This latest iteration of the Watergate Hotel opened in June 2016, 9 years after its former self closed. New owners spent $200 million to transform the iconic structure into an “unapologetically luxurious” property, complete with a wellness floor (spa, fitness center, pool), a highly stylized modern decor (heavy on the metalwork, minimalist and streamlined furnishings, and lots of curvy artwork and other features suggesting the wavy shape of the Watergate building), and the absolute-best rooftop bar and lounge in the city. Come winter, the rooftop features a skating rink, bar serving boozy cocoa, and comfy seating around firepits. The hotel lies within the six-building Watergate complex of condos, shops, and offices, one of which made the name Watergate famous, when five men working for the Nixon presidential campaign were arrested on June 17, 1972, while breaking into and attempting to bug Democratic National Committee headquarters. Next door to the complex is the Kennedy Center. Cross Rock Creek Parkway to stroll the lovely waterfront, reaching the Lincoln Memorial if you walk south, and Georgetown harbor 5 minutes away in the other direction. Thompson Boat Center, almost directly across from the hotel, rents bikes and boats. Guest rooms have minibars/fridges and marble spalike bathrooms; suites feature deep soaking tubs. Some 117 of them have balconies, many with views of the Potomac River and Georgetown. Bottom line: The hotel is cleverly posh but also comfortable, the service impeccable, and its Potomac River front perch unique in the city.