Reservations
With more than 95,000 guest rooms available in the area, you can usually find a place to stay, but it’s always prudent to reserve. Hotels fill up with conventioneers, politicians in transit, families, and—in the spring—school groups. Hotel rooms in D.C. can be particularly hard to come by in late March or early April during the Cherry Blossom Festival, and in May, when students at the many local colleges graduate. Late October's Marine Corps Marathon also increases demand for rooms. Never forget that when the time comes to celebrate the presidential inauguration every four years, rooms book up fast and prices increase.