four Virtuoso hotels in Washington DC

There are nine Virtuoso hotels in Washington, DC. I have previously toured or stayed in most of them, but I had the opportunity this past weekend to make site inspections of four of these properties. A full review is posted posted on FlyerTalk, but here is an executive summary of my observations. I like to point out that these are my own, highly subjective impressions of the physical product, and you can and should feel free to disagree! I have no way to evaluate service during a site inspection.

lobby of the Ritz Carlton Washington DC

Ritz Carlton Washington, DC. The largest of the four hotels I saw, the RC Washington is a 300 room hotel in the downtown area, located at the intersection of M Street and 22nd Street near the Foggy Bottom Metro station. This property reminds me of other downtown Ritz-Carlton hotels such as Buckhead (in Atlanta) with dark wood paneling in the lobby and classic decor in the guest rooms. RC Washington is a very comfortable, upscale downtown hotel, and if its location is convenient for your reasons for being in DC, I can fully recommend the property.

Deluxe and Premier guest rooms are 450 square feet, with fully featured bathrooms (single vanity, step-in shower, soaking tub, and WC) and a work desk with ethernet and power connections. Suites are double that size, with a sofa bed in the living room and an additional powder room - very convenient for families traveling. Ritz-Carlton Washington features a Club Lounge on the 9th floor, as well as the well-equipped 100,000 square foot Sports Club LA (available to hotel guests for a fee) for travelers who need their daily exercise fix.

Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, created from an old industrial site

Ritz Carlton Georgetown, though having the same ownership as RC Washington, is an entirely different kind of hotel — a boutique property with just 86 rooms just south of M Street in the heart of Georgetown. The owners have developed an old brick industrial site into a very comfortable hotel with a residential feel. Instead of a traditional hotel "lobby," guests enjoy a Lobby Lounge that offers comfortable seating in front of a gas fireplace. You will find guests here throughout the day, doing work via WiFi or enjoying refreshments in front of the fireplace.

The hotel has a more contemporary feeling, and it will soon begin an extensive $2 million renovation of all guest rooms and suites. Schedule to begin in 2014, new rooms will begin to come online in February, 2014 with the project's completion scheduled for the end of next March. The object is to update and lighten rooms with a color scheme of tans and taupes.

Capella Georgetown, right on the C and O Canal

Capella Georgetown is another boutique hotel in Georgetown, literally around the corner from the Ritz-Carlton. With just 49 rooms, this property is aimed at a young and trendy clientele seeking upscale accommodations in D.C. The public lobby provides access to the hotel's bar and restaurant, but only registered guests can gain access to the inner lobby, called "the living room" where check-in takes place. Your experience begins two weeks prior to arrival when you will be contacted by your personal assistant. The hotel seeks to provide very personal service, and it offers a totally flexible check-in and check-out time — convenient if your schedule doesn't work with the traditional 3 p.m. check-in and 12 noon check-out of most hotels.

Rooms are spacious and the decor is contemporary, featuring a clean and simple style with hardwood floors and white walls. The rooftop has a heated indoor/outdoor pool that is open year-round and a small exercise room.

Premier Room at The Jefferson, cozy but full of historical ambience

The Jefferson is a small gem of a hotel (just 99 rooms) named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States. Designed with a sense of American history, the hotel employs Jeffersonian motifs, including a wall with framed documents signed by Jefferson, antiques, and period artwork. A completely renovated  1923 beau arts building, the hotel creates a historical ambience that — importantly — in no way feels dated.

Because it occupies a historical building, the developers were not able to change the dimensions of existing rooms, so they do feel cozy. If you're looking for spacious guest rooms and contemporary styling, you should look elsewhere. But if you are content in a beautifully decorated environment that creates a sense of history, you will enjoy your stay at the Jefferson. Give it a try!

Virtuoso hotels in Washington DC (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.