Must-see hotels in Washington, DC

Georgetown University alumni and parents on college weekends favor this property parked in the center of the neighborhood's action. The inn has a…

Hotel RL styles itself as a boutique choice, but it's too worn for that category. Still, it has a bouncy vibe and quirky edge, with free bike hire and gym…

The jazzy, 343-room Liaison draws a mix of business types and tourists. Modernist rooms come in a stately, slate-to-earth tone color palette; they feel…

Step into the St Gregory's lobby and you're greeted by a cool, midcentury modern–infused space with a fireplace, bookshelves, wingback chairs and groovy…

Though it may look bland from the outside, the Phoenix is all Irish warmth, polished wood and Waterford crystal chandeliers inside. The hotel has long…

Despite the name, this hotel is not actually on the river, but on a quiet residential street near the Kennedy Center. The location provides easy access to…

Although not the exclusive establishment it once was (the restaurant is named after J Edgar Hoover, who lunched here daily; John F Kennedy reportedly…

The Lombardy first welcomed guests in the 1970s, when its intimate Venetian-style decor (shuttered doors, warm gold walls) was an instant hit with…

Set in two cozy Victorian row houses, Kalorama offers 11 flowery, antique-furnished rooms. Nine of them have private baths and the other two rooms share a…

A decent three-star choice, the Melrose is popular with business travelers, who appreciate its good-sized rooms with recently updated – if slightly…

Club Quarters is a favorite with business travelers on the go. Rooms are small and many don't have views, lacking any semblance of charm or quirk, but the…

The Washington Court won't wow you with design pizzazz, but the large rooms with spruce, earth-toned decor and a convenient perch next to Union Station…

The 12-room American Guest House earns high marks for its intimate sense of service, bountiful omelet-y breakfasts and elegant, individualized rooms…

Trump's company took the historic Old Post Office and gave it a $200 million makeover, transforming the Richardsonian Romanesque structure into a 263-room…

The rough-and-ready Hilltop is in the bohemian, politically leftist neighborhood of Takoma, in far northeast DC. Set in a century-old Victorian mansion,…

The 1960s-style semicircular structure has all the amenities you expect at a big business hotel. The rooms are corporate blah, but considering the service…

When one of DC's grandest dames – the 1917 beaux arts Hotel Washington – was bought out by the W Hotel chain, eyebrows were raised. Would the property's…

The 836-room Omni is a favorite with conventioneers, but it's good for families too. It is a stroller’s roll to the National Zoo and Rock Creek Park, and…

The Embassy Inn shows up on hostel booking sites, which gives you an indication of its no-frills ambience. Rooms are small and dark with thin walls, but…

Cookie cutter? Yes, perhaps, but you know what you’re getting at the Hampton, and it can be an OK deal if you score a price at the spectrum's lower end…