What it is

A Beaux Arts stunner a block from the White House.

What it isn't

Hands-off. The level of service here is exemplary: you can borrow a loaner iPod for your morning jog; ship your shopping haul straight to your house; and even order a picnic to eat along the Potomac.

What we think

When it was built in 1917, the original architects of this hideaway could never have imagined what it would become: an ultra luxe den of groundbreaking design, from the checkerboard floors to the purple glowing Jewel Box Bar. Every inch of the hotel is cinematic (note the eagle that appears to burst from the double height walls of Pinea, the on-site mediterranean restaurant). Rooms are a bit more buttoned up than other W locales, perhaps given the steeped-in-history address; you’ll find shimmering pearl drapes, 350-thread-count sheets and a goose down comforter atop the pillowtop mattress, and a “culturally aware media library” so chockablock with delights that it will get you to turn off C-Span.

You're here because

You want to truly experience D.C.—which means you need to sleep ensconced in history. W Washington checks that box, but is so simultaneously modern you won’t have FOMO. Oh, and did we mention there’s gratis continental breakfast and a rooftop bar (which is freshly remodeled) overlooking the Washington Monument?

The Moment

Settled into a wingback chair in the Living Room, where 20-foot cathedral windows and crystal lamps emit an aura of constant grandeur, you forgive yourself for drifting into a dream. But then you take one drink of your Siren Song cocktail, with coconut Glenlivet 12 and Allspice Dram, and realize that real life is better than reverie.

Restaurants & Bars

Cherry - Honest. Straightforward. Communal. Cherry brings its name and inspiration to life with a unique approach to cooking - honest, straightforward, and communal. Helmed by celebrated local chef William Morris, Cherry is your new open-fire kitchen destination in Washington, DC.

- Corner Office - Soak in the unmistakable views of the capital on our Pennsylvania avenue patio while you sip on specialty cocktails and try your competitive side with bocce ball.

- POV - Spectacular artisan cocktail creations and global cuisine

- Living Room - Signature cocktails and light fare

Location

As central as it gets, just blocks from Ford’s Theatre, the National Portrait Gallery, hordes of Smithsonians and the Washington Monument. Actually, the President of the United States of America is your next door neighbor. Literally across the street.