Politics fuels this power town, but even the boldest names need a little help charging up for a big day every now and again. They will soon have one more reason for checking into The Hotel George (15 E St., NW; 202/347-4200; www.hotelgeorge.com; doubles start at $159 on weekends and $359 on weekdays), command central for D.C.’s movers and shakers since it opened its glass doors in 1998.
This neo-Americana boutique hotel is a five-minute walk from the Capitol and literally across the street from Fox News. Watching harried VIPs darting in and out of the red, white and blue lobby and Bistro Bis (one of the top 10 restaurants for politicians, according to the Center for Responsive Politics) must have gotten director of operations Mark Jennings thinking. Surely the nation’s top dogs could use a dozen rounds of downward dogs to help them hit the halls of Congress at their most empowered, which is why he’s offering a free yoga class for hotel guests every Thursday at 6:30 a.m. Jennings wasn’t ready to reveal the name of the yoga instructor as of our press date, but promises he’s found the right man for getting big shots on both sides of the aisle down on the mat.
If yoga’s not your preferred form of powering up for the day, George and its Penn Quarter sibling, The Hotel Monaco (700 F St., NW; 202/628-7177; www.monaco-dc.com), offer another proven way to get going: Pet your pooch.
On checking in, Fido gets the star treatment. The Hotel George pampers pups with a luxe Presidential Treatment package: Doggie Style welcome amenities (including food, water, mat and chew toys), complimentary dog-walking, a day at the Doggie Style spa and a guide to pet-friendly parks and recreation areas in the city. Dog-sitting is available on request.
All Kimpton Hotels welcome you and your dog. Don’t have a dog? Bring your cat—or your parrot. The George and the Monaco welcome all pets. “I know we’ve had a ring-tailed lemur,” says Jennings. “And we have penguins coming. Whenever SeaWorld comes to town, they stay with us.”
After taking care of business, power down in style. Take off the rep tie and slip into the just-introduced leopard-print silky camisoles and shorts ($30 each), in every closet at both hotels, along with the new, cozy black-and-white animal-striped socks ($15). Go wild.
—Kim Caviness
