My Nightmarish Experience in Washington DC

[Howard_Roark]

I recently had the displesure of getting lost driving around Washington DC. Being from Texas, I figured that it would be no problem to just find an affordable hotel. In Houston or Dallas you can't go 5 feet on a major road without being bombarded by plentiful and affordable hotel options, this is because Houston has no zoning and in Dallas it is very lenient thus the free market is allowed to meet peoples needs. But here, I drove around for hours on major high traffic roads and found nothing, no hotels at all.

After getting throughly lost I found myself driving past the Pentagon and came across where the central planners found it fit to allow hotels, this must be the single largest concentration of luxury hotels in one location in the world. At least 20+ high rise luxury hotels that come in 2 flavors - expensive and really expensive. Who cares about the price, when it's on the taxpayers dime right?

As if this orgy of luxury wasn't enough, a Porsche and BMW dealership were tossed in for good measure. It was then that it hit me just how much the nearly $1 trillion dollar defence budget really is. You can say $1 trillion, but its meaningless. Here was at least a small phsycial manifestation of it and it was mind blowing in its scale. Turns out the 2 largest hotel companies in the world - Marriott and Host Hotels are both based in New York City? Los Angeles? No. Washington DC.

[silus]

Not sure about the validity of your argument, but it sounds like you need GPS.

[nate895]

Welcome to Northern Virginia!!!!!!!!!!

You're in one of the ten wealthiest counties in the US if you are on the Virginia-side of the DC metro area. If you want something affordable where you won't get killed, head over to Maryland.

Edit: This is the only place I've ever been lost in.

[tekkierich]

I think you would have a similar experience in most any east coast city. They just are not built like newer cities out west.

[Anti Federalist]

I think you would have a similar experience in most any east coast city. They just are not built like newer cities out west.

Try Boston sometime.

:D

[Bruno]

The layout of the hotels is probably one of the least interesting apects of the layout of D.C. The Masons designed it, and there is a lot of symbolism involved.

http://www.freemasonrywatch.org/washington.html

[james1844]

Look, I just want to point out that Northern Virginia is not Washington DC. The border between the two municipalities is the Potomac river.

[Howard_Roark]

I think you would have a similar experience in most any east coast city. They just are not built like newer cities out west.

This is true to a certain point, old vs new areas are different but its pretty clear to me that the East Coast is home to some of the most restrictive zoning and building regulations anywhere and that is the main problem.

That brings me to the question, why is it that liberals are so into zoning, regulating and in general anti-development. For example, look at London and most European cities and theres hardly any new buildings because its so NIMBY. For example Ayn Rand loved skyscrapers but most liberals detest them as vulgar etc.

[Matt Collins]

I recently had the displesure of getting lost driving around Washington DC. Being from Texas, I figured that it would be no problem to just find an affordable hotel. In Houston or Dallas you can't go 5 feet on a major road without being bombarded by plentiful and affordable hotel options, this is because Houston has no zoning and in Dallas it is very lenient thus the free market is allowed to meet peoples needs. But here, I drove around for hours on major high traffic roads and found nothing, no hotels at all.

After getting throughly lost I found myself driving past the Pentagon and came across where the central planners found it fit to allow hotels, this must be the single largest concentration of luxury hotels in one location in the world. At least 20+ high rise luxury hotels that come in 2 flavors - expensive and really expensive. Who cares about the price, when it's on the taxpayers dime right?

As if this orgy of luxury wasn't enough, a Porsche and BMW dealership were tossed in for good measure. It was then that it hit me just how much the nearly $1 trillion dollar defence budget really is. You can say $1 trillion, but its meaningless. Here was at least a small phsycial manifestation of it and it was mind blowing in its scale. Turns out the 2 largest hotel companies in the world - Marriott and Host Hotels are both based in New York City? Los Angeles? No. Washington DC.
Yes this must be Arlington and Crystal City. Been there a few times myself. You can actually find deals on the hotel rooms if you know where to look. I stayed in the DoubleTree there a year ago for $110/night which was a great deal.

[angelatc]

That brings me to the question, why is it that liberals are so into zoning, regulating and in general anti-development. .

It is all about the power. They have no interest in anything but the power to control.

[Elwar]

DC sucks. I made a wrong turn and there was NO WAY TO TURN AROUND for almost an hour. I went from outside DC all the way down to Pennsylvania Ave before I could finally turn around and go back to where I was.

I was also sitting at a stop light waiting for it to turn green. Some jackass walking across the street pointed out that I was stopped across the line. So as he was walking right in front of my car I took my foot off the break jumping forward a foot or two making him jump out of the way. He looked at me like I was crazy as he hurried off the street.

[Matt Collins]

DC sucks. I made a wrong turn and there was NO WAY TO TURN AROUND for almost an hour. I went from outside DC all the way down to Pennsylvania Ave before I could finally turn around and go back to where I was.That makes me crazy. I don't think I'm brave enough to drive in that city! :(

[MelissaWV]

The DC Metro area has a lot of reasonably-priced hotels, even on the Metro transit lines. Even the more expensive areas have a deal or two, as Matt Collins pointed out. You were just in the wrong place for it. If you are ever completely lost in DC, get back out to the Beltway. This will put you more easily in touch with accessible gas stations, restaurants, and hotels.

[Pericles]

It is all about the power. They have no interest in anything but the power to control.
Thread winner

[rancher89]

I've been there a couple of times and I feel your pain.

Driving in DC is like being in a maze where all the streets are one way and none of them go the way you want to go.

Much, much better to find an inexpensive place to stay OUTSIDE of DC and commute in.

IMHO

[ronpaulhawaii]

Try Boston sometime.

:D

+arrrrgggghhhhh....

[TruckinMike]

No hotel --- no big deal. They don't allow truck stops either (zoning issues). That is why in surrounding Maryland they have cut-outs with gravel on the side of the road for truckers to park illegally (how thoughtful of them). :)

TMike

[libertybrewcity]

Most large cities with large metropolitan areas have expensive hotels. I can see why Houston and Dallas would have cheaper offerings but try to find a reasonably priced hotel in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Unless you trek way outside the city you probably won't find many.

Next time look for a hostel. Sometimes you can stay there for 20 bucks or less a night. Who cares if you don't get the free soap or a nice bathroom. A lot of hostels will take older people too.

[rancher89]

Boston has some of the narrowest streets I've ever seen...