The River Inn

Frommer's Review

The River Inn lies on a quiet residential street of old town houses, a 5-minute walk from the Kennedy Center, and a 10-minute walk from Georgetown. The inn has always been a sweet little secret, all the more so since a 2003 redesign. In the guest rooms, tall, milk-chocolate-brown leather headboards crown the beds; comfortable armchairs have soft leather footstools; the armoire is ebony; the general color scheme is coppery gold, rust, and brown; and the cool chaise longue unfolds into a sofa bed. (The architectural design team, Adamstein and Demetriou, is a married couple famous in D.C. for the many restaurant interiors the two have fashioned, from Zengo to Zaytinya.) Suites are spacious and all hold both a bed and the sleeper lounge, a large dressing room, and a separate kitchen equipped with the works, from gas stovetop to pots and pans. Free Internet access is available in every guest room. All but 31 suites combine the bedroom and living room areas, and include a 6-foot desk that doubles as work space and dining table in a corner off the kitchen. Those 31 suites are roomy one-bedrooms, with an expansive living room (with sleep sofa) and a separate bedroom that holds a king-size bed and a second TV. Best are the one-bedroom suites on the upper floors that have views of the Potomac River. You can even spy the Washington Monument from some of the rooms, like no. 804, for example.

Many corporate and government guests book long-term stays and benefit from special rates and amenities. The River Inn has a modest exercise room and a tiny (50-seat) and rather nice and moderately priced restaurant, Dish+Drinks. A complimentary Washington Post is delivered to your door daily. Check the hotel's website or call directly to the hotel for best rates. Try to call between the hours of 8am and 7pm to reach one of the hotel's personable and helpful reservations staff; only two people answer those calls, so you may have to wait, but it's worth it. (At nighttime, a remote call center books reservations.)

Facilities:
Restaurant (American); bar; small fitness center w/treadmill, stair climber, stationary bike, and other equipment; room service during restaurant hours; coin-op laundry; same-day laundry/dry cleaning; 2 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.

Back to Top