Experiencing Luxury Digs In Washington D.C.

I had the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital for two nights, and with my overall loyalty to Hilton Hotels, I reached out to the team at the Conrad hotel. They graciously welcomed me for a two-night stay, and it was an excellent experience.

The Conrad is a unique hotel within the Hilton portfolio as it is the only luxury property in Washington D.C. Opened in 2019, it was only in service for a few months prior to the pandemic, so the hotel is essentially brand new. And it absolutely had that feeling of ‘new-ness’ to it.

With decorative art, large conference rooms, high-vaulted ceilings and a squeaky-clean appearance, the Swiss-inspired architecture takes you from the hustle and bustle of D.C. to a calm, aesthetically pleasing getaway.

The Pre-Experience

The pandemic has been excruciating for our nation’s capital. A city known for its excellent food scene, along with a tumultuous political year that was 2020, it’s been a hard road for many. In fact, some hotels in DC are still completely shut down for business. And The Conrad suffered equally, having shut down for several months once the initial lockdowns began.

But as normalcy has returned, the hotel is now serving customers at its full capacity. And it does so in stunning fashion.

Check-In

The check-in process was seamless, yet a bit different than normal. When you walk through the front entrance, you are greeted by what is normally the concierge desk. However, this has been converted into the check-in desk during the pandemic. Normally, you would travel up to the third floor to check-in, and then travel up the second set of elevators to your room.

This made for a somewhat confusing experience at first having two sets of elevators, but I was informed this is a common trend of east coast hotels.

But nonetheless, the aesthetic was unbelievable. The marble floors, counters and walls made for a sleek and luxurious appearance from the moment you walked in.

Premier Corner King Room

The Premier Corner King Room was an interesting experience, to say the least. Once you open the door, you are greeted with nearly a ‘half-entrance’, with part of the closet protruding into the initial view.

It was a bit of an awkward entrance, but with this being a corner room, it is to be expected.

Once you take a few steps into the room, the experience begins to open up. Directly to your left is a large dining table/desk equipped with plug outlets and a modern lamp.

Directly to the right of this is the majority of the 459 square foot room, starting with the King bed.

The king bed was extremely comfortable. And the touchpad located next to the bed controlled the lighting, curtains, drapes and other features throughout the room.

The Hotel

Located right in the heart of Downtown Washington D.C., you couldn’t ask for a better location to see and experience everything.

It is a quick 15-minute walk away or less away from the White House, Smithsonian Museum, Washington Monument, outstanding shopping options and access to public transportation. To give an idea of the local shopping options, on the first floor of the hotel is an integrated Tiffany and Co jewelry store. Much out of my price range, but it adds to the luxury experience that The Conrad offers.

The hotel has several conference rooms on the third floor, and the ability to host large events such as weddings. The rooms felt brand new since they have gone largely unused due to the pandemic. And the building design throughout the building with floor-to-ceiling windows gives it a feeling where you are embracing the city at all times.

Dining

Summit Rooftop Bar

On my second night at the hotel, the staff was kind enough to invite me and a friend up to the rooftop bar, Summit. It had just reopened, and it was an excellent experience.

All of the food was small bites/family-style but done incredibly well. We nibbled on wrapped jalapenos, house pork, hummus and dessert. All of the food was excellent and paired with mixed drinks and wine, it made for an excellent meal.

Blue Willow Room

As part of having Diamond status with Hilton, I was granted $50 in hotel credit to use at any of the restaurants or bars on site. I decided to use my credit at the Blue Willow room for breakfast each morning and was absolutely delighted with the food and experience.

Final Thoughts

D.C. is just starting to emerge into some level of normalcy prior to the pandemic, and staying at the Conrad very much gave the sense of comfort and luxury of normal times. With an abundance of attractions within walking distance or a quick Uber away, this hotel puts right in the middle of everything needed to experience our nation’s capital to its fullest potential.

Editor’s note: Hotel accommodations were provided at a discount in exchange for an honest review.