Gary McGaughey, Team Leader / Key Account Manager at Beyond Business Travel, recently travelled to Washington from Dublin Airport with United Airlines. Here is his review of the trip:
Clareanna Philips (Sales support United Airlines Ireland) hosted a recent fam trip to Washington DC (03NOV-06NOV 2017) in partnership with Destination DC. We had an action packed and fun filled three days staying at the impressive 4* Dupont Circle Hotel, 1500 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036.
Dublin Airport – United Airlines
We met at 0900 at the United Airlines check in area at Dublin Airport Terminal 2 before swiftly proceeding through security and then onto the US Preclearance facility. The main advantage of pre-clearing US Customs is that passengers arriving in the US are treated as domestic arrivals, allowing them to avoid immigration queues upon arrival and pick up their bags and go.
United Airlines kindly allocated Economy Plus seating for the entire group for both the outward and return flights. That little bit of extra comfort and extra leg room absolutely made our experience all the more enjoyable! Economy Plus seats feature up to five inches of extra legroom and are located near the front of the United Economy cabin ensuring a speedy exit upon arrival. Shortly after takeoff a tasty meal was served accompanied by a complementary bar and the service was super. The seatback inflight entertainment service offered a wide range of movies, TV programmes and music.
Dupont Circle Hotel, Washington
Upon arrival in Washington Dulles Airport we were met by our transfer provider Fleet Transportation. We headed towards the city onboard a luxury minibus and soon arrived at the Irish owned Dupont Circle Hotel to commence our two night stay. The hotel is located in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in DC with a wide range of cafes, bars and restaurants right on the doorstep. Situated only a 2 minute walk to the Metro perfectly positions guests to explore all that this wonderful city has to offer. The bedrooms are well appointed, and each room features an iHome Docking Station, 32” flat screen TV, complimentary Wi-Fi and Nespresso machine. Other amenities in the hotel range from the bustling Bar Dupont and Café Dupont, 24-hour fitness and business centres to private and in-room dining options, stunning, naturally-lit meeting and event spaces and expert concierge services.
Washington Tours, Restaurants, Sightseeing
Our first full day in Washington began with the Big Bus Tour of Washington DC, taking in Arlington Cemetery, the Washington Monument, the White House and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The tour was a fantastic way to see the very many tourist sites and points of interest. The tour guides were great fun and kept us well informed throughout the day. You can join the tour and depart the tour at any Big Bus stop, as many times as you want so you can travel at your own pace and get to see the places that you’re interested in. Buses run regularly throughout the day so it’s easy to hop on and off when you choose. My only problem was that we ran out of time…there is so much on offer it can be hard to squeeze it in in just one day!
With regards to dining options/eating out we were extremely lucky to be treated to the most amazing breakfasts at Trump International Hotel and the Dirty Habit Restaurant at Kimpton Hotel Monaco. Both were equally amazing with a huge choice of cereals, eggs, breads etc on offer. United Airlines and Destination DC hosted dinner on both evenings. On our first night we dined at the exclusive Fig & Olive restaurant and on the second night at the bustling Brazilian restaurant Fogo de Chao. The high level of service at both restaurants were second to none and the food was simply outstanding.
Day two of our trip we were off to the quaint suburb of Georgetown where we were met by our host for the day, David Saxe (Chief Eating Officer) of Mangia DC Food Tours. On this 2.5-hour walking tour we stopped for tastings at some of the best eateries in the nation’s capital. As well as sampling great food we learnt about the history, the architecture and the vibrant culture of DC. I thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour and would highly recommend it!
The final day included a guided tour of the US Capitol Building followed by some retail therapy at the Leesburg Premier Outlet centre. Perfect for Christmas shopping!
Washington certainly lived up to its hype. A city with the right mix of Monuments, museums, memorials, eclectic neighbourhoods, nightlife, amazing restaurants and much more! A fantastic time was had by all and I look forward to returning in the very near future.
