From Afternoon Tea to Romantic Settings,
Best List Covers Luxurious, Unique Hotels
There’s a little something special about all of Washington’s hotels. Whether you’re looking for ambience, activities or a good deal, there’s certainly a hotel that fits almost every personality. This year, The Washington Diplomat’s Best of Hotels list includes many distinguished and eclectic properties, known for the big and little things that make each hotel special. Although completely subjective and unscientific, we hope this list offers insights into what property bests suits your particular style.
Best for Afternoon Tea Enthusiasts
Four Seasons Washington, D.C.
The luxurious Four Seasons, located at 2800 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, has a garden terrace lounge that’s warm and intimate. The plush space offers an indoor garden with hundreds of flowering trees and plants and a floor-to-ceiling window with a magnificent view of the adjacent C&O Canal. Tea starts at 2 p.m. Fare ranges from simple lemon blueberry scones to curried chicken salad with pistachio on choux paste.
Best for Privacy Seekers
Fairmont Washington, D.C.
The Fairmont at 2401 M St., NW, has a special ninth level called the Fairmont Gold Floor. This hotel-within-a-hotel concept includes private check in, personalized service and luxurious guestrooms. Gold floor suites come with butler service, a private staff and a dedicated concierge. A lounge on the ninth level offers Gold Floor guests complimentary continental breakfast, cocktail canapés and private computer workstations.
Best for People Watchers
Willard InterContinental Washington
The Willard at 1401 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, hosts some of the world’s most important people—visiting dignitaries, public officials, diplomats and celebrities. Have a seat in the regal hotel lobby or pull up a chair at the Round Robin Bar and check out the faces—you might just wonder if it’s a face you should already know.
Best for Romantics
The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.
The Ritz-Carlton, located at 22nd and M Streets in the city’s West End, is offering the Passion in the City package. Through Dec. 30, the package features executive suite accommodations, hotel transportation, champagne upon arrival, a butler-drawn bath, $100 gift certificate to any of the hotel’s restaurant or dining outlets, two 50-minute Swedish massages, and a pair of keepsake embroidered pillowcases with a personal monogram. Rates start from $950 per room, per night.
Best for Gourmets
Poste Moderne Brasserie
The Hotel Monaco’s Poste Moderne Brasserie features a delicious contemporary menu and seasonal fare. The energy at the 174-seat restaurant and bar is sleek and sophisticated. Poste has access through the hotel lobby or through the historic carriageway portal on 8th Street. The restaurant features a striking exhibition kitchen and outdoor seating in the courtyard when the weather is warm.
Best for Fitness Freaks
Capital Hilton
The Hilton at 1001 16th St., NW, is home to the Capital City Club and Spa. This delightful fitness offering has an eight-unit cardio theater system, state-of-the-art weight room and strength-training equipment in a circuit program. There is also an extensive free-weight area with personal trainers on hand to help with your workout. If you’re looking for higher-impact workouts, burn calories with the center’s spinning bikes, boot camp, cardio-kickboxing and specialty classes such as yoga and Pilates.
Best for Workaholics
Wardman Park Marriott Hotel
The 1,334-room hotel at 2660 Woodley Road, NW, offers business travelers a whole host of services, from extensive meeting space (66 meeting rooms) to wireless Internet connections in the hotel’s public areas and meeting areas. The hotel features wire connections in guestrooms, and the Metro rail system is at the hotel’s doorstep, providing easy access to the entire metropolitan area. When you’re done with work, you’re also within walking distance of Woodley Park’s dining, shopping, entertainment, cultural venues and historic sites.
Best for Young Partygoers
Hotel Helix
One of San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels’ properties, the Helix at 1430 Rhode Island Ave., NW, is a hip and colorful boutique property. Located in the Logan Circle neighborhood, Helix is filled with pop-art sensation, starting with its sparkly welcome mat. The mood changes every few hours, with a lighting system that morphs from a warm golden glow to dusky blue. The Hotel Helix is all about fun—from its retro-style furniture to its sheer-enshrined bed with faux fur throw. Don’t forget to stop at the bar later to enjoy its white patent-leather ottoman-style chairs that light up when you sit down.
Best for Guiness Drinkers
Jurys Washington Hotel
This Dupont Circle property located at 1500 New Hampshire Ave., NW, is known for its Irish comfort and hospitality. The 308-room hotel caters to business and leisure travelers and features Biddy Mulligan’s, an authentic, lively and traditional Irish pub. It’s a popular watering hole for guests and locals alike.
Best for Those Who Hate Taxis
Marriott at Metro Center
All you have to do is step outside the Marriott at 775 12th St., NW, and you get a whiff of District city life. As the name suggests, the Marriott at Metro Center sits beside the Me tro, offering access to all the history, art, entertainment and dining that Washington has to offer. If you’d rather walk, you’re just steps from the Smithsonian and National Mall, great restaurants and the MCI Center. The hotel also just completed a $7 million guestroom renovation.
Best for Busy Families (tie)
Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C. & Holiday Inn Capitol
If you’re looking for a location near the National Zoo and the Connecticut Avenue sites, look no further than the Omni Shoreham Hotel at 2500 Calvert St., NW. The resort-like feel of the hotel nestled within the foliage of Rock Creek Parkway makes for a wonderful family getaway and has ample guestrooms to boot. If you’d rather stay closer to the National Mall, stick with the 532-room Holiday Inn Capitol at 550 C St., SW, a great property that’s literally a few blocks from D.C.’s famous museums and sites, including the National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of the American Indian.
Best for Visiting Dignitaries (tie)
Four Seasons Washington, D.C. & Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown
Here’s another tie—the Four Seasons Washington, D.C., and the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown at 3100 South St., NW, were both chosen for obvious reasons. If you want luxury in Washington and security while you’re here, you’ll stick close to one of these hotels. They’re each known for their effortless hosting of high-profile visitors and guests.
Best for Tourists
Hotel Monaco
Another Kimpton Hotels property, the Hotel Monaco at 700 F St., NW, offers great proximity to some of Washington’s finest sites. It’s not too far from the National Mall and it’s next door to the MCI Center, International Spy Museum, Chinatown and Gallery Place.
Best for Architecture/History Buffs (tie)
Hotel Washington & Willard InterContinental Washington
For a unique room, check out the Hotel Washington’s historic presidential suite. The Hotel Washington at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, literally has a room that’s locked in time: a Victorian suite that spans 1,072 square feet with a dining room, kitchenette, original cedar closet and hardwood floors, as well as antique marble fireplace and furniture. For an overall architecturally beautiful property, visit the Willard InterContinental, a historic landmark that dates to 1850. The architectural details and workmanship throughout the hotel are truly a feast for the eyes.
Best for Sunday Champagne Brunchers
Mansion on O Street
The Mansion, located at 2020 O St., NW, has a delectable and outstanding champagne brunch every Sunday. Between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., brunch offerings are spread throughout the bottom floor of the Victorian property, which actually is a compilation of several properties sewn together with hidden doorways and secret rooms. The brunch costs $35 per person.
Christine Cubé is a freelance writer in Sacramento, Calif.
Worth Noting
Obviously, the list of categories is endless, but here are a few more that are
definitely worth noting:
BEST NAME: Hotel Rouge, another Kimpton property located at 1315 16th St., NW.
BEST VIEW OF WASHINGTON (tie): The rooftops of the Hotel Washington and the Hay-Adams Hotel.
BEST FIRE THEME: Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, which is located in the historic Georgetown Incinerator building. The hotel restaurant is called Fahrenheit; the bar, Degrees.
BEST FOR GROUPS WITH BUSES: Best Western Capitol Skyline Hotel, located at 10 I St., SW.
BEST HOSPITALITY: Capital Hotels & Suites’ St. Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites 2033 M St., NW, and Beacon Hotel & Corporate Quarters at 1615 Rhode Island Ave., NW.
BEST CHOPPED COBB SALAD: The Daily Grill restaurant at the Georgetown Inn, 1310 Wisconsin Ave., NW.
BEST WATER FEATURE: Bellagio in Las Vegas. Oops, you were looking for something in Washington. Check out the serene water feature that covers a large part of the lower floor of the Grand Hyatt Washington at 1000 H St., NW.
— Christine Cubé
