The iconic Willard InterContinental Washington D.C. impresses year-round, but is especially beautiful in spring when cherry blossoms bloom and the nation’s capital is at its most alluring. The AAA Four Diamond luxury hotel and Historic Hotels of America affiliate dates back more than two centuries to its 1818 debut. In fact, the hotel’s History Gallery displays a rare collection of photographs of people and events during its more than two century presence.

Located just a short stroll from the White House, the Washington landmark hotel has welcomed every U.S. President since Franklin Pierce in 1853, and has hosted guests from Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King Jr., who worked on his “I Have a Dream” speech here. When Ulysses S. Grant was president, his wife would not allow him to smoke cigars in the White House, so he went to The Willard to savor them. So many activists approached him to plead their cases while he was seated under the lobby’s ornate ceiling amidst palm trees and tall Greek columns, he referred to them as “lobbyists.”

Up a few steps from the lobby, in Peacock Alley, daily high tea is served to live harp music. Small tables line the long gallery and each table is graciously set with high three-tiered, gold-rimmed tea towers laden with savory finger sandwiches, scones and pastries; on some tables, Champagne and caviar add to the pleasure.

© Willard InterContinental Washington D.C.

The most popular attraction at the hotel is historic Round Robin Bar, with its oak-paneled walls centered by a circular bar in the front corner of the building, which made its debut in 1847 and has been dubbed the “Oval Office of bars.” My friends and I ordered the signature Mint Julep, the cocktail forever linked to the mixologists who work and the politicians who gather. It was such a warm and inviting ambiance we canceled our dinner reservations and ordered a second specialty drink along with crab cakes and charcuterie. We also breakfasted at Café du Parc, where I enjoyed French brasserie fare.

My friend’s daughter booked a suite for us, and we were accommodated in one of the 13 suites with a full living room and kitchenette; ours also had a foyer, bedroom and two bathrooms. Updated traditional décor predominates in the 335 elegantly appointed accommodations, including 69 spacious suites and 14 distinctive signature suites. They all include Nespresso coffeemakers, minibars, iPod stereos and bathrobes.

In addition to a gift shop, jewelry store, and well-equipped fitness center with a sauna and steam room, The Willard Spa offers a menu with an array of beauty and body services within four treatment rooms. There’s also a business center with computer stations and printers, plus ample meeting, event and ballroom space.

© Willard InterContinental Washington D.C.

Each springtime, during the city-wide National Cherry Blossom Festival, dazzling floats, marching bands and performers enhance the city’s splendor. Seasonal décor in The Willard Lobby and Peacock Alley highlights pink cherry blossoms in bloom, cherry blossom-curated cocktails, food and programming, which sometimes relates to 1860, when the hotel hosted the first-ever Japanese delegation. Those occasions showcase its storied history with Japan, which originally — and recently — gifted cherry trees to the city.

InterContinental the Willard Washington D.C. by IHG

1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20004
tel 202 628 9100