Guide to Washington DC
Alumni who are coming from out of town to attend the Gala will find the following information useful when planning their trip. Included are recommendations for Hotels and Accommodations, Restaurants, Sightseeing, and Nightlife, as well as After-Gala Party details and where to ask questions.
Members of the Fletcher Alumni Association of Washington DC are encouraged to add their suggestions and comments in the 75th Anniversary Gala Forum. Special thanks to Uzma Wahhab, F99, for her assistance in compiling this information.
Fletcher Room Blocks at Westin City Center and Capitol Hill Suites
For your convenience, blocks of rooms have been reserved for Saturday, 11 October 2008 at the following hotels. Mention you would like to book as part of The Fletcher School’s 75th Anniversary Gala room block.
Note: This is a busy weekend in Washington. Please make arrangements early to ensure hotel availability.
Room blocks and rates cannot be guaranteed after September 19th.
The Westin City Center
Room rate: $218 per night (plus tax)
Reservations by phone: +1.800.937.8461
Online Reservations
Shuttle service will be available to and from the Library of Congress.
The Capitol Hill Suites
Room rate: $189 per night (plus tax)
Reservations by phone: +1.202.543.6000
Reservations by E-mail: Victoria at reservations@capitolhillsuites.com
Website
The hotel is within walking distance of the Library of Congress.
DC Alumni Hotel Recommendations
Please feel free to reply to this post with your recommendations.
Very similar to a small European hotel, the quiet Tabard Inn boasts a great restaurant and bar with some of the best Pim’s cups ever. There are options for rooms with shared bath or private bath. The price range is as follows:
Rooms with private bath are $158 to $218.
Rooms with shared bath are $113 to $143.
It is in a great neighborhood, DuPont Circle, and located on a quiet tree-lined street just five blocks from the White House. Vibrant, yet unassuming, the Tabard is comprised of 40 sleeping rooms, each unique in character and design.
Kimpton Hotels have a number of boutique hotels around the DC area with a range of prices. Generally, rooms start at around $160 per night and can go to over $300.
Of the Kimpton Hotels, Hotel George is closest to the Library of Congress and has a wonderful restaurant and wine bar in the hotel, Bistro Bis. Hotel Monaco would be the next closest of the Kimpton hotels and has a wonderful restaurant, Poste Brasserie. In a great neighborhood, it is also walking distance to a number of restaurants, across the street from the National Portrait Gallery, next door to the Spy Museum, and walking distance to the Newseum, the Building Museum and many of the Smithsonian galleries.
Intercontinental Hotel Chain
The Intercontinental manages a number of properties whose prices can range and whose amenities in each neighborhood vary. There is a Holiday Inn on Capitol Hill close to the Library of Congress, but the surrounding neighborhood does not offer much. The Willard Washington DC is a classic DC hotel that is worth a visit.
DC Alumni Bed and Breakfast Recommendations
There are several worthwhile bed and breakfasts around the DC area. Because some locations are not centrally located or near a metro stop, bed and breakfasts are recommended for guests who are driving or renting a car. Please feel free to reply to this post with your recommendations.
Bed and breakfasts are great places to stay and are priced much more reasonably than hotels. The Bloomingdale Inn received high marks from friends visiting the area, but while it’s centrally located, there is not much within walking distance of the house. Conversely, the Aaron Shipman House is in a great neighborhood with lots to do within walking distance.
DC Alumni Restaurant Recommendations
DC is often criticized for the lack of creativity and quality in the food. It is easy to pay a lot for a mediocre meal in DC, but below are some area standouts. Please feel free to reply to this post with your recommendations.
Oceanaire Seafood Room (Metro Center)– Outstanding seafood, classy setting, you can’t go wrong, but you’ll pay for the assurance of quality!
Lebanese Taverna – The original is located in Woodley Park. It is excellent for everyone and has great vegetarian options as well. There are now several other branches open around town, including Bethesda.
Zaytinya (MCI/Gallery Place) – Similar to Lebanese Taverna but with a younger, hipper atmosphere. Definitely worth checking out the scene and drink specials, especially if you are staying in Penn Quarter.
Nando’s Peri Peri (MCI/Gallery Place) – For anyone who has been to South Africa, this needs no explanation. Nando’s is a chicken joint, plain and simple, but it is some of the best chicken around and the US chain serves wine and beer as well.
Proof (MCI/Gallery Place) – Wine bar and much, much more! Expensive, but worth it, Proofis a place that should have pretentious servers and sommeliers, but they are unbelievably down to earth and will help you enjoy the experience, even if you are not trying to break the bank. And the best part is they have a great late night menu of smaller, delicious and reasonably priced bites after 11:00 pm.
Dr. Granville Moore’s Gastropub (Atlas) - This Belgian gastropub serves some of the best beers in town. If you’re not from DC, drive or take a cab because while it is possible to walk from Union Station, the walk may not inspire confidence, unless you already know the area. In the same neighborhood are a number of bars – Palace of Wonders, the Red and the Black and Rock and Roll Hotel, to name a few. If you’re up for a Sunday night out on a pub crawl, this is a great place to start.
More notable places
Chix (U street) - Organic rotisserie Chicken
Pollo Sabroso (Columbia Heights) - Delicious rotisserie chicken and cheap!
Café Nema (U Street) -Very, very reasonably priced Somali food
Belga Café (8th Street/Capitol Hill) – Excellent food, beer and brunch
Bistro Bis (Capitol Hill) - French bistro
Poste Brasserie (MCI/Gallery Place) – Great grilled duck Rueben!
Matchbox Pizza (MCI/Gallery Place) - Wood-fired pizzas
Indique (Cleveland Park and Friendship Heights) - Upscale Indian food
Las Placitas (Capitol Hill – 2 locations, Pennsylvania Avenue SE and Barracks Row/8th Street SE) - Salvadorian/Mexican food
Cafe St. Ex (14th and T) - Great place to have a beer and good food, especially the burgers
Marvin (14th and U) - Great music, beer and Belgian food with a few soul food items as well
Café Crème (U street) - Excellent for brunch and a good dinner that won’t break the bank.
For those who are staying out of town or in Northern Virginia, Korean BBQ at Sorak Garden is recommended, as is Vietnamese at Four Sisters in Eden Center in Falls Church.
Washingtonian.com is a great resource for restaurants, as well as other information and goings on.
DC Alumni Recommended Sightseeing
Washington DC offers a wide range of museums, cultural institutions, historical sites and activities. Below are some suggestions from members of the Fletcher Alumni Association of Washington DC. Please feel free to reply to this post with your recommendations.
The Smithsonian Institute is the world’s largest museum complex, with most museums located on or near the National Mall. All the galleries are free.
The Phillips Collection is a gorgeous museum and gallery space whose permanent collection is definitely worth seeing. On weekends, visitors are charged an entry fee.
For general information about goings on about town, please feel free to check out the Washington City Paper.
Baltimore Suggestions
For anyone who may be staying in Baltimore, or interested in visiting Baltimore, below are some ideas of things to see and do. Please feel free to reply to this post with your recommendations.
The Baltimore Museum of Fine Arts is first rate and has one of the best Matisse collections in the world. Their Museum restaurant is delicious and there are many other wonderful places to eat in Baltimore, all for prices less than what you’ll see in DC.
The Walters Museum, located in the Mount Vernon Cultural District, has wonderful exhibits throughout the year and is also worth the trip if you’re in the neighborhood.
DC Alumni Recommended Nightlife
Washington DC does not suffer from lack of good bars and neighborhoods. Below are just a few suggestions for drinks, dancing and late night snacking. Please feel free to reply to this post with your recommendations.
The area around Pennsylvania Ave SE and Barracks Row (8th street SE, south of Pennsylvania Avenue) is home to a number of traditional pubs open all day and into the evening for sports on the television and/or some good political talk. It's difficult to name them all, but WashingtonDC.com and BarracksRow.org have comprehensive listings and more information on the area.
Other local standouts:
Cafe St. Ex (Logan Circle)
Bar Pilar (Logan Circle)
Local 16 (U Street)
Marvin (U Street)
Chi-Cha Lounge (U Street)
Vinoteca (U Street)
Tabard Inn (DuPont Circle)
Topaz Lounge (DuPont Circle)
Town & Country in the Mayflower Hotel (Farragut North)
18th Street Lounge (DuPont Circle)
Dragonfly (DuPont Circle)
Adam's Morgan is well-known for its many bars and restaurants. Among the local favorites:
Madam's Organ and Bossa are great for live music
The Black Squirrel boasts an extensive beer selection
Napolean Bistro & Lounge is known for its lounge scene and great crepes
Meze and Soussi are worth a trip for their water pipes, among other things
As for late night snacks, there really is only one place in DC to check out the late night crowd – Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street. It’s open until about 4:00 am, so post-gala and post-post-gala, it may be the place to go.
Details coming soon!
MORE INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS ABOUT DC
Get in touch with the Fletcher Alumni Association of Washington DC!
We hope the information provided about Washington DC and the area is helpful.
If anyone has questions about DC or wants more information, please feel free to e-mail info@fletcherclubofdc.org.
See you in October!