Prior to our March trip to Washington, DC, we had never stayed at The Jefferson at 1200 16th St NW, just north of the Whitehouse by a few blocks. We had visited the property, to dine at their Michelin-starred restaurant, Plume, but never stayed at the hotel before. We arrived in the afternoon, and were warmly greeted by the reservations agent, located in a small office, in the lobby, and to the right of the entrance. As our room was not yet ready, we retired to the bar/restaurant, Quill, just off of the stately, though small lobby, for lunch and some wine. Before we were finished with lunch, the reservations agent had our keys in-hand - Suite 203. We unpacked, and my wife left for her afternoon meeting, while I got a chance to survey both the room, and the hotel. The Jefferson is a luxurious hotel, which sort of bridges a gap between a “luxury property,” and a “boutique hotel,” and does it nicely. It is lovely, and very well-appointed, plus it has a great deal of history. Each room, off of the lobby, tells a story, and the staff was eager to share those with me. The Concierge had a wealth of knowledge, and pointed out many things, which I might have missed otherwise, and the same for the rest of the staff. The lobby area is lovely, and especially the dining room for The Greenhouse, which lives up to its name, in its design. The décor is “Jeffersonian,” with period-specific furniture all around. It’s filled with antiques, and nice reproductions. Some might say that it’s a bit stuffy, but even though my home is ultra-contemporary, The Jefferson is just lovely, and charming, in its own way. Our suite was the same - beautifully appointed in the same furniture style, and done with grace and elegance. We had a large living room, a nice bedroom and even a small patio area, which looked out onto 16th St NW, though only a floor below. Though our suite faced 16th St NW (with fairly high traffic), it was quiet, and we heard zero traffic noise, except when on the patio. We had a comfortable four-poster King bed, and comfortable furniture throughout. There were nice touches everywhere, from a coat valet stand, to a suit bag in the closet, which also had a horizontal safe (on the upper shelf, so a bit high for my wife), and then a valet with laundry bags, a shoe horn and a clothes brush. We had separate thermostats for each room, which is always a nice feature. The closet was ample, which was a good thing, as our stay in Washington was part of a multi-city business trip, and we had a lot of clothes. Another feature, which we appreciated, was a full length mirror on the inside of the closet door. Also, with our clothing, the chest of drawers w/ a flat-screen TV atop it, was greatly appreciated. Other nice touches were: A leather folio w/ the TV remote and a channel line up Smart Room Control Automated drapery controllers A “Do Not Disturb/Make Up Room” switch An iPad controller w/ link to in-room dining, the concierge and the front desk, and also functioned as a sound system, alarm clock and weather station the bathroom was very well-appointed with a double sink vanity, a lighted magnifying makeup mirror, a TV in the mirror over the sinks, full amenities, and best of all, a walk-in shower for my wife, plus a soaking tub with a small head pillow, and an urn of bath salts. I liked that the controls for the shower, and the soap/amenities dish were opposite the showerhead, so that one could adjust the water temp/flow, without standing under it, and the soap did not get pounded by the shower spray, plus there was a footrest, on that same side, as well. Another positive feature was that the bathroom, while off of the bedroom, it had a full door, so that if someone was still sleeping, another taking a shower, would be less likely to disturb them. The toilet was enclosed in a frosted class cubicle. There was a hair dryer in the vanity cabinet, which also had towel/cosmetics storage below - also, we had plenty of towels. With so many positives, were there any negatives? Yes, but few, and all minor: Due to the age of The Jefferson, there were areas where the paint was chipped a bit, and around a few of the light switches, and outlet plates - very minor cosmetics, especially considering how many times the interior walls had probably been painted. I would have liked to have a few more AC outlets, near horizontal surfaces, for charging devices. If there was a power bar, with multiple outlets and USB ports, I did not find it. Having such at/near the desk would have been ideal. The lighting in the bathroom was good, but could have been brighter over the sinks - though there was the lighted, magnifying makeup mirror. The height of the safe, in the closet is not ideal, but I understand its placement. Unfortunately, my wife would need a chair, to see if the safe was empty. Though we had several windows, there was not much of a “view,” however one did get a bit of a view, from the patio area - besides, given building height restrictions, there just are not many stellar views in Washington, DC - and besides, we had such a lovely room to admire, that the lack of a view was not an issue. Now, we have found this general location to be ideal. It is close to dining, and so many attractions, plus has proximity to Capitol Hill, where many of my wife’s meetings are. On-property, there are dining options, and many more, within a few blocks. Even shopping is but a couple of blocks away. We did not use public transportation, but I did see several buses on 16th St NW, so assume that is good. Service at The Jefferson was excellent, and all staff were cheerful, and very helpful. Though the Quill Bar, just off of the lobby did get a bit busy in the early evening, if one is looking for a “hip, happening, loud and lively scene,” then The Jefferson is likely not the right choice for them. It is understated, lovely, slightly sedate, comfortable and exudes almost “old world” grace, charm and elegance. For us, The Jefferson was a perfect hotel, and we will definitely be returning on a future trip to Washington.…
Even prior to arrival all of your requests are confirmed by telephone by one of the most efficient and courteous staff members. Nothing is too much trouble. Once you step out of your car you are greeted warmly by the doormen and front desk. The hotel lobby is exquisite, check in is effortless, luggage is brought up to your room without delay and with a smile. Our room is gorgeous, well appointed and immaculate. Take notice of the bookmark in the desk drawer of your room that informs of the generous donation to the DC Library that mail high quality books, free of charge, to enrolled DC children each month from birth until the age of five for every reservation when you stay at The Jefferson Hotel. We usually don't choose to eat breakfast but couldn't resist the beautiful breakfast room. The service was flawless and attentive without hovering. Food cooked to perfection and plated beautifully. If you feel like just enjoying this beautiful hotel one can lose themselves for a day in their book room! I can go on and on but with finish by thanking everyone at the Jefferson Hotel for a truly amazing stay. We hope to return soon for another fabulous weekend. …
I was already in DC for work and my partner was flying in for the weekend so we could catch-up with old friends. I surprised him with two nights at The Jefferson, where I have always wanted to stay. I went in with high expectations due to the hotel's reputation. They were met, but not exceeded. The hotel's location is very convenient for getting around the major DC sights; I also like that it was close to some residential neighborhoods with good restaurants, etc. It was never a problem to catch a cab out front to head anywhere in the city. Our room had a gorgeous view of the Washington Monument--very classic DC! The small size of the hotel gives it a boutique, almost residential, feel. The lobby has just a couple of desks for check-in and centers around the beautiful tea lounge. There was also some iced tea out for guests--a nice touch when returning from sightseeing. Decor is VERY traditional but well-executed and maintained. The elevators were tiny but beautiful, and the guest room hallways epitomized class. The room was, in all honesty, somewhat of a disappointment. It was tiny, even by DC standards, and the furniture within it was too big for the small space. It did not feel proportional and it was somewhat difficult to move around the room, especially with two occupants; while the furnishings, linens, etc. were all high-end, the space did not feel well-used. For a luxury property, I was frustrated by the difficulty of accessing outlets, having space to use a iron board, finding places for toiletries, etc. Service was good in the hotel; check-in and out were hospitable and doormen and other staff always offered a pleasant welcome as we entered and excited the property. The bar, a small and stylish space, was disappointing; it's a cool spot but was overrun during our visit and most of the visitors were not hotel guests. I wish they would keep some tables reserved for guests. Our server in the bar was friendly, but overwhelmed, and it took way too much time to get simple drinks. We also had to request bar snacks that were proactively brought to other tables. Not terrible, but not fabulous, and a disappointment given the price point of the drinks and the stay overall. Certainly a good stay overall, hence the strong rating. But honestly speaking, if you're in the luxury price point in DC, I might investigate other options. I've received better accommodation with equally good service at other DC luxury hotels. I would not avoid The Jefferson at all costs, but I might carefully evaluate it against other options.…
From the time we walked in the door, until time of departure, we had the best experience! Everyone was pleasant and so helpful, I would definitely recommend The Jefferson to everyone! The hotel was beautiful with all the nooks, and the Book Room was wonderful for morning coffee!
When in DC, we stay at the Jefferson because we know that each and every time, we'll be met by staff who go above and beyond to serve guests. Everyone is friendly, gracious, and eager to make guests as comfortable as possible. The guest rooms are well appointed (bathrooms are luxurious), tastefully decorated, and welcoming. We love sitting at the bar (Quill & Pen in the hotel), enjoying cocktails and live piano music. Superb hotel!
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing