The Hay-Adams
Washington, D.C.: Top 5 Hotels
Checking into this posh property facing Lafayette Square is about as close as most folks will ever get to spending a night in the White House. The Italian Renaissance-style building erected in the 1920s houses 145 elegantly appointed rooms and suites, many with astonishing views overlooking the presidential residence with the Washington Monument rising behind it. Thanks to an $18 million restoration project completed in 2002, guests can enjoy the extraordinary vista without sacrificing any modern comforts or amenities.
The best views are from upper-floor rooms and suites on the H Street side of the hotel, though the somewhat more affordable park-view rooms lower down offer glimpses of the White House in winter when deciduous trees have lost their leaves. Choose a room facing 16th Street and you'll look out at St. John's Church, a pre-Civil War edifice where every president since James Madison has attended at least one service. Even the most affordable "interior view" rooms, which overlook an inside courtyard, come with fairly steep price tags, but special weekend rates are sometimes available for around $370 a night.
Even if you're not staying at the Hay-Adams, consider stopping by for a cocktail or a light meal in the hotel bar, a subterranean hangout whimsically dubbed Off the Record. A popular hangout for Washington insiders, Off the Record is a great place to discuss politics and local gossip with the bartenders.
The Hay-Adams
16th and H Streets NW
Washington, D.C.
202-638-6600
www.hayadams.com
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