World's Best

Travel + Leisure Readers' 10 Favorite Hotels in Washington, D.C. of 2023

Historic properties made their way to the top of reader-voted hotels in our annual "World’s Best Awards" survey for 2023.

By

Elizabeth Cantrell

Published on July 11, 2023

The District of Columbia is known for its plethora of museums (many of them free), landmark buildings, and seasonal cherry blossoms. Lately, the new waterfront shopping and dining complex, The Wharf, has given travelers a fresh reason to visit. Regardless of what they plan to do in the nation’s capital, Travel + Leisure readers have just as many choices for where to stay, from historic grande dame hotels to stylish newcomers.

How Voting Works

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

Rooms/facilities
Location
Service
Food
Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

The living room of the Riggs Suite at Riggs Washington D.C. — Courtesy of Riggs Washington D.C.

What Readers Loved

When it came to the best hotels in Washington, D.C., veteran luxury brands like Rosewood and Waldorf Astoria made the cut, and as did smaller independent properties that often (discreetly) welcome politicians and diplomats. One of these boutique winners is The Hay-Adams (No. 3), a nearly 100-year-old icon that sits across from what’s arguably the world’s most famous address — 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Jefferson (No. 2) has an equally prime location near Dupont Circle and the National Mall. T+L readers praised its attention to detail: “They thought of everything, down to having velvet stools for ladies’ pocketbooks,” said one WBA voter. But that level of precision doesn’t stray into fussiness, according to another reader who said the hotel “feels like home — cozy and comfortable, but all dressed up!”

A hallmark of the Conrad Washington D.C. (No. 7) was exceptional service. “The staff extend themselves above and beyond every time,” wrote one reader.

For the second year in a row, relative newcomer Riggs Washington D.C. was T+L readers' pick for the best hotel in Washington, D.C. Read on to find out why it earned the top spot — and to see the rest of the list.

The Winner

Riggs Washington D.C.

This property — which opened in 2021 in a former bank building dating to 1891 — is located in the city’s energetic Penn Quarter, steps from the National Portrait Gallery. Of the 181 rooms, four special suites — with soaking tubs and, in one, a baby grand piano — pay homage to four First Ladies (Louisa Adams, Caroline Harrison, Ida McKinley, and Angelica Van Buren). All rooms feature elegant touches, such as Italian Carrara marble bathrooms and bold, jewel-toned fabrics. The design makes it, according to one reader, “the chicest, most beautiful hotel in D.C, something Washington has long needed.” The hotel’s beverage program is also earning raves, with the bar Silver Lyan, by celebrity mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana, being called the “best cocktail experience I’ve had in years” by one visitor.