Washington Travel Guide
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We Gussied Up For The New Capella Georgetown
As you may know, we've been anticipating the opening of the new Capella Washington D.C. for many months, and when its proposed January opening date came and went, it was hard to contain our disappointment. Still, the info on the hotel kept trickling in--news of chefs, GMs, and the like. It was clear that Capella wanted to remain on everyone's radar. So, imagine our surprise when out of the blue we received an invite to D.C. for the hotel's grand opening soiree. It was going to be a large affair in the first week of April. Of course we said yes and went in search for a worthy frock for the ribbon-cuttiing ceremony.
When we arrived we learned the Capella was keeping secrets from us! It had actually been in soft opening since March 22nd. We were a tad hurt--why weren't we told? But taking a look around the 49-room Georgetown hotel located next to the city's historic C&O Canal, it was clear the company wanted time to get the kinks out before making a big announcement--hence the coming out party.
We'd known so much about the brand's first US hotel (and written about it at length) already, we wanted to see if the artistic renderings matched what could only be described as serious coziness. It did and we were well pleased.
Instagram / Four Seasons / Washington DC Hotels / → All Tags
The Coolest Hotel Instagram of The Day Goes To...
...The Four Seasons Washington, D.C.
We can't lie, we've been a bit jealous these past few days as we see kids of all ages galavanting around for Spring Break. Looking at Instagrams of tots having the time of their lives while we slog at work, longing for those days again.
So, when we saw this in-room tent at the tony Four Seasons Washington, D.C., we just wanted to jump in (and push everyone else under age 10 out) and play!
What comes with this "Camp Out" experience? The tent, hamburgers, and s'mores. And if you want, they'll bring up a Wii and video games, too. How cool is that?
Just makes you want to go all Tom Hanks in "Big", at least for a little while.
Rates for Four Seasons fun starts at a whopping $725per night (blame it on the cherry blossoms).
[Photo: Instagram/Four Seasons Hotels]
Hotel Bathrooms / Bathroom Tuesday / Hotel Bathtubs / Hotel Showers / Killer View / → All Tags
See Cherry Blossoms Bloom From Mandarin Oriental DC Bathroom
It’s the start of the magical cherry blossom season in Washington DC and it's also HC’s unofficial “Bathroom Tuesday”. So what better way to celebrate both than highlight a hotel with a stunning bathroom that will give you views of the city’s natural pride and joy?
The baths at the swank Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. are filled with glossy marble and have both separate shower and deep soaking tubs. Some rooms and suites (those are the ones you’ll want for this time of the year) have views of the Washington Monument. And if peeping the cherry blossom trees while you’re having a soak in your tub isn't enough, you can always turn on the in-bath television.
Hotel Renovations / Renaissance Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Washington D.C. Hotels / Hotel Design / → All Tags
Renaissance Washington Reno Came to a Cool $30M
The Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel just announced they’ve completed a redesign of all 807(!) guest rooms and suites to the tune of $30M. Wow -- talk about investing in the economy. Good on ‘em.
The hotel is located across from Mt. Vernon Square and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, close to DC’s Chinatown and Penn Quarter districts.
The rooms, designed by Dash Design in New York, are meant to complement the hotel’s recent lobby redo and are done in khakis and cocoa-browns with splashes of reinterpreted denim blues and reds. Each room is accented with clean and modern furniture. The leather lounge and desk chairs are inspired by twentieth-century modernism. LED reading pin lights are mounted on headboards with easy to reach plugs for guests to plug in their own mobile devices.
Political Hotels / POTUS Hotels / Hotel Packages / Washington D.C. Hotels / Presidential Suites / Barack Obama / Sweet Suites / → All Tags
Stay at The Madison Next Week And Eyes Will Be On You (and Obama, too!)
Next week, as the world watches President Obama during the US Presidential Inauguration, eyes will be on you, too if you book The Madison Hotel’s "Inaugural Town and Country Package". Why, you may ask? Well as part of this $47K five-night extravaganza, you get your very own Social Media Butler. That’s right--someone will post your comings-and-goings during the inauguration festivities in real-time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. So if you’ve ever fantasized about being a celebrity for a day (or five in this case), this is your chance.
As part of the package you get four nights in one of The Madison’s Presidential Suites (sweet!), a private presidential inauguration tour for you and 22 of your closest friends (with you in person, that is – you can have hundreds visit virtually), a $5,000 shopping spree at Brooks Brothers, and a personal car and driver at your beck and call during your stay.
Hotel News / Donald Trump / Historic Hotels / Washington DC Hotels / Trump Hotels / → All Tags
Trump Trying To Duck Taxes On New D.C. Hotel Project
We told you earlier this year that Donald Trump has designs of opening a hotel in Washington D.C., in one of the city’s beloved landmark’s, the Old Post Office.
Well, now he doesn’t want to pay taxes on the property, which could delay the project. The Old Post Office is a federal building, so property taxes aren’t required, but possessory interest tax--established in 2000 to tax companies operating on federal land—are still in order.
According to The Washington Business Journal, The Old Post Office's tax bill could start at $3 million a year. The article said Trump has been trying to get unspecified "relief" on the tax from the city—so far to no avail.
Christmas Hotel Deals / JW Marriott Hotels / Washington DC Hotels / → All Tags
This Weekend Only! Les Misérables & JW Marriott DC For A Song
Can't wait 'til Christmas Day to see Les Miserables hit the big screen? Then hightail it to Washington D.C. this weekend, Dec. 21-23, and catch the latest live performance of the world's most famous musical at The National Theater. (It's been staged some forty-five thousand times in over 300 cities. Crazy!).
This weekend, though, is your only chance to snag a room after the show next door at Pennsylvania Avenue's JW Marriott for a mere $149 a night. This is thanks to the hotel's "Last-Minute Weekends" deal. Unsurprisingly, rates rocket to $329 a night from Christmas Eve til New Year's.
Hotel Openings / Capella Hotels / Washington DC Hotels / Political Hotels / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags
Capella's First US Hotel Goes to Georgetown
On January 20 at noon, Barack Obama will take the Oath of Office in Washington DC to mark the beginning of his second term as POTUS. While the Ritz-Carlton is going all out with its $100,000 inauguration package, its nearby sibling will be getting some fresh competition in the form of Capella Georgetown, which we were told would open in January as well.
Hotel News / Photo Gallery / Trump Hotels / Washington DC Hotels / → All Tags
Trump Teases With A First Look At The Old Post Office Building In DC
Back in February when it was first announced that Trump Hotels would be taking over the Old Post Office Building in DC, Ivanka Trump told reporters: "I think the historic facade of the building will be the greatest signage of all."
Which might very well be true, but judging from these new renderings released yesterday via the Washington Post, it seems the idea of a Trump Hotel minus any Trump signage just didn't sit too well with ol' Donald. One of the most visible features in the renderings is a horizontal banner that will hang under the iconic building's domed entrance reading "Trump International Hotel."
Nevermind the fact that 90% of the city is going to know it's his hotel anyway, but...yeah. Branding. We get it.
To see more renderings, click below!
Fantasy Friday / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Washington D.C. Hotels / Luxury Hotels / Presidential Suites / Inauguration Hotels / POTUS Hotels / Political Hotels / → All Tags
Fantasy Friday: The $100K Inauguration Package At The Ritz-Carlton, Washington
This package is for all of you political animals out there or for those of you who may have just a wee crush on President Obama. And trust us, that goes for males and females; we hear all the sighs of jealousy when it comes to photos of him and FLOTUS.
So, it's just at the right daydreamy Friday moment that we're thinking about Ritz-Carlton, Washington's full backstage pass, so to speak, to some of the Inauguration events happening in D.C.
We hope you’re ready, ‘cause this package has lots of perks:
Political Hotels / Hotel Trysts / Hotel Sex / POTUS Hotels / Eliot Spitzer / Washington D.C. Hotels / → All Tags
The Unofficial Shonda Rhimes Guide To Washington D.C.'s "Scandal"-ous Hotels
If you’re like us, you are completely addicted to Shonda Rhimes’ heart-stopping political drama, “Scandal”, which takes place in Washington, D.C. The gripping series is about a president torn in more ways than we can count (watch and see!).
We figure on this Election Day, if you have to wait in line to vote for the next president, and while we all wait for the results, we'll entertain you with a few famous D.C. hotels that have been the location of a juicy scandal or two.
The hit television show's fictitious president Fitzgerald Grant seems to prefer his dalliances and dirt to occur in the White House and sometimes even in broad daylight! We think Rhimes should take some clues to these real-life political dramas and give us some hotel highlights to look forward to on Thursday nights!
Political Hotels / Hotel Packages / Extended-Stay Hotels / Barack Obama / AKA Hotels / Washington D.C. Hotels / → All Tags
Find 12 Pals For AKA's $57K "Inauguration Package"
We saw President Obama on “The View” this morning just as we were taking a look again at the AKA White House's “Presidential Pampering Package” that had landed in our inbox. We’d been going back and forth on it because the price tag is just so hefty, it’s just one of those things where you 1) you wish you were friends with someone who could afford it 2) know there are people who can afford it, and you hate them.
But, as we begin our own Presidential-election hotel coverage, we thought we’d kick it off with this bit of fantasy for your daydreaming pleasure.
The AKA White House’s “Presidential Pampering Package” is designed for 12 guests to take over the Washington D.C. residential-style hotel’s entire penthouse floor during the presidential inauguration. Four suites comprising of two, one-bedroom suites and two, two-bedroom suites, and a 1,100-square foot outdoor terrace are just the living basics, but it’s the perks that dazzle enough to make one wonder if they have $57,000 (in honor of the 57th inauguration) to blow on a seven-day stay with 11 of their closest friends.
Let’s list them, and you do the math:
*Daily continental breakfast served en-suite
*Personal 24/7 on-call butler
*Personal 24/7 chauffeur
*Fully-stocked refrigerator
*A private two-hour en-suite cocktail party with open bar and appetizers
*Daily housekeeping service & turndown service
*Twelve plush AKA robes
*Airport transportation
