A rental car is a good transportation option if you want to visit the Washington metropolitan area. Renting a car in Washington DC is not difficult, in fact, car rental agencies have many competitive rates and offers that can make it hard to decide which company to go with. We recommend looking for special rates and reserving online. We always suggest to pick up/rent cars at Union Station (only 10 to 15 minutes from our Washington DC Accommodations Hotel) and Reagan Airport. Why? Because you have a lot more choices of rental car companies, it’s cheaper (especially at Reagan airport) and because it’s “outside” downtown DC which if you want to avoid rush hours, traffic, it’s something to consider!
Make sure you are aware of hidden fees, age restrictions, and discounts before reserving a car. You don’t want to go to the car rental counter unprepared because you might end up leaving with a higher rental rate than necessary. Check your own car insurance first to see what they cover and also think about prepaying for gas: if you return the car half empty, you will have still prepaid for a full tank of gas. Opt for filling up the gas tank before returning the car, and last tip for the end; if you would like a nicer car for the same rate of the initial car you reserved, it’s always worth to ask for it! If there are plenty of cars available at the time, you might just get your wish 
Jonathan, Innkeeper
American Guest House in Washington DC