The Graham Georgetown

The evening turndown is a lovely touch: they close the drapes, leave a bottle of filtered water, and put on classical music so the room is ready for bed. I also like unwinding with a cocktail on the roof deck. The menu there is limited to small bites, but it’s enough. I work in Georgetown a couple of days a week and live more than 60 miles away, so this is my go-to when I need to stay several days in a row. The rooms seem to all be suites, with spacious bedrooms and separate sitting rooms. I always choose a King, so I can’t speak to the other options. It’s quiet, with big windows and lots of daylight, plus roomy, luxurious bathrooms. Best of all, it feels like a luxury hotel without costing $1000/Night like some nearby places. I’ve worked in Georgetown for nearly 20 years and sent colleagues and clients to many hotels in the area. I really think this is the best value in Gtown.

The rain meant the rooftop bar had to zip up, which was disappointing, but we still had a great time. The drinks were delicious and the service was excellent. Nate, the bartender, was outstanding, and his colleague was so nice too. I’d go back in a heartbeat.

The hidden fees were a lot: two credit processing fees, taxes on top of taxes, plus a destination fee and destination taxes. The rooftop bar was cute but crowded, a little overrated, and the service felt a bit cold. Maybe that’s just the culture of the town. Make reservations. I picked this beautiful hotel because it was close to Blues Alley and I was celebrating a birthday. Most of the staff were warm, and the front desk was friendly and helpful. The valet guys were great, too. I wish the front desk had told me when I made the reservation that Alex speakeasy stopped serving dinner at 1130. I’d go back.

We picked a historic luxury hotel in a nice part of DC because our family wanted a different kind of trip this year. Only later did we find out it had been bought by private equity firm The Anasazi Group a few years ago. The update they gave it was awful. Private equity has really enshittified the earth.