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. Whether this is your first or 15th visit to the nation’s capital, whether you want timeless elegance or a rush of youthful energy, Afar’s Hotels We Love list of 14 of the best properties in Washington, D.C., will serve you well.
Canal House of Georgetown, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
The new Canal House of Georgetown features sophisticated interiors just steps from the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
Courtesy of Marriott International
- Neighborhood: Georgetown
- Why we love it: A relaxing neighborhood location that takes you away from the hustle and bustle of downtown
- Loyalty: Marriott Bonvoy
- From $352
- Book now
Set a few steps from the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown, this newest member of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio opened in March 2025, and it offers a design-forward but more affordable option than the Ritz-Carlton and Rosewood on the same block. Public spaces include a library lounge, a private courtyard, and a bar serving drinks like barrel-aged sangria, while the C+O Lounge restaurant feels deeply rooted in the mid-Atlantic thanks to a menu that includes apple cider waffles, Chesapeake crab cake Benedict, Allegheny venison steak, and pawpaw pudding.
The red-brick facade pays homage to the former industrial buildings lining the canal, but the 107 guest rooms, including specialty suites and two attached townhouses, are decidedly more urbane. Think long, slinky marble desks, brass accents, globe lights, and playful modern art that honors area icons, such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis.
Conrad Washington D.C.
The Conrad’s architecturally rich atrium includes a dramatic skylight that lets in warm sunshine throughout the day.
Courtesy of Washington.org
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Why we love it: Its soaring atrium and eco-conscious habits
- Loyalty: Hilton Honors
- From $340
- Book now
The sleek Conrad—one of Afar’s best new hotels of 2020—is the antithesis of a stuffy old Beltway hotel. Built as part of the new 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; the kitchens also partner with Builder’s Inc., a food donation center that accepts leftover packaged goods, frozen foods, and ready-to-eat food.
Dupont Circle Hotel
Pops of color and an indoor/outdoor balcony make this Dupont Circle Penthouse Suite a memorable one.
Courtesy of the Dupont Circle Hotel
- Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
- Why we love it: Recently renovated—and thoroughly stylish—public spaces that attract the best and brightest
- Loyalty: I Prefer (Preferred Hotels & Resorts)
- From $215
- Book now
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 (yes, she’s mononymous) 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.
Befitting Eaton D.C.'s mission, the lobby library is filled with progressive books that will help fuel the revolution.
Courtesy of Eaton D.C.
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Why we love it: A socially conscious spot that connects like-minded travelers
- Loyalty: Brilliant by Langham
- From $167
- Book now
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 conversation, 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 cabins to suites (all, conveniently, pet friendly). All have a “global nomad” vibe, with colorful textile accents, Himalayan salt lamps, and pillow-top mattresses, along with Grown Alchemist bath products, health-centric mini-bars, Bluetooth speakers, and record players. Once settled in, gather with others at Michele’s by chef Matt Baker, 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
At the Hay-Adams, you can look out over the White House and the Washington Monument from the comfort of your bed.
Courtesy of The Hay-Adams
- Neighborhood: Lafayette Square
- Why we love it: Classic Old World charm overlooking the White House
- Loyalty: Leaders Club (Leading Hotels of the World)
- From $399
- Book now
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
The Jefferson DC
Photo courtesy of The Jefferson DC
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Why we love it: An old-world vibe with modern touches and a gorgeous lobby skylight
- From $490
- Book now
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, as it’s appropriately called, serves Virginia oysters with strawberry 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.
Pendry Washington D.C.
Guest room at the Pendry Washington D.C. look out over the Wharf.
Courtesy of the Pendry Washington D.C.
- Neighborhood: The Wharf
- Why we love it: Family-friendly hotel with a prime location on the Potomac River
- From $335
- Book now
Those traveling with kids in D.C. should make the Wharf—and within it, the Pendry—their base. As one of the city’s newest 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 sophisticated minimalism, 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 whiskey and snacks (nigiri, yaki puffs) at the rooftop Moonraker.
Riggs Washington DC
You can easily see the bones of the old bank building in the check-in area of the Riggs.
Courtesy of Riggs Washington DC
- Neighborhood: Penn Quarter
- Why we love it: History-rich interiors and a pilgrimage-worthy cocktail lounge
- Loyalty: I Prefer (Preferred Hotels & Resorts)
- From $280
- Book now
This transformation of the historic and stately National Bank into the Riggs hotel is nearly miraculous. The new entity 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 some iconic bank fixtures like 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, plush seating and theater-worthy curtains add texture, and the lively sounds of silverware and laughter from the all-day Cafe Riggs break the solemn hush. The bank’s basement vault has been repurposed into a stunning cocktail bar, Silver Lyan, which prides itself on unusual ingredients and thoughtful preparations. (Recent cocktails have included ingredients like “embalmed jackfruit,” “blood foam,” “rust vermouth,” and “pawpaw amazake.”)
Upstairs, guest rooms feature stylishly hued soft furnishings by Voutsa. Four suites, named for four first ladies, are decorated with elements that reflect their interests. For instance, you’ll find 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. The yin/yang play of the Riggs—where soft is juxtaposed with hard, pretty with austere, cool with warm—mirrors a city where impulses often waver between heartfelt public service and chilly ambition.
Rosewood Washington, D.C.
A dramatic chandelier hangs over the fireplace-lit lobby library at the Rosewood.
Courtesy of Rosewood Washington DC
- Neighborhood: Georgetown
- Why we love it: Stately townhouses in the heart of a university ‘hood
- Loyalty: Rosewood Rewards
- From $700
- Book now
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
The Salamander Washington DC recently unveiled a sophisticated design makeover.
Courtesy of Salamander DC
- Neighborhood: Southwest
- Why we love it: A refreshed design and one of the best new restaurants in the city
- Loyalty: I Prefer (Preferred Hotels & Resorts)
- From $400
- Book now
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.
The St. Regis Washington, D.C.
The St. Regis Washington, D.C. first opened as the Carlton Hotel in 1926.
Photo by Ceri Breeze/Shutterstock
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Why we love it: A presidential past and refreshed rooms
- Loyalty: Marriott Bonvoy
- From $405
- Book now
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.
The guest rooms at the Thompson hotel in the Navy Yard have a vaguely nautical palette.
Courtesy of Thompson Washington DC
- Neighborhood: Navy Yard
- Why we love it: Those rooftop views and chic industrial vibe
- Loyalty: World of Hyatt
- From $251
- Book now
The Thompson, which opened in early 2020, 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
The lobby at the Waldorf Astoria takes full advantage of the grandeur of the Old Post Office Building.
Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Washington DC
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Why we love it: It’s not a Trump hotel anymore!
- Loyalty: Hilton Honors
- From $771
- Book now
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.
Willard InterContinental Washington D.C.
There may not be a better bathtub view in the District of Columbia than the one at Willard InterContinental.
Courtesy of Willard InterContinental Washington D.C.
- Neighborhood: Pershing Park
- Why we love it: Its 200-year legacy (and afternoon tea)
- Loyalty: IHG One Rewards
- From $307
- Book now
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 Willard InterContinental is less the backup White House and more kid- and pet-friendly, with classic rooms and suites in navy, ivory, and gray; a French brasserie; and a lovely afternoon tea. The robust Kids’ Concierge program (ages 11 and under) gives younger guests the chance to earn “Duck Bucks” to be redeemed at Le Café inside Café du Parc.
Prior reporting by Julia Cosgrove, Christian Mirasol, Ann Shields, Devorah Lev-Tov, and Sandra Ramani.
