At a Glance
This historically important and imposing hotel, next to the Treasury and a mere one block from the White House, features 332 spacious rooms, excellent dining options and top-notch service.
Indagare Loves
- The breakfast buffet at Café du Parc
- A nightcap in the legendary Round Robin Bar
- Aqua therapy treatments in the spa
Review
The Willard is so popular with visiting dignitaries that it actually has two Presidential Suites, so that if two heads of state arrive on the same night—as happened when I was there—one doesn’t feel short-changed. (How many other hotels have actual presidents staying in their presidential suites?) These visitors prize the hotel’s fabulous location right next to the Treasury, resplendent décor—Corinthian columns, lots of gilt and marble—and rich sense of history: Abraham Lincoln held his inaugural lunch in the Willard’s dining room, and Julia Ward Howe wrote the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” from her guest room there in 1861. In the 1800s, President Ulysses S. Grant liked to hang out in the hotel lobby, drawing a regular crowd of favor seekers, for whom he coined the term lobbyists.
The hotel’s 332 rooms are spacious and feature high-speed and Wi-Fi connections, iDock systems and DVD players. On-site restaurants include the casual Café du Parc, which has a fantastic breakfast buffet. If you need a pick-me-up, visit the second-floor Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa for a massage, facial or body treatment. Critics find the hotel a bit stodgy, but there is no doubt you will be well-taken-care of by the superb staff, with turn-down treats and all the indulgences you would expect of a grand hotel.
Who Should Stay
The Willard is a good bet for those who desire a formal atmosphere and sophisticated service in the heart of Downtown, and are keen on the possibility of bumping into a visiting head of state in the lobby
Written by Eliza Harris