When I was in eighth grade—21 years ago!—my school took us on a three-day field trip to Washington, D.C. I remember the excursion vividly: the sight of soft pallor around from the monuments at night, the chill of riverside air in Old Town Alexandria, the sensation that power is something you can feel, coursing across and around the capital’s stone bridges and civic edifices. My suspicion is that D.C. registered so acutely in my young brain because it felt reassuring, steadfast, and absolute—qualities that any early teenager might gravitate toward. It had been the one and only time I’d visited D.C. proper, and I wanted to see if it still felt the same as an adult (even with the political erosion of recent years). I picked the Rosewood for my stay, and found that even after two decades, the atmosphere remained: the city’s comforting-yet-enthralling impart was still in tact, and the hotel itself embodied it—a microcosm of D.C. magnetism, nestled canal-side in Georgetown.
Rosewood is a fantastic brand, based out of Hong Kong. No two of its properties are alike, and each typifies a certain verve of lifestyle within its destination. The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in Manhattan, for example, is about as New York-sophisticated a place as any. But while any hotel can reflect its hometown, it doesn’t necessarily mean that hotel embodies the place. Sometimes they seem like they’ve landed under the development office diktat of faraway corporate offices, their luxuries homogenized, their local considerations lukewarm. This is not the case at Rosewood Washington D.C.
It starts in the hotel’s discreet lobby, which doesn’t have so much of a front desk as a sort of front pulpit. Up a small flight of stairs, there’s a wood-paneled and windowless waiting room. It has a graphic marble-paneled and vaulted fireplace, replete with built-in book shelves, a green-velvet settee, and a stately crystal chandelier—it’s American Regency with an assured flair, and it’s instantly cozy, despite the strangeness of not having any natural light.
Ride the elevator up to the roof and natural light abounds: there are views down the Potomac River, and to the sky-piercing Washington Monument. The regional jets taking off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport bank through the scene on their ascent. Georgetown’s historic C&O Canal—currently drained for repairs—cuts a dash through the upscale neighborhood below. The impression is that you’re at the center of it all, and that there’s a tangible energy that comes with it. (To note, Rosewood is renowned for its ability to source best-in-class locations.)
The magnetism is no more apparent, though, than in the hotel’s dedicated early 1900’s-built townhouses, which total 4 (and counting), and are located just adjacent to the main Rosewood building. Conceived of by D.C.-based interiors maestro Thomas Pheasant, these multi-story, suite-category 1,000-square-foot lodgings feature artful black-and-white photography of iconic Washington landmarks, a gray-based color scheme, fully functioning kitchens, marble-clad primary bathrooms, and more. They truly feel like a home, including ingress and egress directly to the sidewalk, along with neighbors that are in permanent residence along the row. I heard a wealthy Georgetown student even took up residence in one of these townhouses during the school year—it’s hard to imagine a more satisfying, turn-key temporary residence. The added D.C.-centric visuals bring it home, literally.
The morning I checked out, I was having breakfast at CUT by Wolfgang Puck, located on the hotel’s ground floor. I’d eaten there the night before, as well, enjoying ice cold martinis and a delicious, peppery filet mignon. That morning, perhaps with a tiny bit of martini hangover, there were a handful of other diners, including an elegantly-spoken man wearing all black. It turned out to be Mr. Puck himself. We talked about his early days as a chef in Dijon, France, and when he first found out about MICHELIN’s starring system. He then spoke about his personal stance, and being committed—from age 19—to his career. It drew a bit of a parallel to what I felt, then and now, in D.C.: there’s something about the city’s assuredness and certainty that’s extremely inviting and comforting. Rosewood is a perfect place, then, to usher you in.
Eat nearby: We know any trip isn't complete without a tasty meal. That's why we took it upon ourselves to round up nearby MICHELIN Guide restaurants—don't worry, they're all within a 15 minute walk from the Rosewood—for the perfect punctuation. From traditional Ethiopian cuisine to Mediterranean with breathtaking views of the Potomac River, we've got you covered.
Literally fit for presidents, Fiola Mare boasts an impressive roster of past diners, with the Bidens and former President Barack Obama among that list. And with Executive Chef Anton Bolling pumping out delicious Italian-leaning seafood along with an Instagram-worthy view of the Potomac River, it's easy to see why.
Inspector notes: "A plump Capital oyster floats in a zabaglione of prosecco; while liquid cacio e pepe with escarole, sheep's milk cheese and toasted peppercorns is an unexpected thrill. Other crowd-favorites may include Calvisius caviar with warm tigelle Modenese and whipped ricotta, or an array of simply grilled seafood."
Tucked inside a classic Georgetown townhouse, Das invites guests with warmth from the first moment they step inside. Diners can expect traditional Ethiopian cuisine—bottomless baskets filled with injera, a spongy and sour bread that serves as both chaser and utensil, for example, and a warm and soothing interior.
Inspector notes: "For a meal that won’t disappoint, order the chicken and beef combination sampler. Then use rolls of that delicious injera to dig into mouthful after flavorful mouthful of surprisingly varied textures and degrees of heat."
Fans of Latin American cuisine should head on over to Imperfecto: The Chef's Table, where chef Enrique Limardo prepares a tasting menu crafted with precision in celebration of Latin flavors and supreme ingredients. With each meal hand-served by chef Limardo, Imperfecto lives up to its One Star status as being worth a stop.
Inspector notes: "Among the highlights are delights such as kampachi tartare in kombu dashi with charred avocado seeds; aged hiramasa with leche de tigre; and snow crab salad with osetra caviar. In lieu of dessert, the brioche with camembert and truffle honey is quite perfecto."
Hero image: Rosewood Washington, D.C.
