Fresh off a $13 million renovation in 2016, Four Seasons is one of D.C.’s finest hotels. Guests are welcomed into a contemporary hotel with an astounding art collection (more than 1,500 pieces to rival even the nearby National Portrait Gallery) and warm, but modern, lobby filled with fresh flowers. The Four Seasons may not sit squarely in the center of the political gristmill—it’s in Georgetown, about a 10-minute drive from that big white mansion—but it has plenty of perks to compensate.
Nice. What’s the crowd like?
While the Georgetown location is a bit further afield than some, the Four Seasons still draws a good mix of D.C. VIPs and luxury-seeking leisure travelers.
The good stuff: Tell us about the rooms.
Rooms are large, starting at a whopping 385 square feet, and as plush as you’d expect from a Four Seasons. Still, there are plenty of modern amenities and nice perks, such as Ferragamo toiletries. The Presidential Suite in the West Wing, with views of the Ohio Canal and garden courtyard, is all but guaranteed to make you feel like a visiting head of state.
Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.
I’ll start with its Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed spaces—the decorator’s deft hand has left its imprint on everything from the stately guest rooms in the East Wing to the grand lobby and library. Fitness buffs should consider it a destination. The three-story fitness center, equipped with a saltwater lap pool, is a huge draw.
Bottom line: worth it, and why?Is it a revelatory experience? Nah. But it’s classic Four Seasons elegance.
As volatile as the political climate can seem these days, the seat of our government is rooted in history and tradition, a fact that is mirrored by our readers’ consistent choices in where to stay. When it comes to the top hotels in Washington, D.C., renowned luxury brands like the Four Seasons, St. Regis, Mandarin Oriental, and Ritz-Carlton perennially make the World’s Best list, as do boutique, independent properties that have been welcoming political power brokers for decades.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.
