The Capitol Hill Hotel, formerly Capitol
Hill Suites, located at 201 C Street, SE,
has recently renovated its look from a residential
style to a more contemporary one.
Slava Lutikova, director of sales and marketing
at the hotel, explained the renovations.
“We were purchased by Hersha Hospitality
last April.,” she said. “They made a decision that
the hotel needs a little bit of repositioning and
with that came renovation of all public spaces.”
But, she is quick to add, “It wasn’t because we
needed renovation, it’s because we really wanted
to create a whole new atmosphere for our guests.”
The 3.5-million-dollar renovation includes
three new meeting areas with built-in AV equipment
and teleconferencing/videoconferencing
accessibility, a rare commodity in hotels. The
newly updated front lobby and breakfast area encompass
guests in an atmosphere of relaxation.
There is also a new public lounge, connected to
the lobby, which adds an additional 650 square
feet of space for guests. The lounge (pictured
above) is complete with its own “congressional
library,” an area where guests can read one of
many books from the library or enjoy the morning
paper. It can also be rented out for business
meetings and social events.
The new look, which local artists helped create,
includes modern pieces and new twists on
classic pieces of history. The Cherry Blossominspired
carpet and wallpaper combined with
the different art pieces inspired by the nation’s
historic past come together beautifully to create a
contemporary style that remains connected to the
rich history of the nation.
“All of the elements of the design tell a story
of the history of the hotel and of the neighborhood,
while transitioning us to a more contemporary
look. We are changing our name because
we are changing the look of the hotel so much, so
drastically. Our new name reflects our new identity
better,” Lutikova said.
The Capitol Hill Hotel is now renovating
each guest room to match the contemporary style
throughout the rest of the hotel. This final phase
is expected to be complete in early 2013.
These renovations don’t mean a change in
clientele or service. “Our guests can still expect
the same quality service as before. Just because
we are a little bit different or have a new style
doesn’t mean we are moving away from any type
of customer. We position ourselves as a very inclusive
hotel as far as our audience goes. Businessmen
and families alike can enjoy our services,”
Lutikova says. ?
