1. D.C. saw several big hotel openings in 2009, but by far the most hyped was the long-awaited W Washington D.C., which opened a block from the White House in August. In addition to 285 rooms and 32 suites, the District’s first W offers 12,000 square feet of function space (including a 200-seat top-floor ballroom) and a steak house from chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
2. A few blocks away, the 1923 Beaux-Arts-style Jefferson, Washington D.C. reopened in August after a two-year, top-to-bottom renovation. The 99-room hotel, which preserved original details like leaded-glass chandeliers and barrel-vaulted ceilings, offers eight intimate function spaces, including the 45-seat Pavilion Room and a 22-seat boardroom.
3. Also getting a complete makeover was the former Jury’s Hotel in Dupont Circle, which reopened in March 2009 as the sleek Dupont Hotel. The 327-room property offers 10 meeting rooms, including the 3,371-square-foot Dupont Grand Ballroom, and the 100-seat Café Dupont, where chef Nenad Stefanovic serves organic French cuisine, and three private rooms seat 10 to 30.
4. Chic stays aren’t limited to the District. Kimpton Hotels opened the $50 million Lorien Hotel & Spa in Old Town Alexandria in February 2009. The 107-room property features a spa, three eateries from noted local chef Robert Wiedmaier, and 3,500 square feet of meeting space. Additionally, some guest suites have terraces that can hold as many as 30 people.
5. Further into the Virginia suburbs, the 184-room Sheraton Herndon Dulles Airport Hotel, which opened in April, is one of that chain’s new boutique properties. The lobby features dark wood paneling, Scottish tartan accents, and a fireplace; the clubby look continues in the 65-seat Capital Connection restaurant and lounge. Nearby, four meeting rooms seat 90.
6. On the other side of the Potomac, Maryland’s Aloft Washington National Harbor opened in March 2009. The 190-room boutique property has a larger meeting space than most Aloft hotels—the 800-square-foot Great Room accommodates 52—and features the first East Coast location of California-based grill and lounge Ketchup.
