InterContinental the Willard Washington D.C. by IHG
Hotel · Downtown
1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
Highlights
Historic landmark offering luxe spa, acclaimed bar & dining.
Historic landmark offering luxe spa, acclaimed bar & dining.
"A prominent Washington, D.C. hotel where a Saturday night preview party for the new private club was held during White House Correspondents’ weekend, at which several members of the Trump administration mixed and mingled with deep‑pocketed CEOs, tech executives, and policy professionals." - Tierney Plumb
"With origins before the Civil War and a storied Beaux‑Arts rebuilt structure from 1901, this historic hotel is known for its long political legacy (legends include the coining of the term “lobbyist”) and ceremonial grandeur. Today it offers classic, family- and pet-friendly guest rooms, a French brasserie, a beloved afternoon tea service, and a Kids’ Concierge program that lets young guests earn ‘Duck Bucks’ redeemable at on-site dining." - Laura Dannen Redman, Nicholas DeRenzo
"Prolific restaurateur Stephen Starr unveiled a modern take on the storied 14,000-square-foot restaurant that originally opened in 1906 and has served D.C.’s elite in many iterations over the past 119 years; Starr says he wanted to recreate the intrigue that swirls around the historical venue two blocks from the White House, where “Washington’s cultural worlds could come together.” The restaurant famously hosted a Russian official and ABC News correspondent in 1962 for a lunch that reportedly ended the Cuban Missile Crisis — an event commemorated on the menu by the Pork Chop That Saved the World. The political climate shifted during Starr’s roughly 18-month renovation, and he has been embroiled in a unionization push at other Starr restaurants (Pastis, St. Anselm in Union Market, and Le Diplomate on 14th Street); there have been protests alleging workplace violations and picketers outside the opening. Starr maintains in statements that “Unite Here Local 25 has unlawfully targeted” his restaurants and has been “harassing our workers and filing frivolous and untrue claims.” St. Anselm voted to unionize by a thin margin on February 21, while a majority of Pastis workers voted against unionizing on February 28. The cooking is self-consciously old-school with modern adaptations: grapefruit salad; pigs in a blanket; ham steak topped with seared pineapple ($31); lamb chops with mint jelly ($56); Chilean sea bass ($62) cooked in a miso marinade; Chinese chicken salad ($20) pairing mango with crispy wontons and peanut dressing; a giant hash brown ($18) described as a side that could feed a family of four — creamy cubed potatoes on the bottom and grated crispy slices on top — and plenty of opulent touches from caviar and extensive cuts of steak to a pheasant topped with seared foie gras ($68) inspired by New Orleans’ Antoine’s Restaurant. The cocktail program ($21–$25) showcases six martini iterations (including a dirty vodka martini with manzanilla brine named after the restaurant), martinis poured in icy glasses tableside with a mini shaker, and classics such as a Manhattan, Pimm’s Cup, and gin Rickey; more adventurous mixes include a kumquat-and-tequila concoction and a lemon, sage, and blackberry–infused vodka creation. The extensive wine list pulls from the West Coast, Europe, Lebanon, and Armenia. Completely updated from the photo-covered walls of the old incarnation, interiors by Virginia-native Ken Fulk (known for New York’s Noda and Carbone Miami) combine nostalgic and modern elements: large brass doors; a first-floor dining room in dark green-toned velvet with oil-painted portraits of past U.S. presidents peering into dark booths; an upstairs dining room with Tiffany-blue booths and red velvet chairs offering unobstructed views of tourists, politicos, and national TV anchors; a dazzling mural of naked musicians and partygoers donning wigs and blindfolds; an art-deco downstairs bar in glass and marble; and a secluded upstairs cocktail bar for lingering after dinner. Whether this Starr-backed nostalgic take on power dining will endure in today’s D.C. remains to be seen; Starr is already considering bringing the Washington original to New York City in the future. Blocks from the White House, the historic restaurant markets itself as an ideal location for D.C. dining, with a beautiful patio and dining room." - Emily Venezky
"Taking afternoon tea in the Willard Hotel’s Peacock Alley is a D.C. tradition that dates back to the 1920s. Surrounded in elegant sounds of a harp, tea time in the renovated alley dressed in blue includes estate and boutique loose-leaf teas by the J’enwey Tea Company, savory finger sandwiches, decadent pastries, and Willard’s famous freshly baked vanilla scones and tarts from in-house French pastry chef Sabri Uzun. Tea with a glass of champagne is $105 per adult (or $90 without) or $65 for kids 12 and under. Available Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Make a reservation. A tea-to-go program on weekends ($65) pairs well with its instrumental Spotify playlist." - Tierney Plumb, Emily Venezky
"An opulent, 18-foot Christmas tree commands attention in the Willard’s soaring lobby, and the one standing right outside in the cold is four feet higher. Approximately 8,000 ornaments were put up throughout the hotel this year, both inside and out. A new gingerbread display for 2024, a stunning tribute to the historic landmarks of the nearby National Mall, was made in part by hospitality, tourism, and design students from Frederick Community College. Snap a selfie before retiring to the Willard’s famed Round Robin Bar." - Tierney Plumb
