The inauguration of Donald Trump will be taking place during a lodging boom time in Washington, with Lodging Econometrics expecting that 27 new hotels will have opened in the greater District of Columbia area in 2016 and 2017.
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A few of them carry some of the best-known names in the country, including the 2016 opening of the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the reopening of the hotel portion of the infamous Watergate Hotel and Office Building.
The Watergate
With Luigi Moretti's curving, midcentury design and its widespread association with the presidential scandal that bears its name, the Watergate has earned a place in American political legend (and in our political lexicon, given the widespread penchant for appending every scandal with "-gate").
The once-glamorous hotel had been shuttered for nine years before being redone and reopened last year in luxury, retro-chic style. The new owners spent $125 million restoring the Watergate, which mixes midcentury modern architecture with contemporary design features.
Some of the best of those features are the large lower-level spa, exercise room and swimming pool, and the Kingbird restaurant, a Washington power spot. In the lobby, the Next Whisky Bar, with its spiraling, golden wall of bottles, is Instagram-worthy, but the rooftop bar and lounge (in season) is an absolute must, especially at night when guests can relax with a drink as a panorama that takes in the Washington Monument, the nearby Kennedy Center, the Potomac River, Georgetown and Arlington provides a memorable background.
As far as accommodations go, for history buffs there's Room 214, the headquarters of the men who burgled the Democratic national headquarters in the Watergate office complex. But there are several room categories to choose from, all at least nodding, stylewise, to the Nixon era (the hotel staff uniforms were designed by "Mad Men" costume designer Janie Bryant). Balcony options are a nice touch.
The Watergate is luxury caliber, but that doesn't mean it takes itself too seriously. Souvenirs include the pencils in the rooms, which are embossed with the phrase "I stole this from the Watergate."
The lobby and front desk of the Kimpton Glover Park, which is located in an area known for its colorful row houses and is home to a few embassies.
Kimpton Hotels
Among the most bullish hoteliers when it comes to the D.C. market, Kimpton Hotels has opened three hotels there since 2015, and its 12 properties in the D.C. area are the most it has in any region. In 2016, Kimpton opened both the Mason & Rook and the Glover Park hotels.
Ben Timashenka, Kimpton's regional vice president of hotel operations in the Mid-Atlantic region, calls the D.C. market "very consistent" from a demand perspective.
"There are so many different demand generators in this market, which is a great thing," he said. "Only in D.C. can you have a tourism-driven festival celebrating springtime coinciding with a world nuclear-power summit."
The design of every Kimpton hotel is inspired by its surroundings, meaning none of its D.C. properties are alike. Its newest hotel, the Kimpton Glover Park, is not particularly close to the city's main attractions on the Mall, a bonus to the growing number of travelers looking for more localized experiences.
Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.
The property is located in the middle of the small Glover Park neighborhood, just north of Georgetown and south of National Cathedral, an area known for its colorful row houses and home to quite a few embassies.
One of the reasons Glover Park remains a bit under the radar, locals said, is that it doesn't have a Metro stop. While this could be tricky for travelers, the Kimpton offers a complimentary shuttle to and from the Woodley Park Metro station (as well as to the Smithsonian National Zoo).
In tribute to its leafy neighborhood, a custom-designed map of Rock Creek Park adorns the property's eight-story facade. The hotel's overall design was meant to be serene and full of natural light in order to reflect the greenery that surrounds it.
Glover Park is a simple property, with one restaurant and a gym, a lobby that doubles as the "living room" where it hosts nightly wine hours and offers complimentary morning coffee and tea service. Such offerings make guests feel they are part of the hotel community and by extension the neighborhood.
The hotel doesn't charge to rent its bikes, and the WiFi is open to anyone who signs up for Kimpton Karma Rewards. Don't miss the complimentary tea blend always available in the lobby, a custom creation done with Capital Teas, served hot in the mornings and iced throughout the day.
The hotel's restaurant, Casolare, is Michael Schlow's fourth D.C. eatery (Schlow was once named "Best Chef in the Northeast" by the James Beard Foundation). Highlights include Mama Zecca's eggplant and Pugliese-style meatballs. Guests can order from Casolare's menu through room service.