Salamander DC

Steps from the National Mall, Salamander DC stands on a promontory at the confluence of the Washington Channel and the Potomac Tidal Basin. While it’s slightly less central than some of the older hotels, there’s an immediate payoff in the form of spectacular views — rooms overlook the Mall and the Washington Monument on one side, with the Basin and Jefferson Memorial on the other. During the spring cherry blossom season, the scene along the water only becomes more spectacular.

The building blends classic Federalist architecture with contemporary influences. Interiors are impressive, from the sprawling lobby, beneath a rotunda, to the expansive guest rooms, decorated in earth tones and pale greens, recalling the brick faces and oxidized copper accents of Washington’s historic buildings. Facilities, of course, are first-class; the Salamander Spa is one of the main attractions, itself as large as some hotels we’ve seen, offering every therapy yet devised in a surprisingly chic environment. All in all, a breath of fresh air for one of America’s more buttoned-up cities.