You'll find all the usual hotel chains in Washington, DC. Everything from Hilton to Holiday Inn.
But what if you don't want a standard chain hotel, and what if you don't want to stay in the heart of DC's touristy center?
Consider a boutique hotel like The Normandy instead.
The Normandy Hotel is located near Dupont Circle and Embassy Row just off Connecticut Avenue on a quiet, leafy street. It's part of the Modus Hotels collection, which offers up boutique properties in cities like DC, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
I stayed at The Normandy for two nights during a recent trip to Washington, DC, and can definitely recommend it if you're looking for something a little more unique.
Why The Normandy?
I liked The Normandy for a variety of reasons:
The location
The Normandy is located within walking distance of a couple of cool DC neighborhoods, including Dupont Circle (which has a metro stop) and Adams Morgan. Both are diverse neighborhoods with tons of restaurants. I especially loved colorful 18th Street in Adams Morgan.
The staff
The staff at The Normandy was some of the friendliest I've come across at a hotel. They were extremely professional, yet also very kind. I was in DC during a heat wave, and I was offered a cold bottle of water every single time I came back in to the lobby.
The rooms
My room at The Normandy was really nice, with a marble bathroom and an extremely comfy bed. The best part, though, was definitely the funky wallpaper and matching drapes – I may or may not have had a Sound of Music moment playing in the drapes…
The extras
The Normandy offers guests free wifi, the option of a continental breakfast, and a nightly wine tasting/mingling hour in the lobby. The hotel also has a nice outdoor patio, a sunny garden room, and even has a few bikes that guests can use to explore more of the city (I had intended to do this, but it ended up being just too hot for cycling!).
Any downsides?
The Normandy doesn't have an on-site restaurant, but the staff is happy to recommend some favorite nearby restaurants (of which there are many).
It's also a 10-15 minute walk to the nearest Metro stop at Dupont Circle, but I wouldn't really call this a downside since the walk to the Metro is quite nice!
If you're looking for a nice boutique hotel in Washington, DC, I can definitely recommend The Normandy.
*Note: Thanks to The Normandy for hosting me during my stay. As always, opinions (and tendencies to obsess over drapes) are 100% my own.
1 am traveling with handicapped son who is spinal cord injury and I am bringing older so no with me, is this hotelection near so
2201 Wisconsin state nm, Washington dc., near the Chinese embassy
That’s more of a question for Google Maps than me! It looks like the Normandy is about a 7-minute drive from the Chinese Embassy.
I love quirky boutique hotels, but I also love hotel points and free nights…always a struggle! (Love that wallpaper!)
I don’t really do the hotel point thing (even though I know I should) – it’s so much more fun to try out random hotels when you travel! Haha.
I love the wallpaper! The hotel looks super funky and fun, which always makes the stays just that much better.
Also, I really like the photo you took of the bed through the mirror 🙂
It’s a really cool hotel. It’s also in an old building with lots of character, which I also love!
[…] To read my full review of The Normandy, check out this post. […]