"Peel off of Massachusetts Avenue, one of downtown's main thoroughfares, and enter Kimpton Banneker's gallery-like space. The walls are covered with art from makers whose pieces are found in Smithsonian museums and the Library of Congress. Artist D.C.-based Nigerian-American artist Victor Ekpuk's lobby mural is inspired by the hotel's namesake Benjamin Banneker, the Black astronomer, mathematician and scholar who helped with the original survey of the District. The lobby furniture itself is set up like a 2020s version of Don Draper's office, and because this was once a residential building, rooms here feel more roomy than many other hotel options in the city. Minimalist, mid-century mod decor adds to that impression, with colorful art on the walls and furniture that feels like it could be in a West Elm ad. Each room features a chunky, green marble-topped credenza that can serve as a handy workstation in case you need to WFH. Book a premium room to get a little sitting area too, and the rooms at the back of the building are a bit quieter away from the street noise." - Adele Chapin, Laura Ratliff
