Frommer's Review
In the heart of downtown, the Mayflower has been the hotel of choice for guests as varied as Kurt Russell and Wynton Marsalis. The lobby, which extends an entire block from Connecticut Avenue to 17th Street, is always bustling -- read "chaotic," especially at check-in/check-out times -- because Washingtonians tend to use it as a shortcut in their travels.
The Mayflower is steeped in history: When it opened in 1925, it was the site of Calvin Coolidge's inaugural ball (though Coolidge didn't attend -- he was mourning his son's death from blood poisoning). President-elect FDR and family lived in rooms 776 and 781 while waiting to move into the White House, and this is where he penned the words, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." A restoration in the 1980s uncovered large skylights and renewed the lobby's pink marble bas-relief frieze and spectacular promenade. Like the Willard Hotel, the Mayflower has mounted exhibits to showcase the hotel's long history; look for displays on the mezzanine level.
In 2004, the hotel completed a $10-million, top-to-bottom renovation that transformed the guest rooms into individual refuges of elegance: Silvery green bed coverings, embroidered drapes, silk wall coverings, pillow-topped mattresses, and sink-into armchairs are some of the finer touches. Certain gracious appointments remain: Each guest room still has its own marble foyer, high ceiling, combination of reproduction and contemporary furnishings, and Italian marble bathroom. The Mayflower now has a club level on the eighth floor, as well as 74 executive suites. In 2007, the hotel opened a new 24-hour fitness center, which measures 3,000 square feet and offers state-of-the-art equipment.
In the hotel's lovely Café Promenade, lawyers and lobbyists continue to gather for weekday power breakfasts, while hotel guests and local business folks break for high tea served every afternoon. The clubby, mahogany-paneled Town and Country Lounge is the setting for light buffet lunches and complimentary hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour. Bartender Sambonn Lek has quite a following, as much for his conversation and magic tricks as for his mixing skills. If you like martinis, ask for the "Sam I Am" (Absolut Citron, cranberry juice, and Amaretto, with a twist of lemon); it's one of 101 martini variations in Sam's repertoire.
Facilities:
Restaurant (Mediterranean); lobby lounge; bar; fitness center; concierge; 24-hr. business center; 24-hr. room service; same-day laundry service; dry cleaning; club level; 15 rooms for those w/limited mobility
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.
