These Are the 16 Best Hotels in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., is an ideal city for a weekend getaway. Each block is dense with history, art, and culture, enough to prompt hours-long, head-tipped-up strolls gawking at it all. In recent years, newly (re)developed neighborhoods like the Navy Yard and the Wharf have emerged; here, cutting-edge restaurants and contemporary hotels have established themselves as local hubs for changemakers.

And while the city has long been associated with power-lunch expense accounts and old-school luxury, today’s hotel scene includes a surprisingly wide range of price points, from grand dame icons to stylish stays under $200 for a more affordable long weekend.

Whether you want timeless elegance or a rush of youthful energy, Afar’s Hotels We Love list of 16 of the best properties in Washington, D.C. will serve you well.

Conrad Washington D.C.

Courtesy of Washington.org

The sleek Conrad is the antithesis of a stuffy old Beltway hotel. Built as part of the CityCenterDC development, the Conrad was designed by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron. The hotel has 360 serene guest rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, some with views of the Capitol dome. A central atrium fills the lobby with natural light, and art installations encourage guests to stop and reflect.

Sustainability is also front of mind at the Conrad. It achieved LEED Gold Certification with smart choices like a vegetated rooftop that filters and recycles rainwater, which is then used for the hotel’s cooling towers and air conditioning (an essential in D.C.’s steamy summers). Meanwhile, the third-floor terraces offer green spaces for hotel guests and restaurant goers to relax and the hotel restaurants also partner with Builder’s Inc., a food donation center that accepts leftover packaged goods, frozen foods, and ready-to-eat meals.

Dupont Circle Hotel

Courtesy of the Dupont Circle Hotel

Fortunes and friendships change quickly in D.C., but the Dupont Circle Hotel has yet to go out of style. Set right on the roundabout itself, the eponymous hotel assumes a place of pride. Within, the site’s Martin Brudnizki–designed restaurant, The Pembroke—with its coral velvet banquettes, marble tables, and expansive outdoor terrace—has birthed a scene. Thanks to its location around the corner from Embassy Row, everyone from tony locals to visiting diplomats gather here to enjoy its mid-Atlantic-inspired menu, while the walnut-and-brass-clad Doyle is a whiskey bar fit for Ireland (home base of the Doyle Collection).

The 327 sleek guest rooms take similar advantage of their surroundings, most with large windows overlooking the circle. Upstairs, Irish designer Clodagh refreshed the penthouse suites, where spaces for relaxing include deep soaking tubs and private terraces with sun loungers. Clodagh also redesigned the lobby, which has the look and feel of a high-end apartment, thanks to details like a cozy fireplace and a look-through bookcase with brass accents. Best of all, though, is the feeling of walking out the front door in the morning and knowing that the capital is at your doorstep.

Eaton D.C.

Courtesy of Eaton D.C.

Founded by third-generation hotelier Katherine Lo (her family runs the Hong Kong–based Langham luxury hotel group), Eaton D.C. aims to bring together travelers, locals, and members who share a like-minded sensibility—namely, one centered on creativity, awareness, and making change. As with Eaton’s Hong Kong location, the D.C. outpost fosters new ideas by providing private and communal working spaces, areas designed to inspire connection, and a regular calendar of programming (Tibetan sound healing, Afrosoul yoga). Eaton Radio, the hotel’s own community radio station, is particularly cool, with its underground music and talk shows.

Those checking in amid all this buzz can choose from four comfortable room categories, from cabin rooms to suites (all, conveniently, pet friendly). All have a “global nomad” vibe, with colorful textile accents, Himalayan salt lamps, and organic cotton-and-latex pillow-top mattresses, along with Grown Alchemist bath products, healthy mini-bars, Bluetooth speakers, and record players. Once settled in, gather with others at rooftop bar Wild Days, and speakeasy Allegory, which features a mural by local artist Erik Thor Sandberg depicting the young Ruby Bridges—one of the first Black children to desegregate a Southern school in the 1960s.

Hay-Adams

Courtesy of The Hay-Adams

Not everyone gets to live across the street from the White House. Before the current Italian Renaissance–style hotel was constructed in 1927, the prime real estate where the Hay-Adams sits was occupied by the homes of two now-lesser-known American politicians: John Hay (personal secretary to Abraham Lincoln, ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Secretary of State under both William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt) and Henry Adams (Harvard professor and great-grandson of John Adams). Their houses were hubs of D.C. culture for decades at the turn of the 20th century, and so, when the Hay-Adams opened, it was only logical that the hotel would continue that tradition.

Everyone from Amelia Earhart to the Obamas has stayed in its handsome Old-World rooms: among them, 124 guest rooms and 21 suites overlooking historic Lafayette Square and the White House beyond. The hotel is known for its discreet and comprehensive, no-questions-asked service. And don’t miss a drink at Off the Record, a basement cocktail bar with a collection of political cartoons and caricatures from legendary artists like Matt Wuerker, Kevin Kallaugher, and Ann Telnaes.

The Jefferson DC

Courtesy of the Jefferson DC

The Jefferson, DC started life as a Beaux-Arts apartment block in the 1920s and was transformed into the icon it is today after a 2009 overhaul. Despite its unassuming, if stately, exterior—which blends in with the other residential buildings along 16th Street—the interiors are decidedly more majestic. Architects uncovered a lobby skylight, which had been hidden since World War II, that now crowns the hotel restaurant. The Greenhouse serves Virginia oysters with green apple prosecco mignonette, 24-hour-braised short ribs, and truffled French onion soup under a puff-pastry dome.

The 99 rooms are polished without feeling stuffy. But squint at the crown molding, gold-framed artworks, and sturdy furnishings, and you can almost convince yourself you’re inside a guest bedroom at the White House. Adding to that feeling is the hotel’s small collection of framed documents signed by the third president himself.

The Line DC

Courtesy of the Line DC

The Line DC doesn’t simply occupy a historic church—it fully embraces its past life. Housed inside a 110-year-old neoclassical sanctuary in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, the 220-room hotel incorporates original architectural elements throughout the property. Church pews serve as seating outside the elevators, vintage hymn boards point guests toward their rooms, and the soaring lobby is crowned by stained-glass windows and a sculptural installation crafted from pipes salvaged from the building’s former organ.

That sense of history extends to the guest rooms. Vintage-inspired alarm clocks resemble old-school speakers, push-button light switches offer a subtle throwback, and warm wood furnishings help soften the building’s monumental scale. Downstairs, the lobby hums from morning through evening with locals camped out on couches and communal tables with laptops open and bites and coffee from on-site restaurant No Goodbyes. Combined with Adams Morgan’s independent restaurants, bars, and music venues just outside the front door, the hotel feels like a local living room.

Pendry Washington D.C.

Courtesy of the Pendry Washington D.C.

Those traveling with kids in D.C. should make the Wharf—and within it, the Pendry—their base. As one of the city’s buzziest lifestyle-focused neighborhoods, the Wharf is a walkable stretch of waterfront with marina access and a number of restaurants, bars, and activities to choose from. Want s’mores kits from an on-site Airstream? An arcade and an Irish pub? Falafel and oysters and Cuban coffee and thin-crust pizza? Maybe not all at once, but yes! Find them here.

Bringing an extra dose of luxury to the development was the Pendry, which opened in 2022 as the lifestyle brand’s seventh property. With 93 guest rooms and 38 suites—and an outdoor (heated) pool, a rare amenity in D.C.—the Pendry feels like a refuge from the day’s sightseeing. The design is clean and muted, with picture windows in many rooms offering views out over the Potomac. Enjoy a salt-scrub-and-hot-stone massage at the Spa Pendry, followed by a cocktail at the moody Bar Pendry or a Japanese whisky and snacks (nigiri, yaki puffs) at the rooftop Moonraker.

Riggs Washington D.C.

Courtesy of Riggs Washington DC

This transformation of the stately National Bank into the Riggs hotel is impressive: The hotel manages to honor the grandeur of the Romanesque revival building without the chill factor that could have resulted from all those hard marble surfaces. Instead, the landmarked building retains original coffered and barrel-vaulted ceilings and modified teller windows at reception, but leavens everything with a touch of whimsy. An extravagant floral display introduces color and plush seating, while theater-worthy curtains add texture; meanwhile the lively sounds of silverware and laughter from the all-day Cafe Riggs break the solemn hush.

The café, with a widely varied and fascinating menu by Momofuku alum chef Patrick Curran, has become a popular gathering spot from morning avocado toast and pain au chocolat to late-night steak frites. The bank’s basement vault has been repurposed into a cocktail bar, Silver Lyan, which prides itself on unusual ingredients (recent cocktails have included ingredients like “embalmed jackfruit,” “blood foam,” “rust vermouth,” and “pawpaw amazake.”)

Upstairs, guest rooms feature stylish furnishings by Voutsa. Four suites, named after four first ladies, are decorated with elements that reflect their interests. For instance, there’s a baby grand piano in the suite named for music lover Louisa Adams, and a plethora of flower-print fabrics in the rooms dedicated to Ida McKinley.

Rosewood Washington, D.C.

Courtesy of Rosewood Washington DC

Georgetown is its own world of federal-style architecture and cobblestone streets, where university students huddle over free Wi-Fi in coffee shops. A bike path runs along the C&O Canal, and along that trail sits Rosewood Washington, D.C.—a 1960s red-brick office building reborn in 2013 as a hotel, with 57 rooms, including 12 suites and 8 townhouses, a rooftop pool, and a fitness center. The multi-story, 1,000-square-foot townhouses sleep up to four (with connecting townhouses available) and come with all the trappings of home, but way nicer: Bosch washer/dryer, Toto toilet and heated marble floors, and daily housekeeping and turndown service.

Rosewood took over in 2016, bringing its attention to detail—hand-upholstered furniture, silk curtains, eclectic artwork in each room—and a commitment to local experiences. The hotel’s culture calendar includes champagne and caviar dinners at Wolfgang Puck’s Cut restaurant and guided tours during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Meanwhile, Georgetown University’s main campus is a 10-minute walk away.

Salamander Washington DC

Courtesy of Salamander DC

Virginia-based Salamander Hotels and Resorts is owned by BET cofounder Sheila Johnson, America’s first Black female billionaire, and the company expanded into D.C. in 2022 when it took over the former Mandarin Oriental. A few blocks south of the National Mall, overlooking the Tidal Basin, the building draws on French neoclassical influences, with a rotunda that calls to mind the work of John Russell Pope, the architect behind the nearby Jefferson Memorial.

In early 2025, the Salamander DC completed a property-wide renovation that has yielded sophisticated public spaces, including a new spa, and 373 reimagined guest rooms with a pastel-leaning palette and soft, curvy furnishings. At the front desk, behold the massive bas-relief installation by Art Space NYC that depicts nearby monuments, cherry blossoms, and horses to symbolize the new U.S. Park Police Horse Stables, which Johnson helped fund. The most attention-grabbing space, however, is undoubtedly Dōgon, a new Afro-Caribbean restaurant by chef Kwame Onwuachi. The Top Chef favorite draws on his Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Creole background to make dishes such as Hoe crab, bone marrow with jerk BBQ lamb, and berbere-roasted chicken with jollof rice.

Sixty DC

Courtesy of Sixty DC

Occupying a prime stretch of Connecticut Avenue in Dupont Circle, Sixty Washington DC brings a cosmopolitan energy to one of Washington’s most desirable neighborhoods. The boutique property’s 73 rooms feel intimate and residential, with warm wood finishes, marble accents, and plush seating areas. Premier patio rooms have large private balconies overlooking the busy avenue below, but thick walls help keep city noise at a minimum, creating a surprisingly peaceful retreat in the heart of the action.

The hotel also rewards guests who pay attention to the details. Hallways are lined with candid photographs of political and cultural figures, including a young Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a nod to Washington’s role in shaping the nation’s political, cultural, and civil rights history.

Upstairs, the Casamara Rooftop draws young professionals, even on weeknights. Downstairs, Reynolds—a cocktail bar named for Maria Reynolds, whose affair with Alexander Hamilton sparked one of the nation’s first political scandals—adds a cheeky historical touch. Between the lively social scene, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant Casamara, and walkable location near Embassy Row and downtown museums, the hotel feels tailor-made for travelers who want to tap into Washington’s contemporary side.

The St. Regis Washington, D.C.

Photo by Ceri Breeze/Shutterstock

Originally opened as the Carlton Hotel in 1926 (before becoming a St. Regis in 1999), this historic property has been a fixture among the capital’s political elite for nearly a century—ever since President Calvin Coolidge cut the grand-opening ribbon. Ronald Reagan used to drop by to get his hair cut by the hotel barber, while Robert F. Kennedy called its chocolate parfait his favorite dessert of all time. Befitting all those power brokers, the St. Regis is appropriately grand, from the palatial lobby—with its Florentine gold ceiling and crystal chandeliers—to the fireplace-lit St. Regis Bar.

Despite its historic bona fides, the St. Regis is far from stuck in the past. A 2024 refresh has left the 182 rooms and suites feeling airy and modern, thanks to a soothing palette of blues, grays, and golds and bathrooms with marble vanities. Dedicated butlers for suite guests means you’ll have access to packing and unpacking services, garment pressing, and coffee or tea after morning wake-up call.

Thompson Washington D.C.

Courtesy of Thompson Washington DC

The Thompson fits comfortably in the Navy Yard, a colonial-era neighborhood that’s enjoying a renaissance. Set within home-run distance of Nationals Park baseball stadium, the hotel offers views of both the Anacostia River and the city. Expect lots of crisp navy-blue details and nautical curves on walls and furniture (the interior design hints at the neighborhood’s history as a port for shipping and shipbuilding). You’ll also see elements that reflect the area’s industrial vibe, like lofty ceilings and tall, metal-paned windows in guest rooms and public spaces.

The Rooftop at the Thompson has become the hotel’s hallmark. Its floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive outdoor terrace have made it a year-round go-to spot for sundowners overlooking the river. The venue also plays host to events like Breaking Sound, which showcases rising musical stars from around the city.

Waldorf Astoria Washington DC

Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Washington DC

What a turn of tides for the former Trump hotel: Acquired by a Miami-based investment company for $375 million in 2021, then leased to Hilton, the Old Post Office Building is now a Waldorf Astoria. The 1890s Richardsonian Romanesque landmark still maintains its imposing clocktower, arches, and turrets, but gone are the omnipresent protestors; in their place are flocks of business travelers lingering over coffee and actual newspapers in Peacock Alley, a gilded grand atrium with tufted banquettes and soothing natural light.

The 263 guest rooms and suites are truly sumptuous, with softly lit chandeliers and ornate frames surrounding sink-in king-size beds. The on-site spa has six treatment rooms, a Himalayan salt therapy room, and a relaxation area with secluded resting cocoons. Everything seems a bit more peaceful around here these days.

The Watergate Hotel

Courtesy of the Watergate Hotel

Yes, that Watergate. Set within the iconic crescent-shaped complex overlooking the Potomac River, the Watergate Hotel is far more than a backdrop to a famous political scandal. The 336-room property occupies one of Washington’s most recognizable architectural landmarks, and the building’s sweeping curves carry into the guest rooms, where rounded walls and midcentury-modern furnishings create a distinctly retro-cool atmosphere.

Many rooms and suites have private balconies with views stretching across the river toward Arlington, making them some of the most coveted in the city. The hotel embraces its history without taking itself too seriously—most notably in the over-the-top Scandal Suite (the actual room that the burglars were in)—but its greatest strengths are firmly rooted in the present. Guests can swim in one of the few indoor hotel pools in Washington, unwind at Argentta Spa, or settle into the Next Whisky Bar, where an illuminated wall of hundreds of liquor bottles casts an amber glow across the space. Come sunset, most guests migrate upstairs to Top of the Gate for sweeping views of the Washington Monument, Kennedy Center, and Arlington skyline.

Willard InterContinental D.C.

Courtesy of Willard InterContinental Washington D.C.

The Willard has quite the history, dating back to before the American Civil War, when it was Willard’s City Hotel and the home of sitting presidents (Franklin Pierce) and later vice presidents (Calvin Coolidge). As legend goes, President Ulysses S. Grant coined the word “lobbyist” here, naming the hustlers who bothered him while he enjoyed a cigar and brandy in the Willard’s lobby. In 1901, the brick building was torn down and replaced with the Beaux-Arts–style hotel that stands today, where it remains an icon on the National Register of Historic Places.

Nowadays, the hotel is less a backup White House and more a welcoming base for families and pets, with classic rooms and suites dressed in navy, ivory, and gray, a French brasserie, and a beloved afternoon tea service. The property has also invested heavily in preserving its legacy, recently restoring all 335 rooms, including 69 suites and 14 signature suites named for notable guests including Eleanor Roosevelt and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, with period-inspired furnishings, archival artwork, and design details that reflect the hotel’s Gilded Age roots. The robust Kids’ Concierge program (ages 11 and under) gives younger guests the chance to earn “Duck Bucks,” redeemable at Le Café inside Café du Parc.

This article was originally published in April 2025 and was updated with new information in May 2026. Additional reporting by Laura Dannen Redman.