W Washington DC, the closest hotel to The White House, is launching a $50-million renovation scheduled for completion next year.
The project will be overseen by architecture and interior design firm Studio Gaia, which has overseen numerous W projects, alongside the W brand’s design team.
Upon completion, the historic Beaux Arts building—dating back to 1917—will get updates to its Living Room (W’s name for the lobby), all 317 guestrooms and suites and the POV rooftop bar. The new look for these spaces will mix modern design with elements that pay homage to the city’s past and present.
The entrance will have a waterfall that will celebrate the city’s memorials. From there, guests will arrive in the Living Room that will have a seemingly endless mirror, honoring the Reflecting Pool of The Lincoln Memorial. The Living Room will also have live music and DJs every night. With fresco art reminiscent of the Capitol dome and lobbyist symbols on the archways, the Living Room will also have private, partially glassed-in areas for intimate gatherings.
The hotel’s 317 guestrooms include 23 Marvelous suites, seven Wow suites, and an Extreme Wow (the brand’s take on the Presidential) Suite. When the transformation is completed, these will have glass, boutique window-style closets; modular seating for lounging that will transform into additional bedding; and new bathrooms with open-flow concept, including glassed-in showers and new vanities. All guestrooms will have custom décor with references to local history, including a minibar that mimics the angles of the Washington Monument.
Following the total renovation of the 1,176-square-foot E-Wow suite, the room will have a floor-to-ceiling graphic mural by artist Amit Greenberg; a sliding door with cryptic lettering (inspired by the Kryptos sculpture of the CIA); and mirrored ceilings that will capture the views of the National Mall and monuments below. W will replace the traditional hotel dining room table with a full-size bar for in-room entertaining. The one-bedroom, 1.5-bath suite will also adjoin with its neighboring room, providing additional bedrooms for a full entourage.
The property will also have two new restaurants by chef Barry Koslow. The ground floor restaurant will extend from the Living Room, and it will have an open-kitchen concept. There will also be a new speakeasy with an attached beer garden patio on Pennsylvania Avenue.
POV, the hotel’s rooftop bar and lounge, will similarly be renovated. Upon completion, it will have design elements inspired by the city’s Metro in a new, Brutalist-inspired design with floor-to-ceiling glass leading to the Terrace, opening the space to the city sights. The POV Lounge will also be transformed into an indoor-outdoor space, with accordion-style windows for direct access to views of the Washington Monument.
The hotel’s 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space will be reimagined including the Great Room which will have new LED ceiling lights with changeable colors, a built-in bar and custom carpeting that evokes a map of the city’s streets.
Meade Atkeson is the GM of W Washington D.C.
Photo credit: W Washington D.C.