More New Hotels: Luxe and Local

The District is gearing up for the 2017 Inauguration of the 45th President of the United States with a slew of new hotels and renovations worthy of — dare we say it — a presidential visit. From the newly reopened Watergate to the luxury Trump Hotel, the hospitality industry in D.C. seems to be changing by the minute.

Next to the banks of the Potomac River, the Watergate Hotel (700 New Hampshire Ave. NW) officially reopened June 14 after being closed for nearly a decade. The hotel is keeping a bit of a sense of humor and kitsch about its past, with brand-new key cards that read “No need to break in.” The cards refer to the burglary at the Watergate offices of the Democratic National Committee in 1972 and the subsequent 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon.

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s Trump International Hotel (1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW) is set to open ahead of schedule on Sept. 12. Located in the Old Post Office building, it hosts the largest ballroom among D.C. luxury hotels. It will be home to a BLT Prime steakhouse, a spa by Ivanka Trump and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The building’s tower remains open to the public under the supervision of the National Park Service.

Locally owned and operated, and named after the owners’ daughter, the Avery Hotel (2616 P St. NW) is the first luxury boutique inn in D.C. With just 15 guest rooms, the hotel has an intimate feel. Owner Justin Schneck aimed for a cozy yet sophisticated feel to the hotel, bringing an oasis to an often chaotic city life.

Also in Georgetown, the Rosewood Hotel (1050 31st St. NW), located along the C&O Canal, is unique in that while it functions as a standard hotel, it hosts a rye bar cocktail series, farmers market directly outside the hotel (formerly the Capella) and fashion pop-ups every Saturday.