With the impending Snow Storm Doubletree Bethesda has set up a $69 Emergency Snow Rate to assist local organizations that may need accommodations for essential personnel.  Hospital employees, media outlet personnel, restaurant staff, etc. that are needed to keep things running (despite transportation difficulties) can breathe easier with a comfortable nearby room at the Doubletree.  Please share this with any of your colleagues, friends and family in case they are in need. 

Terms and Conditions:  1. Rate is available on February 5-7, 2010 only.  2.  You must present a LOCAL drivers license at check-in (This rate is not applicable for out of town travelers who are coming to the area to visit or for a meeting).   3.  You CANNOT cancel a previous reservation and re-book at this rate .  4.  You must call the hotel Directly.  (You cannot book this through Central Reservation or Online.  4.  This rate is based on availability.

Our wedding packages have all been revamped to include many extra touches that will make your big day that much more special.  We now include items such as chivari chairs, floor length linens, complimentary “parent rooms”, a bridal party suite and a even free honeymoon Town Car transfer to the airport.  You will love the personalized service and attention to detail provided by our wedding professionals!

The Doubletree is working with Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School to collect canned goods and other non-perishable foods to replenish the “help yourself pantry” at The Children’s Inn at NIH.  Families with children undergoing specialized treatments benefit by being able to prepare home cooked meals while staying at The Inn.  If you would like to contribute, please bring your food donations to The Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School at 1901 E. Jefferson St., Rockville, MD on December 16th between 11 am and 2 pm when we attempt to fill the Doubletree van with canned goods.�

You read about it, heard about it, watched news clips on it and probably know someone who already had it. No it is not the Ipod touch. The Swine Flu is almost here and is coming with a vengance. Are you prepared? The World health Organization has stopped tracking cases over two moths ago. The CDC has created several websites http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/ offering guidance on it for families at home, travelers on the road, and for businesses & their employees.

We at the Doubletree have taken several of these pages and in-turn deployed our own comprehensive prepardness plan to insure a pro-active approach to keeping our guests and employees safe in this enviornment. If you arrive at the hotel today, you will see 45 hand sanitizer stations positioned throughout the property with signage and instructions to utilize this product. We have partrnered with Gojo the manufacturer of Purell and Swisher a distributor and training specialist to support our initiative for our guests and our employees. Our efforts are also highlighted by our partnership with PURE, making us one of the only 3 hotels in the maryland DC area boasting such technology. 

Our application of the PURE hypoallergenic system in many of our guestrooms and throughout our meeting facilities reduces the risk of germs and bacteria in those spaces. Through a rigerous 7-step process that purifies the air, bedding and hard surfaces from microbes, bacteria and viruses. You can find out more at http://www.doubletreebethesda.com/accommodations/pure_guestrooms.cfm or just ask our guest assistant at check-in for one of these rooms.

At Doubletree, we are committed to exceeding guest expectations and remain consistently focused on their comfort, health and well-being. The H1N1 virus is not to be taken lightly and we will remain pro-actively vigilant against the threat through various measures to protect our employees and guests against it.

As we look into the future, we are often reminded by lessons of the past. At every turn, we apply knolwedge, intuition and creativity to every choice we make. However somewhere along the way these humanistic applications have transformed to automation and younger generations have taken advantage. After baby boomers, came generation X, followed by Gen Y and now the latest who are better known as the Milleniums.

With every new generation, the expectations become higher, creating gaps in the human attributes mentioned above. Interestingly though, these generations who are gaps apart, remain intertwined in today’s society and cannot be isolated from one another. So how do we bridge the gaps that seperate the generations and ultimately allow them to communicate and understand each other’s language? They need a place to gather, somewhere comfortable and dedicated to their needs and wants. Well………. we created that place..the perfect meeting enviornment.

The Executive Meeting Center has been designed with input from focus groups, comprised from these generations. From valuable feedback, we were able to build the “Next Gen” meeting facility, which is dedicated to teaching, learning and ultimately changing behavior. Yes in order for different generations to coexist in harmony, they all have to change their behavior. It is why we have meetings… to change behavior.

Our meeting center offers a solution to the varying demands of our attendees from these generations. Our focus is to bridge the generational gaps and dedicate the center to that learning endevor. So stop by for a visit, check out what people are saying about us on Trip Advisor or even follow us on twitter @ “bethesdahotel” for the latest specials.

An important part of the Doubletree focus is a thing we call “CARE” and it is a culture not a program. Often times programs stop or fade away, but CARE is something that stays energized throughout the organization year around. It is balanced approach to caring for our guests, our employees and our community.

As a member of this community, it is our duty to assist and participate in worthwhile activities that mean something to the neighborhood. We partner with some key organizations that provide care to those in-need and the team here feels it is our duty to assist wherever and whenver possible. The first organization I want to tell you about is the Yellow Ribbon Fund: A group of care-givers comprised of military spouses who are faced with the grim realities of war as their returning family members deal with loss of 1-4 limbs. These brave men and women who have sacrificed so much by leaving their families behind to go and fight for our freedomes, end up returning with much more than they have ever anticipated. Their lives are altered forever, their spouses and children are faced with the difficult adjustment to this new beginning and in many cases have a more difficult time in coping than the soldiers themselves. The survival of this organization is soley based on donations and fund raising efforts, as they are non-profit but not an official charity. So whenever we can support the cause we will offer the services of our hotel. Please check out the organization at www.yellowribbonfund.org and please let us know if you would like to participate.

Another partner in the community is the National Institute of Health’s Children’s Inn. We are proud to be associated with this organization, for their work with ill children and their families. Their focus on children with rare diseases and ailments is unmatched and their care for these children and their families is superior. Find out more and how you can help at https://mail.hilton.com/OWA/redir.aspx?C=eb22df9744bc4f24913ca853394ec1dd&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.childrensinn.org%2fsite%2fc.kkI1KiMXIvF%2fb.2001915%2fk.9D50%2fHome_Page_Content.htm.

Please come join us in our effort to help these organizations and others like them, as we continue our community outreach efforts with the help of our employees and partners.

When was the last time you asked yourself about some of the choices you had to make when traveling? Whether it is business or leisure, you have to make a selection every step of the way. You must choose a hotel, airline, restaurant, meeting facility and even a location (although location may be pre-selected for you by your business demands).

Most people make a choice based on differences that are important to them and driven by perception. These perceptions include:  comfort, convenience, price-value, image and often taste. We have all heard the phrase “perception is reality”; however our subconscious mind drives our choices based on that statement.

So how are we different from the rest and why are those differences driving people to choose and stay here? Well you can look at Trip Advisor and see why others have made the choice, or you can look at our website www.doubletreebethesda.com and make your own decision or you can keep reading………

The only hotel in the Bethesda/ DC area with PURE guestrooms and PURE meeting space- Hypoallergenic space, treated and maintained by a patent 7-step process to purify the air and surfaces from allergens (mold, microbes & germs), significantly reducing the risk of asthma or sinus troubles. When the air is filtered, your body’s defenses do not kick-in and you sleep/breath more comfortably hence, refreshed and focused throughout the day.

The Executive Meeting Center- Dedicated IACC approved (International Association of Conference Centers) meeting space with Herman Miller furnishings and touch-screen built-in technology throughout the facility. Featuring complete meeting packages guaranteed to beat your budget with all-inclusive (all you can eat and drink) package pricing. Your room, meeting and meals all for one price, but with plenty of added perks you won’t find anywhere else.

TheGreat Room- A variety of choices for your down time all in one space: In the morning, enjoy your favorite Starbucks specialty drink at The CUP. Early evening discover the talents of our own sushi master Mr. Yang at our Umi sushi bar. Late night, indulge in one of our 60 different wines by the glass at The Wine Bar. You can take in a Wii or X-box game with your friends in our Lava Room.

The roof top pool is now open and what a view it is !! Downtown Bethesda and Chevy Chase are dominating the horizon. Street side traffic and sidewalk strolls are becoming the norm once again. The trolly cars are getting full and the hotel’s guests continue to enjoy their proximity to all the action.

A short walk to either Metro station will take you anywhere you want to go. Check out DC and all its rich patriotic history, party and “shop till you drop” in Georgetown just minutes away, or take in a Washington Nationals game at the new stadium. Its all there for the taking and enjoying some lifetime memories with those who matter the most.

Tim Jones our OZ Restaurant chef has just rolled out the new summer fare menu, keeping true to his conviction on calorie control while splurging on taste and presentation. Check-out the website at www.ozbethesda.com. A great spot for dinner before catching a play at the theater or going shopping at the Woodmont Traingle shops.

If a full dinner is not your thing, you can enjoy our “Nosh” menu at the Wine Bar, while sipping on a fine 2004 Australian Malbec. Our Wine Bar offers over 60 wines by the glass and is a sure bet to match your palet’s desires.

So where is the best place for Sushi? In our lobby of course… Umi Sushi is hosted by Mr. Yang, one of the top and most talented Sushi chefs around. His rolls and sashimi are of great popularity and have created frequent return visits from our hotel patrons, as well as residents from the local neighborhoods.

In the morning, you should stop by for your favorite Starbucks specialty from the Cup. It has become my first stop every morning and a “grab ‘n go” must on your way out the door. Try the Soy White Mocha with a double pump of sugar free hazelnut.. Tasty!

We hope to see you around whether you are a local passing through or here on your vacation or even having to be here for business.. We hope you get the chance to enjoy it all.. �

The hotel has experienced a real transformation under the leadership of Michael McMahon, since its conversion from the Holiday Inn Select. Overseeing $26+ million dollar make-over and driving the necessary change in the property’s culture has not been easy. So it is now time to reward Michael for his hard work and dedication to the success of the hotel. After-all it is what successful hoteliers do. They move around and get offered new opportunities to advance their careers.

Michael is leaving Bethesda to assume leadership responsibilities at the Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting center in West Palm Beach Gardens Florida. A recently renovated property, PBG will give its sister Bethesda a run for its Glory.

Not only is this hotel one of the elite within the Doubletree group of hotels, but it also boasts the first “Gold LEED Certified” Executive Meeting center in the world. This hotel is a magnificent facility featuring construction materials and furnishings from local and recycled products, plus the latest in wireless and touch-screen technology throughout. I recommend checking it out on-line at www.doubletreehotelpalmbeach.com or if given the opportunity, schedule your event down there and experience what a “green meeting” is truly like.

So who is replacing Michael you might ask? My name is Selim Soliman and I bring forth a lot of history with Doubletree, dating as far back 1992 and living through many phases of the brand’s transformation years. With service duty at BWI Airport in 92, Somerset NJ in 95, Plymouth Meeting Pennsylvania in 2001 and Fort Lauderdale Galleria in 2003, it is safe to say Doubletree is in my blood.

Although I will not be able to fill Michael’s big shoes, I look forward to a partnership with the hotel’s team of managers and employees to continue the hotel’s successful progression. My goal is to continue a tradition of service and support to the surrounding community and area businesses that has been well established by my predecessor and the hotel’s CARE committee.

Spring is in the air and so is all that nasty tree pollen.  If you suffer from common Springtime allergies The Bethesda Doubletree Hotel can provide some welcome relief. 

Our PURE allergy-friendly guest rooms go through an independently certified, state-of-the-art process to dramatically improve air quality while removing most irritants that keep you from resting soundly.  The result is a feeling of wellness that comes from a deeply relaxed sleep, completely re-energizing your body.  PURE takes the benefits of a “non-smoking room” to a much higher level.  Many of our guests attest that it’s the best sleep they’ve had in a long time.

Additionally, if you are planning a meeting, all our meeting spaces are PURE certified too.  So you won’t have to worry as much about “catching something” from one of your peers when you’re locked up in a meeting room for eight hours.  Our comprehensive approach to reducing allergens, bacteria and viruses in all our meeting facilities results in a healthier and more productive environment.  

It took years for the hotel industry to realize the importance of providing guests with a comfortable bed.  Sounds amazing, but it’s true.  Now high-quality mattresses and linens are the industry standard.  Isn’t it time for hotels to address the quality of the air in their guest rooms and function spaces?  We think so.  If you agree and are interested in learning more about PURE go to www.purerooms.com.  P-U-R-E… that’s how we spell relief.