Courtesy Strathmore


Conference and Visitors Bureau of Montgomery County
Rockville, Maryland
877-789-6904
www.visitmontgomery.com

Bethesda Urban Partnership
301-215-6660
www.bethesda.org

What’s new: Sequestration has softened Bethesda’s government meeting business and opened opportunities for others. The Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club opened March 1. The Hyatt Regency Bethesda has a new lounge and fitness center. The Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center doubled its size four years ago. The DoubleTree by Hilton Bethesda-Washington D.C. underwent $35 million in renovations between 2008 and 2011. Although construction has not begun, Westin Hotels and Resorts is likely to open a hotel there in the next few years.

Location: Just north of Washington, D.C., Bethesda is served by the Metro’s Red Line with 20-minute access to downtown Washington. A free bus, the Circulator, circles Bethesda with 20 stops.

Rooms: There are 1,500 hotel rooms in Bethesda.

Getting there: Bethesda is served by the Ronald Reagan National and Washington-Dulles International airports, each 45 minutes to one hour away. It is located on Route 355 (Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), which is Exit 34 off I-495, the Capital Beltway.