The Hay-Adams

Washington, D.C.
United States

The Experience

With the best views in town of the Washington Monument and the White House, this 1920s Italian Renaissance-inspired hotel would be just another lovely old-school relic if not for a 2002 $18-million renovation. The features that have always made it great—precise service, plus architectural details like ornate moldings, ornamental fireplaces and formal public rooms—remain untouched, but are now bolstered by high technology. Generally considered the capital’s best, or at least most prestigious, temporary address.

The Rooms

Elegantly appointed in a calming palette of off-white, gold and sage, with mile-high beds canopied in beige toile, the guest rooms are formal, but a light touch in the decor spares them from stuffiness. If you agree that a bedroom view can make or break a trip, ask for a room on the sixth, seventh or eighth floors on the H Street side—those have a full view of the White House across Lafayette Park for $100 extra per night, making sense of the hotel's motto: "The only thing overlooked is the White House." If you're staying on a Sunday when the president is in town, a room on the 16th Street side may afford a glimpse of the cavalcade bearing him to St. John's Episcopal Church for services.

The Service

The staff is accustomed to dealing with visiting dignitaries and Washington's power brokers who use the hotel as their second home. You can expect detailed turndown service (mat and slippers placed by the bed, fresh fruit and other amenities, Evian spritz cans) and bar staff who remember your preferences, even if you've only ordered once.

The Highlights

The best view of the White House is from the hotel roof--but for security reasons, you'll have to get clearance from the power center itself (and request it in advance). Get an easier look at Washington power brokers over breakfast in the ornate and sunny Lafayette Room, or head here for the elaborate Sunday brunch (including orange zest-infused brioche French toast)…after the Sunday morning talk shows, of course. If you want to see (but, thanks to the acoustics, probably not hear) Washington's biggest decision-makers knocking one back, spend an evening at Off the Record, the hotel's plush subterranean bar, where the bartenders are a font of information.

 

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