A good experience
My husband and two kids (ages 5 and 11) and I go to Washington each year over Christmas break and stay in a new hotel each time. This year we chose the Hilton Garden Inn based on its proximity to the Metro/Mall and the fact that it had an indoor pool. We were very pleased with the hotel overall. The staff were all very nice (especially to the kids), the rooms were spacious, and the location was fantastic. Also, the price was right. We did wish that the pool were larger (it is tiny) and that the hotel restaurant were better suited for families. The restaurant is incredibly expensive (we ate there our first night and paid double what we paid for a fantastic Indian meal the next night) and the food is palatable but nothing to write home about (and the portions are small). Breakfast would have cost a fortune if we had eaten there, but we had the luxury of eating at the nice little Korean breakfast buffet (you can also order fresh-made) down the street and the wonderful old Waffle place across from Ford's Theater(this one is open 7 days a week). I have read reviews that say the hotel is noisy and that is certainly true, in large part because it is so close to the things you want to see that there is a fair amount of traffic. But we did not find the noise distracting or intolerable and the location, again, was so convenient that it made up for any traffic noise. Perhaps our favorite hotel in DC so far is the Renaissance near the convention center (they have cheap and wonderful room service and are also great to kids), but you can stay three nights at the Hilton for what one night at the Renaissance runs you and the location is just so much better. We would definitely think about staying here again.