Riggs

Washington DC has a wealth of accommodation choices, from luxury chains to smaller independent stays. Our hotel experts have always sided with the smaller boutique hotels. Offering personalised service, unique design, and providing a genuine experience of the city. But where to start on your quest to find the best hotels in the city? This is where our Hotel Gurus step in - they have scanned the length and breadth of the capital to bring you a hand-selected collection of the best boutique hotels in Washington DC. Need a view of the White House right from your bed? Perhaps, you would rather indulge in Michelin starred dining or enjoy a unique design hotel? There is really something for everyone here, so why not browse through our collection to start planning your stay...

For the design

The Line DC

  • The George perfectly mixes the old and the new, with large works of contemporary art and design pieces dotted throughout the grand building. Well located just a short walk from the city's main attractions.
  • Riggs is a unique property: an old bank building, with all the associated grandeur and large proportions, completely overhauled with gallery-worthy contemporary style. Complete with an innovative cocktail bar and an excellent French bistro - this is an alluring choice.
  • The Line DC is a beautifully converted church offering a unique design mix of chic scandi-inspired style set against the building's original architecture. A hip hotel in the Morgan District, it is bound to impress from the stylish rooms to the superb restaurant.

For great value

Hotel Hive

  • Hotel Hive is a cool converted warehouse space. Chic design sees simple minimalist furniture set against exposed beams and brick. From spacious queens to bunk rooms there's a range of options meaning some come in at very reasonable rates.

For luxury

The Melrose

  • The Melrose is a chic luxury hotel set in the upmarket area of Georgetown. Its design hits that perfect balance of contemporary style and classic elegance. Pick this property for the superb farm-to-fork restaurant and its excellent central location.

For an eco stay

Eaton DC

  • Eaton DC is an ultra-modern hotel with an eco-conscious ethos. Designed as a social hub there's a beautiful roof terrace (where much of the produce for the restaurant is grown) and regular live music. Rooms are individually styled - a unique stay.

For the pool

Rosewood Washington

  • Rosewood Washington offers cutting edge design and captivating rooftop terrace spaces - comprising of a contemporary pool and CUT, an exclusive restaurant by Wolfgang Puck. A seriously chic stay.

For the location

The Hay Adams

  • Henley Park Hotel is a charming European inspired hotel set right in the heart of downtown Washington DC. While the design is European, the dining is all-American. Choose this hotel for easy access to numerous museums and Capitol Hill.
  • The Hay-Adams is a chic boutique boasting award-winning hospitality, luxurious rooms (with perhaps Washington DC's most comfortable beds), and the popular upscale restaurant, Lafayette. To top off its many credentials, the location is perfectly central and the views of the White House are unbeatable.

For the restaurant

Jefferson Hotel

  • The Jefferson Hotel is an elegant luxury hotel boasting a grand sweeping marble staircase, a statue of Thomas Jefferson, and traditionally designed and spacious rooms, all perfectly located in the centre of the city. However, it is the restaurant Plume, holding a Michelin Star, that is the real draw here.

Still not sure which to book?

The 10 Best Boutique Hotels in Washington DC

Jefferson Hotel, Washington DC

Washington DC (Downtown)

A Renaissance revival with a statue of Thomas Jefferson and a grand marble staircase, high ceiling rooms exude luxury with big windows. Fine dining at Plume restaurant serves seasonal dishes and an extensive wine list. Explore the city at ease from this prime spot, or relax at the in-house spa.

  • Foodies - Fine dining Plume restaurant holds 1 Michelin Star
  • Full of character
  • Great walks - To The White House or The Washington National Memoiral are both a 15 minute walk away.
  • Sights nearby - Washington DC is all walking distance.
from AU$808 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Henley Park Hotel

Washington DC (Downtown)

This European-style luxury boutique at the heart of downtown Washington DC offers spacious rooms with all the mod-cons and modern bathrooms. The Tavern serves All-American dishes, Blue Bar offers signature cocktails and sharing plates. A great spot for DC nightlife and, by day, for culture exploring

  • Sights nearby - Smithsonian Museum, Capitol Hill, the Convention Centre.
  • Full of character
  • Restaurant
  • Great walks
from AU$669 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
The Melrose Georgetown

Washington DC (Georgetown)

Chic luxury hotel, in the upmarket area of Georgetown. Sleek, sophisticated and luxurious - the decor hits the perfect balance between modern minimalism and opulence. Experience the seasonal, inventive "farm-to-fork" cuisine at Jardenea Restaurant. An elegant and contemporary base in the capital.

  • Sights nearby - The White House, Lincoln Memorial, The Smithsonian Museums, The National Museums of Natural History and many more!
  • Designer
  • Restaurant
from AU$275 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
The George, Washington DC

Washington DC (Capitol Hill)

Cutting edge downtown hotel with every modern convenience. Rooms are spacious, chic and extremely comfortable. Minutes from DC’s hottest attractions and metro lines. Explore like a local!

  • Sights nearby - Absorb some of DC's rich history at the museums and monuments of National Mall.
  • Restrictions on children - No children
  • Lively
  • Designer
from AU$343 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
The Hay-Adams

Washington DC (Downtown)

Award-winning hospitality, fabulous views of the White House. A prime location for Washington DC. Luxurious large rooms with Italian linens and modern bathrooms. The Lafayette is an upscale restaurant popular around town, or head to Off The Record for a cocktail. Prime spot for local exploring.

  • Sights nearby - Farragut Square and the Admiral David G Farragut Statue are just around the corner to the hotel.
  • Views
  • Full of character
  • Restaurant
from AU$768 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
The Line DC

Washington DC (Adams Morgan)

This neoclassical church has been expertly metamorphosed into a hip hotel in Adams Morgan district, Washington. Old and new have been meshed together to create a new ironic definition of worship, glorifying style and swagger above all else. Everything from rooms to restaurants will impress.

  • City Style - A neoclassical church expertly transformed into a hip hotel- painted pews, brass features, prayer books and vintage furnishings
  • Foodies - There are four world class restaurants as well as a cafe, and a bar- each offering something completely different
  • Sights nearby - The 18th-century Washington National Cathedral is nearby and as the second largest in the US is worth checking out
  • Local markets - This area boasts a couple of funky flea markets, as well as Idle Time Books filled with out of print treasures
from AU$619 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Riggs

Washington DC (Penn Quarter)

This is a special place. An old bank building, with all the associated grandeur and large proportions, completely overhauled with gallery-worthy contemporary style. Rooms are all individually designed; there is a superb french bistro and a bar that's sure to keep you coming back!

  • City Style - The hoteliers have done a stellar job here, blending the grandeur of the old bank building with some cool contemporary style
  • Bar - Arguably one of the most inventive cocktail lists offered in the city in this elegant bar
  • Sights nearby - Visit the iconic Washington Monument and the Memorial Mall or the U.S. Capitol
  • Designer
from AU$457 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Hotel Hive

Washington DC (Foggy Bottom)

An old converted warehouse offering a chic contemporary space with a central location. Rooms are simply styled with exposed brick whitewashed and beams left exposed. From spacious queens to bunk rooms there's a range of options meaning some come in at very reasonable rates.

  • Value chic - A chic property offering a variety of rooms from bunks to spacious queens - making this an affordable option
  • Sights nearby - Lincoln Memorial, the White House and the Kennedy Center are all about a 10 minute walk away
  • Restaurant
from AU$231 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Rosewood Washington

Washington DC (Georgetown)

An ideal destination for travellers to DC on business or for pleasure, featuring crisp and modern design, excellent dining courtesy of CUT by Wolfgang Peck, and captivating rooftop terrace spaces. The cosmopolitan and culturally rich atmosphere compliments the hotel's Georgetown location perfectly.

  • Local exploring - The Hotel is ideally located to explore the trendy and cosmopolitan NW district, as well as the city centre attractions
  • City Style - A stylish and modern hotel in a charming community with great access to DC's attractions and business centres
  • Sights nearby - A short distance from the National Mall, Lincoln Monument and Memorial and the closer Georgetown Waterfront Park
  • Restaurant - The on-site restaurant CUT by Wolfgang Puck is an exclusive and popular dining venue
from AU$477 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Eaton DC

Washington DC (Downtown)

This ultra-modern and stylish hotel is an eco and socially conscious hub and a hive of fresh, new and forward-thinking ideas and culture. Featuring chic en-suite rooms, an on-site restaurant and roof terrace. Perfect for explorers and younger travellers with attractive rates in a central location.

  • Hotel Entertainment - The hotel boasts a range of live music and performances and an on-site online and broadcast radio station
  • City Style - Conscious, hi-tech style in the heart of Downtown DC
  • Sights nearby - The White House is a short walk away, and the National Mall and its landmarks are in easy reach
  • Local markets - The FRESHFARM By the White House Farmers and craft Market is a short walk away
from AU$285 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia

Written by Katie Harris

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