue or Orange Lines. Exit the station and head left (north) to Pennsylvania Avenue (there is a traffic circle at the intersection). Head left (west) on Pennsylvania Ave until it ends at M Street NW. The intersection of Pennsylvania and M Street is about 10 minutes from the metro station and is the beginning of the Georgetown Area. Keep walking west on M. If you get to Wisconsin Avenue, you are in the center of Georgetown, head in any direction. There are several nice restaurants on the side streets.
Dupont Circle: take the Red Line from Union Station to Dupont Circle. Leave from either exit (my choice would be Q, the steak houses are closer to P) and wander.
Adams Morgan: take the Red Line from Union Station to the Woodley Park/Zoo-Adams Morgan station. Head south on Connecticut Ave to the corner with Calvert/ Duke Ellington. Go left (east) on Duke Ellington to 18th Street. A left (south) on 18th NW will bring you (with about a 15 minute walk to this point) to the restaurant area.
Bethesda: take the Red Line from Union Station to the Bethesda station. The exit of the station is on Wisconsin Avenue, just south of the intersection with Old Georgetown Road (heading essentially north from the intersection). The two streets (Wisconsin and Old Georgetown) form 2 sides of the "Bethesda Triangle" which contains several restaurants.
Water Street: take the Red Line from Union Station to the Waterfront station on the Green Line. Go right (west) on M Street SW. This will quickly turn into Maine Avenue. Water street parallels Maine Avenue and is home to about 6 restaurants (many specializing in sea food) that overlook the Washington boat harbor. You can also take a tour boat down the Potomac River from here. There is even a dinner boat. This is where you would end up if you chose to travel to the conference by boat.
Clarendon: take the Red Line from Union Station to the Clarendon station on the Orange Line. This is a long ride to a collection of about half a dozen neighborhood restaurants within site of the station.