AllFlash

Sounds trivial I know but I am considering driving to DC for the Washington/Toronto game Saturday night and all hotels seem to be valet only...with a strict rule that it will be valet only. I then looked up reviews and there are a TON of complaints of Washington valet experiences... Nobody is parking my Z and keeping the keys. Sorry. Thoughts?

Anyone know of any self-parking hotels? Ideas?

why1504

I travel to D.C. Quite frequently. None of the hotels I know of have self park lots. Back in the day there were tons of self park lots. Now they are almost all gone. A bigger problem is going to be the size of spaces.

All that said, the Fairfield Inn Chinatown has truck parking outside on the west side of the building. Slip the valet a $10 and I bet he would let you park it. I don't know if he would let you hold the keys.

Hotel is right around the corner from the arena.

bluestreak63

Call the hotel manager and ask if you can park your own expensive high performance car. Explain that it would alleviate future lawsuits.

The other thing is, if you park your own at a valet place, the spots tend to be tight.

Ro_Ja Boy

Let the valet park your car. If something happens, they're liable.

AllFlash

Still calling around but, being from Canada, I am always a bit more careful as insurance can always be such a PITA internationally.

Thanks all. What... no CF'rs living downtown DC by the Verizon with a spare spot in their shed eheh?

l888apex

D.C. is full of parking garages that are self-parking. There has to be one very close to the hotel that would help you avoid this issue. PM me which hotel and I can help find the nearest garage. Or use the Parking Panda app.

CanadianVetster

Funny how guys threaten "future lawsuits" to get what they want.
I agree with contacting hotel, by email,in advance addressing your concerns, and put it in valet mode.....

Unreal

Or drive something else....

Or stop caring, its a car. If they mess it up, they will pay for it. They probably park nicer more expensive cars every day.

AllFlash

I love when tools like you jump into conversations. How many miles do you have on that car? I am hitting 26000 in under 13 months roadtime, my first being a round trip of the US and Canada through some of the worst road conditions and weather.

Watch the videos of the guys parking the Z. Check out the reviews of these some valets in Washington state alone.

As a Canadian trusting a valet in the US, my concern is only logical. Perhaps you should stick to threads of your weight there big guy.

why1504

Although I no longer drive into D.C. If you want the valet to pay special attention to your vehicle hand him a $20. In the days of Uber and Door Dash they don't see big tips any more.

Unreal

Wow....

I have 5 cars and a motorcycle, so I tend to split miles up more evenly among them. If I have to drive a place where I am concerned about door dings/damage/etc I'll drive one of my other vehicles.

Good luck with your valeting.

davepl

I just stayed at the Sofitel and valet'd my SUV. It took about 20 minutes to get it when I called for it (and the ticket said allow at least that much time) so they don't even park them NEARBY the hotel in some cases it seems.

I'd never used Uber before, but Uber became my friend in DC.

AllFlash

So.. I never started this thread prior to doing my background investigation. In contacting several hotels, as professional as they all claim to be, they were honest enough to speak of bad angles to get the car in as well as very tight spaces where the Corvette has very long doors. I respect their honesty. I then went to published reviews of the valets in hotels I was looking at. My typical hotel is four star or above, which includes hotels like the Marriott. You might want to check out the comments regarding their valets.

unreal, my wife actually wants me to take the motorcycles. We have a 1800 and 1300. Combined, there's over 70,000 miles between the two. I love to drive. I love to play in the mud as well which is why also have a jeep. My goal here was to find a reason to take the Z for a great spin. I am not sure about the rest here, but trusting a valet with my car and keys where there has already been several incidents of valet damage, at least one where the car has been totalled, is just not possible.

Too many people don't understand the power of this car, just about anyone has never sat in it as a matter of fact. They don't know that hopping in and flooring it, much like we can do in any other car these days, guarantees a very dangerous outcome. We have seen too many, some with much experience in fact, damage the car from their not having the knowledge of what it is capable of. Valet? Not a chance, especially as a Canadian in another country 7 hours away from home

Zerski

Lol calm down brah

Eat.Sleep.Race

There is 2-3 lots within 1 block of verizon center that are self parking, about $30 for the event, but good big spaces in some. Id suggest if not staying in a hotel, you can park at metro lot and take metro right in to verizon center.

davepl

What does nationality have to do with anything, unless you planned to tip with Loonies....

CandyRed77

Check out the Hilton in Arlington VA. They have self parking for $20 (I believe) in a garage under the hotel. Drove my GS there in September and was fine getting in and out!

Sonny

AllFlash

It has nothing to do with Nationality. It has to do with the vast difference in trying to settle any insurance concerns, as I learned a few years back. It also has to do with the trouble of getting back, if something were to happen to the car. Not making anything out of nationality whatsoever more than anyone else who drives their car out of country and considers exactly the same things abroad Lol.

davepl

Makes sense. I had a Vancouver valet curb my wheel on my Range Rover and I still blame Trudeau :-)

Odd that "Valet Mode" in this car is still powerful enough to be seriously dangerous. I tried it once, got on the throttle, went instantly sideways, and thought "So much for valet mode!". I need a new thread for that one, but it's not much of a limitation.