Frommer's Review
A stone's throw from the White House and the Smithsonian museums, the Willard is in the heart of downtown, near plenty of excellent restaurants, 1 block from the National Theatre, and down the avenue from the Capitol. It's definitely the finest hotel in this neighborhood, among the best in the city, and also, naturally, one of the most expensive. Heads of state favor the Willard (the hotel offers one floor as "Secret Service cleared"), as do visitors from other countries and movie directors (who like to shoot scenes in the famously ornate lobby and restaurant).
The guest rooms present a handsome decor, heavy on reproduction Federal- and Edwardian-style furnishings. The rooms with the best views are the oval suites overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol and the rooms fronting Pennsylvania Avenue. Rooms facing the courtyard are the quietest. Best of all is the "Jenny Lind" suite, perched in the curve of the 12th floor's southeast corner; its round bull's-eye window captures glimpses of the Washington Monument.
The illustrious Willard Hotel's history is full of big moments. View the hotel's exhibit of photos and memorabilia in a wing off of Peacock Alley (the elegant corridor that leads back from the lobby), and you'll learn that the hotel has hosted nearly every U.S. president since Franklin Pierce in 1853; at least two presidents have lived here for a while -- Lincoln in 1861 because of assassination threats and Calvin Coolidge in 1923 while waiting for Warren Harding's widow to pack up and move out after her husband died in office. President Ulysses S. Grant used to leave the Oval Office to unwind with cigar and brandy in the Willard lobby, where politicians and businessmen gathered around him beseeching his attention -- Grant called them "lobbyists," a word that had long been around but infrequently used, and the label became a part of the capital's vernacular.
The Willard's designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1974 and magnificent restoration in the 1980s helped revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue and this part of town. Stop in at the Round Robin Bar for a mint julep (introduced here), and listen to barman Jim Hewes spin tales about all the people who have stopped or stayed here, from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to Bill Clinton.
In late 2005, the Willard opened its state-of-the-art, 5,000-square-foot "I Spa," offering men's and women's steam and sauna rooms, cardio and weight-training equipment, and massage, facial, and body treatments. A small outdoor cafe operates seasonally, on the hotel's terrace fronting Pennsylvania Avenue. The charming Café du Parc opened in the hotel courtyard in April 2007, providing a more casual complement to the hotel's main dining room, the grand Willard Room.
Always inquire about off-season and weekend packages, when rates are sometimes halved and come with one of several complimentary options, sometimes an upgrade to a suite, valet parking, or a second room at half price.
Facilities: Restaurant (modern French-American); cafe; seasonal terrace, bar; new, thoroughly equipped fitness center and health spa; children's programs; concierge; business center; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; same-day laundry service/dry cleaning; currency exchange; airline/train ticketing.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
