WASHINGTON -- The
historic Hotel Washington, topped by a popular roof-top restaurant
and bar that features some of the best views of this city,
announced that it will close its doors on Jan. 1 and, following a
year-long renovation, reopen in 2009 as a sleek W Hotel, the first
in the nation's Capitol.
According to the
hotel's owner, Istithmar Hotels Washington, plans for the renovated
property, which will be called W Washington D.C., include updating
its 317 guest rooms, creating a signature restaurant and adding a
spa.
Starwood Hotels
& Resorts Worldwide, owners of the W Hotels brand, noted that
the 11-story Hotel Washington was built in 1888 as a retail store
and apartment building. 
However, in 1917 architects who
designed the Senate and the House buildings on Capitol Hill
converted the property into a hotel.
"The Hotel
Washington has played an important part in the history of the city
and we wish to expand on the hotel's history and to acknowledge its
role in the community," said Joe Sita, chief executive of Istithmar
Hotels, which acquired the property last year.
The property, which
is managed by Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, is located at
Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street, a short walk from the White
House.
"The hotel's
location, as the closest neighbor to the White House, is arguably
the best in the city," said Craig Scott, the hotel's general
manager in a statement. "The hotel is an established cornerstone of
D.C.'s history and will continue to be a major player in the market
following its renovation."
It will also mark
the debut of the trendy, luxury W Hotels brand in
Washington.
"We are delighted
to sign W as operator for this hotel," Sita said "We strongly
believe in the W story and are confident we can create an asset for
the whole DC community to embrace and enjoy."
In addition to the
W Washington D.C., Istithmar, part of a Dubai-based investment
firm, also owns W Hotels-branded properties in Bangkok and Koh
Samui, Thailand.
Last year, it
acquired the W Hotel Union Square in New York for $285
million.
The firm's other
assets include One Trafalgar Square in London, New York's landmark
Helmsley Building and a Times Square office building, which at one
time was the famed Knickerbocker Hotel. Istithmar is renovating and
re-envisioning the property, converting it back into a luxury
hotel.
To
contact the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Michael
Milligan at [email protected].