The Best Hotels to Book in Sterling, Virginia

This sleekly-styled airport hotel offers soothing neutral tones with mauve accents. Rooms are a draw with soundproofed floor-to-ceiling windows, while select suites come with access to a private lounge. Anyone can dine at Aviate restaurant on grass-fed ribeyes and vegetarian rice bowls paired with local wines from Virginia. Work it all off by swimming in the indoor and outdoor pools, lifting weights in the fitness center, or lawn games in the vast outdoor space. When it’s time to say goodbye, a free shuttle will quickly deposit you at IAD, less than a mile away.

Sweet-toothed travelers will love this sand-colored hotel, a 10-minute drive from the airport (with free shuttle service), gifting fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies on arrival. Contemporary rooms have warm furnishings, while Executives have lounge access and evening appetizers. Choose between indoor and outdoor seating at the all-day bistro serving classics such as braised short ribs and Ahi tuna, capped off with a chocolate molten volcano cake. Dip in the indoor pool and hot tub or are you more of a gym bunny? If so, grab a post-workout snack from the market.

Families with little ones in tow love that all room types come with sofabeds and wet bars. Staying healthy is also easy with avocado toast kits at breakfast, while an all-day espresso bar will perk you up. For all-day dining, there’s a convenience store selling salads and a bar serving regional cuisine. During warmer months, the outdoor pool and terrace are the place to catch some Vitamin D. Otherwise, take the free shuttle to the nearby recreation center with an Olympic-sized pool and rock climbing wall.

Various inviting communal spaces to choose from, include a relaxing living room with bright colors and quirky art or the outdoor terrace. The bistro serves healthy dishes such as Mediterranean grain bowls with chicken; then it’s on to the well-stocked bar for your favorite martini or black cherry old-fashioned. Retire to your room, decorated with a soothing green, brown, and grey color scheme. Can’t sleep? Make full use of the indoor pool, hot tub, and fitness center.

With a vaulted, beamed ceiling and cozy stone fireplace, the lobby creates a grand welcome as you enter this homey hotel. As its name suggests, you can take up residence with rooms that come with kitchenettes and sofa beds. If you want your fridge stocked before you arrive, utilize the complimentary grocery service. Be sure to join the evening socials, keep fit in the indoor pool, fitness center, and putting green – then you can bob in the hot tub. Walk to the adjacent mall for shops and eateries including a barbershop and gourmet pizzeria.

Homebodies in town for a while will appreciate the onsite convenience store where you can stock up on groceries for whisking up favorite dishes in your kitchen or go al fresco on the barbecues. Spacious suites bathed in shades of brown have sofas and chairs to cozy up in and watch a DVD if you don’t have your iPad on you (you can borrow movies from the front desk). If you prefer working out outside, swerve the fitness center in favor of a jog around Claude Moore Park with running trails and a history museum.

Weary travelers staying in these light-filled rooms a convenient four miles from the airport can upgrade to add an in-room hot tub and recharge while watching their favorite movie. There’s also an indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, and various common areas for socializing. Nearby breweries serving craft ales are a must-visit, as is the soul-food restaurant dishing ribs and fried okra. Morning time provides hot breakfast with eggs and pancakes in the lobby, or grab a breakfast bag to go and hit the road.