Did you know that Washington D.C. gets 24.6 million visitors every single year, with 55% of them visiting on vacation and another 20% visiting friends and relatives?
So whether you’re visiting on vacation, preparing to move to the nation’s capital, booking a hotel for visiting family or friends, or just treating yourself to a mini vacation in your own backyard, it’s worth spending time in one of the best hotels in D.C. that the city has to offer.
Here’s a look at some of the best hotels in D.C., with locations all across the city depending on what you’re in the mood for.
1. The Hay-Adams
If The Plaza is one of the iconic hotels of New York City, the Hay-Adams is one of the icons of Washington D.C.. After all, how many hotels can rightfully claim the title of World’s Best—multiple times? The Hay-Adams can, and it lives up to the hype.
This hotel offers one of the best views out of most hotels in D.C., No contest. Located in Lafayette Square, the hotel looks out over St. John’s Cathedral (oh, and a little building called the White House). Of course, we wouldn’t blame you for staring at the interior too. It’s a beautiful Italian Renaissance-style mansion with lush, timeless details (think original plaster moldings and walnut wainscotting).
Add in the friendly service and it’s easy to understand the hotel’s staying power. In fact, the Obama family stayed there for two weeks before the first Obama inauguration.
Even if you don’t stay in the hotel, it’s worth topping off dinner at a vegan restaurant or D.C.’s finest pizza joints with a visit to Off the Record, the hotel’s basement bar. The name and the motto (the place to be seen not heard) say it all, and the bar has a strong Homeland vibe because of it—this is where Washington power players come to rub shoulders after work.
2. The Jefferson
Looking for one of the best hotels in DuPont D.C.? Look no further than the iconic Jefferson. Really, would it be a D.C. hotel if it weren’t named for a president?
Back in 1923, the Jefferson Apartments opened four blocks north of the White House with beautiful Beaux Arts design. In 1955, the building was converted to a hotel, and since then has been the respite of choice for discerning D.C. travelers. Today, the Jefferson retains every drop of its rich Old World charm and is the perfect urban hotel for those whose taste runs to old English manors over Ibiza resorts.
However, while the hotel has prime real estate (close proximity to the ultra-hip DuPont Circle, Logan Circle, and, of course, the White House), the neighborhood gets impressively peaceful at night. Oh, and its name isn’t just for kicks, either. The hotel houses several of Thomas Jefferson’s original writings and documents signed by him, as well as an impressively stocked vintage library.
3. The Riggs
For a fabulous marriage of old and new D.C., look no further than The Riggs in Penn Quarter, one of the most exciting new hotel openings to come out of the pandemic.
The building was originally constructed in 1891 as the headquarters of Riggs National Bank. It’s a stunning example of Richardson Romanesque architecture, but it also sits at the nexus of history (like any self-respecting D.C. hotel).
In fact, no less than 23 former U.S. presidents came to wheel and deal in its barrel-vaulted elevator bank. These days, the Riggs brings buttoned-up cool to the capitol, as well as Cafe Riggs, a buzzy special occasion bar with high-concept cocktails and an equally delicious dinner menu.
4. Lyle Washington D.C.
Success leaves clues… After opening The Riggs, Lore Group opened Lyle Washington D.C. in the spring of 2021; a 196-room 1940s Art-Deco property with a revamped style of its own.
This Dupont neighborhood location not only serves as a hotel, but also offers rooms with kitchenettes for long term business travelers that need to work in the D.C. area.
Lyle’s restaurant bar appeals to not only hotel visitors, but also locals that want a night out at a local spot for dinner and drinks. It is not too far from The Rocksboro apartments, which is just around the corner on R St NW. They even have beautiful space for meetings and special events. The Lyle is conveniently located a few blocks from the Dupont Metro for those staying there.
5. Willard InterContinental
Looking for one of the best hotels in Thomas Circle? The Willard InterContinental is your first port of call.
This is another hotel that can claim impressive political ties, and these are much older than the Hay-Adams. Abraham Lincoln made his home there before his inauguration, Ulysses S. Grant coined the term lobbyist there (for solicitors trying to annoy him in the lobby while he had a cigar and brandy), and Martin Luther King Jr. is said to have drafted the first version of “I Have a Dream” in the hotel’s walls.
It’s a grand hotel worthy of all that history, with ornate ceilings, gold trimmings, and marble columns. The service is prime, but the location is even better. It’s two blocks from the White House and a five-minute walk from the Metro Center Station, which allows you to get just about anywhere in the city.
Of course, we couldn’t blame you for dining in. The hotel boasts the Round Robin Bar (make sure to sip its signature drink, the mint julep) and Cafe du Parc, the hotel’s delightfully atmospheric French brasserie.
Go on an Adventure with the Best Hotels in Washington D.C.
Whether you’re adventuring in D.C. for the first time, staying in preparation to move to the city, or just hosting loved ones, there’s a little something for everyone in D.C.’s iconic hotels.
Of course, staying in D.C. can never match the unique joy and excitement of living in the nation’s capital. And if you’re preparing to settle into D.C. for more than just a vacation, we would love to welcome you home. We manage beautiful apartment buildings in most of D.C.’s neighborhoods, from DuPont to Van Ness to Columbia Heights to Foggy Bottom all the way out to Hyattsville. No matter where your work takes you, there’s a home waiting for you here.
So if you’re ready to come home to D.C., get in touch to find out more about living in one of our buildings.
