Best Hotels in Washington, D.C.: A Guide to 4- and 5-Star Accommodations
People familiar with my travel style know I don’t usually center my trips around where I will lay my head. Is it comfortable? Is it clean? Is it conveniently located? Is it safe? Is it within my budget? For years, these are the primary questions I have asked myself when selecting lodging. But now that I’m recommending hotels to others, I know it’s important to understand the wide range of options available at different price points and for different tastes. That’s why I decided to join a day-long series of site inspections at 4- and 5-star hotels in Washington, D.C. Here are my highlights:
The Hay Adams
The rooms at The Hay-Adams were designed by Georgetown native, Thomas Pheasant.
In a nutshell: Located just steps from the White House, The Hay-Adams is the hotel you stay at when you never want to forget you’re in Washington, D.C. It’s the hotel for The West Wing geek and people who stop what they’re doing to watch The American President whenever it’s on television. Formal, yet welcoming, it’s a romantic place to stay if the sight of the White House doesn’t make you roll your eyes. You can splurge on a room with a presidential view for extra bragging rights.
For non-guests to enjoy:
High tea on Sunday afternoons from November-April
Off the Record — the basement bar decorated with political caricatures — is a great place to pretend you’re an extra in a scene from House of Cards. You never know who you might spot.
Off the Record, the “speakeasy” located in the basement of The Hay-Adams.
Perks if you book with me:
Upgrade on arrival subject to availability
Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
$100 food and beverage credit
Early check-in/late check-out subject to availability
Riggs Washington DC
A standard room at Riggs.
In a nutshell: Of all the hotels we visited, Riggs–rated #1 hotel in DC by Travel & Leisure two years in a row–felt most like a place to see and be seen. Even in the middle of a week the day after a snowstorm, the Bar at Café Riggs was filled with urbanites socializing over coffee or working on their laptops. The rooms are perhaps the most design-forward of hotels we visited, including a series of super-feminine suites inspired by first ladies. But it’s the communal spaces where this hotel shines brightest. Riggs is located in D.C.’s Penn Quarter with plenty of bars and restaurants within walking distance and just across from the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum.
For non-guests to enjoy:
The wine list featuring women-produced wines at Café Riggs
The Silver Lyan speakeasy downstairs (Make reservations at least a week in advance)
The “top-secret” Dishonesty Bar (for the true ballers among us)
Riggs’s Silver Lyan Speakeasy at is decorated with women’s sports trophies.
Perks if you book with me:
Breakfast for Two Daily
$100 Hotel Credit per Stay (to be used on services such as spa, dining, or selected amenities valued at $100 or more)
Room upgrade, subject to availability
Trivia: Riggs DC occupies what used to be the former site of Riggs National Bank, a historic financial institution with a scandalous Wikipedia page.
Waldorf Astoria Washington, D.C.
The lobby of D.C.’s Waldorf Astoria from above.
In a nutshell: Sure the Waldorf is where diplomats and other people who travel with an entourage stay in suites the size of homes, but you are welcome to join them if you’re willing to splurge a little (or a lot). It’s a great choice for a low-season anniversary or Valentine’s getaway and for anyone who likes their hotels tastefully over the top. The location is ideal for its proximity to the Smithsonian museums.
For non-guests to enjoy:
The National Park Service-operated clock tower is attached to the hotel. Anyone can ride the elevator to the top for a great view of DC, completely free of charge.
Bazaar by José Andrés or Michelin-starred sushi at Sushi Nakazawa
Perks if you book with me:
Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Daily full breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
$100 food and beverage credit applicable towards Peacock Alley and in-room dining
Early check-in, late check-out, subject to availability
Trivia: The Waldorf Astoria is located in a former post office built in 1899. The gigantic lobby–one of the biggest in town–used to be the mail-sorting floor. The guest rooms are all former federal offices. The building is owned by the federal government and leased to the Waldorf.
Lyle Washington, D.C.
The Lyle’s exterior blends right in with the residential apartment buildings of Dupont Circle.
In a nutshell: Lyle Washington DC is for down-to-earth travelers who prefer to rub shoulders with the locals rather than stay in one of the more touristy areas of the city. Located in the DuPont Circle neighborhood, from the outside the Lyle has the unassuming look of an old-school DC apartment building. The staff will tell you this is on purpose: they wanted it to feel like it’s been there forever. Of all the hotels we visited, the cozy Lyle is the hotel I’m most eager to stay in myself. However, if you’re someone who enjoys hanging out in the lobby or who requires a room with an impressive view this is probably not the hotel for you.
For nonguests to enjoy:
This couch alone must rank the Lyle among one of the coolest places to have brunch in the entire city.
Perks if you book with me:
$50 food and beverage credit
Room upgrade subject to availability
Early check-in/late check-out
The coziest hotel meeting room I’ve ever seen.
Worth noting: As long as you don’t need windows, the comfortable basement meeting spaces could be great for a small retreat with good options for breakout groups.
Bonus: Thompson Washington, D.C.
Standard room at the Thompson.
In a nutshell: This is the hotel where I stayed while I toured the others and I would rebook in a heartbeat for the breakfast alone. Thompson is a Hyatt brand but the mid-century modern-inspired decor elevates it beyond the cookie-cutter experience you might expect from a giant, international chain. The surrounding Navy Yard neighborhood is great for people-watchers and shop browsers who want to enjoy D.C. beyond the monuments and museums, but the main attractions are only a few stops away on the green-yellow line.
I enjoyed every breakfast dish I tried at Surveyor, the hotel’s restaurant.
Perks if you book with me:
Daily complimentary full breakfast at a hotel restaurant for up to two guests (and it’s all delicious!)
Property credit
Priority for a room upgrade
Early check-in/late check-out/connecting rooms
Worth noting: Some rooms offer views of the Potomac river. In the winter of 2024, there was construction on the streetside that some might prefer to avoid.
Want to take advantage of the perks above? As a certified travel advisor I can help you out with that. Drop me a line and let’s get started!
