Hotel Tabard Inn

Frommer's Review

If you favor the offbeat and the personal over brand names and cookie-cutter chains, this might be the place for you. The Tabard Inn, named for the hostelry in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, is actually three Victorian town houses that were joined in 1914 and have operated as an inn ever since. Situated on a quiet street of similarly old dwellings, the Tabard is a well-worn, funky hotel that's looked after by a congenial staff who clearly cherish the place.

The heart of the ground floor is the dark-paneled lounge, with worn furniture, a wood-burning fireplace, the original beamed ceiling, and bookcases. Washingtonians like to come here for a drink, especially in winter, or to linger before or after dining in the charming Tabard Inn restaurant.

From the lounge, the inn leads you up and down stairs, along dim corridors, and through nooks and crannies to guest rooms. Do you like chartreuse? (Ask for room no. 3.) How about aubergine? (Ask for room no. 11.) Each is different, but those facing N Street are largest and brightest, and some have bay windows. Furnishings are a mix of antiques and flea-market finds. Perhaps the most eccentric room is the spacious top-floor "penthouse," which has skylights, exposed brick walls, an ample living room, and the overall feel of a New York City loft. The inn is not easily accessible to guests with disabilities. Free wireless Internet access is available in most rooms and in the public areas (the inn warns, however, that service is mostly reliable but not guaranteed). Guests have free access to a computer in the lobby.

Facilities: Restaurant (regional American) w/lounge (free live jazz Sun evenings); free access to nearby YMCA (w/extensive facilities that include indoor pool, indoor track, and racquetball/basketball courts); laundry service; fax, iron, hair dryer, and safe available at front desk.

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.

Back to Top