FOR IMMEDAITE RELEASE
Aug. 12, 2009

Hotel Update

Funding for the new 1,167 room, $537 million Marriott Marquis adjacent to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center has finally been approved by the District of Columbia City Council. Groundbreaking is expected in fall 2009 with an opening date in the first quarter of 2013.

The hip new W Washington D.C. (515 15th St. NW, 202-393-2290) opened to the public on July 8 to rave reviews. It replaces the historic Hotel Washington, and offers breathtaking aerial views of DC from its rooftop bar, POV. J&G Steakhouse, housed inside the hotel and led by celebrity chef Jean Georges Vongerichten, offers a worldly collection of steakhouse classics. The property features 317 guest rooms including 32 suites, Bliss Spa and more than 12,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space.

The new Dupont Hotel (1500 New Hampshire Ave., 202-483-6000) opened its doors in late March, replacing the Jurys Washington Hotel. It recently added Level 9, an entire new floor that includes guest studios and suites, as well as the Level 9 Lounge featuring a fireplace, glass balcony overlooking Dupont Circle and three meal presentations daily. The hotel’s restaurant, Café Dupont, features French-influenced dishes with fresh and locally-sourced organic produce in a dining room filled with natural light, pale woods and mosaic stone. The Dupont Hotel has 327 rooms, including seven Luxury Suites and a Presidential Suite, 8,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space and a bar featuring floor-to-ceiling windows.

As part of an ongoing, top-to-bottom $140 million restoration project, the Hilton Washington (1919 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-483-3000) recently re-opened its 10th floor Executive Level in March, which includes an all-new Executive Lounge, Executive Guestrooms, and Presidential Suite. The current restoration phase also involves ongoing guestroom renovations in isolated sections of the hotel. A second set of completed guestrooms was recently completed and the hotel is continuing to make progress on the construction of a new 30,000 square-foot multi-purpose hall on the Terrace Level.

The Jefferson Hotel (1200 16th St. NW, 202-448-2300) is on track to be completed in late August. After an extensive renovation, the hotel will feature 99 luxury guest rooms, a lounge and bar area, an upscale dining venue, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a private spa for guests. Some other unique features for guests will be electronic “do-not-disturb” and “housekeeping” systems, Nespresso espresso machines in every room, complimentary Internet access and local and long distance phone calls.

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About Destination DC: Destination DC, the lead destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization of more than 1,000 businesses committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities. Washington.org/pressroom