Watergate Hotel

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The 2016 unveiling of this iconic hotel's redesign had DC's smart set all aflutter, and the general consensus seems to be that Ron Arad's sleek interior treats Luigi Moretti's 1965 design with the respect it deserves. Public areas have plenty of pizzazz (the Next Whisky Bar in the lobby is a knockout) and the spacious rooms successfully meld comfort and style.

Additional services and features include a spa with gym and indoor saltwater swimming pool, plus a rooftop bar and lounge offering glorious river views and a small ice-rink in winter.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • ALEXANDRIA,VA - JUNE 28: George Washington Mount Vernon on June 28, 2014 in Alexandria, VA USA. George Washington Mansion is visited by thousands of people every year.; Shutterstock ID 202385026; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Mount Vernon

    13.29 MILES

    One of America's most visited historic sites, Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington.

  • National Air and Space Museum

    National Air and Space Museum

    2.09 MILES

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  • National Gallery of Art on the National Mall during spring in Washington D.C.

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    2.01 MILES

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  • 500px Photo ID: 100166741 - Pre-dawn at the Lincoln Memorial. "In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever."

    Lincoln Memorial

    0.75 MILES

    Anchoring the National Mall's west end is the hallowed shrine to Abraham Lincoln, who gazes across the Reflecting Pool beneath his neoclassical, Doric…

  • The Capitol, Washington, DC

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    2.6 MILES

    Since 1800, this is where the legislative branch of American government (ie Congress) has met to write the country's laws.

  • White House

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    1.04 MILES

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  • arlington national cemetery

    Arlington National Cemetery

    1.14 MILES

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Nearby attractions

1. Watergate Complex

0.06 MILES

Designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti and DC-based landscape architect Boris Timchenko and constructed between 1963 and 1971, this five-building…

2. St Mary’s Episcopal Church

0.3 MILES

Built in 1887, St Mary’s was home to the first black Episcopal congregation in DC, which was established in 1867. James Renwick, designer of the…

3. Georgetown Waterfront Park

0.38 MILES

This park is a favorite with couples on first dates, families on an evening stroll and power players showing off their yachts. Benches dot the way, where…

4. Theodore Roosevelt Island

0.39 MILES

This 91-acre wooded island in the Potomac is a wilderness preserve honoring the conservation-minded 26th US president. A large memorial plaza and statue…

5. George Washington University

0.4 MILES

Known as ‘G-dub’ or ‘GW,’ this university has been a bedrock of Washington identity since its founding in 1821. Besides shaping much of the American…

6. Old Stone House

0.48 MILES

Built in 1766 in what was then the British colony of Maryland, the capital's oldest surviving building has been a tavern, a brothel and a boardinghouse …

7. Textile Museum

0.51 MILES

This gem is the country’s only textile museum. Galleries spread over two floors hold exquisite fabrics and carpets. Exhibits revolve around a theme – say…

8. State Department

0.52 MILES

The headquarters of the American diplomatic corps is a forbidding, well-guarded edifice – modernist, monolithic and unfriendly. In stark contrast are the…