Lore Group opens hotel in former D.C. bank

International hospitality company Lore Group opened its first self-operated U.S. hotel, the 181-room Riggs Washington DC, this week. Located in the capital’s Penn Quarter neighborhood, the historic building once was home to Riggs National Bank.

“Lore Group continues to explore ways to deliver inspired and approachable hospitality concepts to interesting places around the world,” Billy Skelli-Cohen, CEO of Lore Group, said in a statement “With Riggs Washington DC, we have created a hotel and [food-and-beverage] concepts that celebrate both the legacy of the building—and the history of the city—through unexpected details and a thoughtful approach to guest experience.”

The hotel houses two F&B offerings: the ground-floor restaurant Café Riggs and lower-level cocktail bar Silver Lyan. It also offers several meeting and event spaces. The largest of these spaces, the 2,500-square-foot Rooftop at Riggs, can accommodate 120 seated and up to 230 for a reception. The hotel also offers an 1,800-square-foot fitness center.

Located in downtown Washington, D.C., directly opposite the National Portrait Gallery, the hotel is within walking distance of many of the city’s attractions, including the White House, the National Mall and Capitol One Arena.