Accommodation in Bethesda

[Ari Finander]

Hello all,

We're travelling to the States again (from Australia) and I've been asked to come to the NIH and undergo some tests/provide some samples. I've decided not to have a liver biopsy done as this would take too much time away from my family (the ones in the States and those travelling with me), but I'll be at the NIH for a day anyway for the other procedures.

Can anyone recommend an affordable and safe place to stay near the NIH while I let them take chunks out of me for their research?

Last time we were there it was easier because it was during the AAMDSIF conference of 2004 and we were already staying (relatively) close. This time I'm having to drive down from New York in a rental car :-/

TIA,

Ari

[Laura]

I stayed at the Doubletree on Wisconsin Ave. Ask for the NIH patient rate and you will get a major discount. Plus it is in walking distance to NIH (it is right next to it) and has free shuttles to NIH/Metro. But it has been a few years since I have been there so things might be different now?? Try asking your social worker to help pay for it. I got reimbursed $60 a night.

Laura

[Gloria J]

Hi Ari,

I've gone to NIH fairly often in the last two years, and found that I could always get a good rate, even last-minute, ($50-70 range) for hotels rated at least 3 stars through Hotwire. I enter 'Bethesda MD' for the search area, and have always been pleased with the accommodations, even though you don't find out where you will be staying until you actually pay for the room with Hotwire.

We've always had a car with us, so I can't comment on shuttles to NIH. But the center of Bethesda is only a 5-10 minute drive to the Clinical Center.

As Laura commented, NIH will most probably reimburse you for hotel and mileage on your car, just go to the Travel Voucher area (right next to Admissions on the right side of the Clinical Center first floor) and fill out the paperwork. If you have someone with you who can do that while you're being seen, very often a check or cash will be ready for you by noonish.

Do be wary about staying too far away from NIH, the traffic there can be awful in the early AM, also the traffic down from NY. Definitely go around Baltimore and Wilmington, especially if you are coming through during the morning rush hour. Since they generally want you there early in the morning, we always drive down the night before and miss that traffic.

Good luck at NIH, they are wonderful there, and will treat you well.

[Laura]

I think you need to get the reimbursement approved by a social worker first? So maybe ask ahead to have it set up to see her or to get her to approve it.

Laura

[Hawaii Bill]

I stayed at the Doubletree on Wisconsin Ave. Ask for the NIH patient rate and you will get a major discount. Plus it is in walking distance to NIH (it is right next to it) and has free shuttles to NIH/Metro. But it has been a few years since I have been there so things might be different now?? Try asking your social worker to help pay for it. I got reimbursed $60 a night.

Laura

I also stayed at that DoubleTree in Aug 2008 and found it reasonably priced and very convenient to NIH. I think I paid $99/night for 2 nights, and I did not know they had an NIH rate.

[Ari Finander]

Thanks for the input guys - they didn't have any remaining NIH rooms but it's so close and the shuttle gets me there by 7:30 so I made the booking.

Now, where do I leave my car after checkout so we can take the metro into the Smithsonian? -> We're going to want to see the Air and Space Museum in the Mall and NIH won't be done with the procedures until after checkout time at the hotel.

[Laura]

Ask if you can have a late checkout? Otherwise not sure, I've never had a card there before. Could you drive to a metro station and leave it there??

Laura