What to expect: Located in suburban Fairfax, this Marriott is in northern Virginia’s tech corridor; Dulles Airport is 12 miles away. The hotel is centered by a towering six-story garden atrium with lush greenery, water features, and seating areas. Washington DC is 20 miles away.

Amenity highlights: The hotel offers wireless Internet access in public areas and guestrooms, and an indoor pool and spa tub are also available. The fitness facility has 42-inch plasma TVs mounted on the wall. The Oak Grille serves eclectic fare in an intimate fashion. “Grab and go” breakfasts and coffee are available in The Market, the on-site grocery.

What to expect: Northern Virginia’s high-tech corridor houses companies such as IBM and Lockheed Martin, which draw corporate travelers to this five-story hotel during the week. Families and leisure travelers check in on weekends, using the hotel as a base to explore Washington and its suburbs. Comfortable yellow-brocade sofas are grouped around the lobby’s two electric fireplaces, with ample reading material for waiting hotel guests.

Amenity highlights: The hotel offers complimentary limited scheduled shuttle service within three miles, including the Vienna metro stop, on the line to Washington, D.C. Guests can also use an indoor splash pool and spa tub (evening hours only Monday-Friday), fitness room, and 24-hour business center.

Insider tip: Ten miles from the hotel is Great Falls Park, a wooded gem that's often overlooked. The 800-square-mile park offers a unique view of the Potomac River, which forms waterfalls and ferocious rapids before it becomes the stately waterway of the capital. Within the park are the remains of the Patowmack Canal, built in the late 1700s.