Our Readers’ Favorite Hotels in Washington, D.C. of 2024

July 9, 2024

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For a peek into the inner workings of the U.S., nothing can compare to a visit to Washington, D.C., a city that houses the federal government’s three branches along with plenty of museums (many of them free) and monuments that memorialize great moments in the nation’s history. The city hosts politicians and powerful people from all over the world, so there’s no shortage of high-end hotels with top-tier service and amenities.

How Voting Works

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Over 186,000 T+L readers completed the 2024 survey. A total of more than 700,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

Rooms/facilities
Location
Service
Food
Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

What Readers Loved

The results of the 2024 World’s Best Awards survey included several historic hotels with storied locations. Some, like The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, D.C. (No. 10), offer the consistency and mark of big brands. One T+L reader reported, “Many locations with hotels and resorts set themselves apart from the rest; this hotel resort is one of them. … It must be on your stop list for this location.”

Other properties, like The Hay-Adams (No. 3), are independent and boutique, offering a sought-after address across from the White House and a 100-year-plus history.

One T+L reader called The Hay-Adams, “Old Washington at its best,” while another claimed it was their “favorite hotel.” Almost every reader remarked on the property’s views of the White House and its location near downtown Washington, D.C.’s most iconic attractions.

The Winner

The Jefferson, Washington, DC

Courtesy of The Jefferson

The highest-rated Washington, D.C. hotel has all the perks you’d expect from an award-winning property, including a location in a 1920s-era Beaux-Arts building that’s several blocks from the White House and timeless rooms with details like fireplaces, four-poster beds, and freestanding tubs.

But The Jefferson’s level of customer service is what pushed it to the top of the list, according to T+L readers. “What distinguishes The Jefferson is the level of attentive, friendly service from the staff. They treat you like family.” The hotel even has a resident historian, and the on-site Book Room is packed with leather-bound tomes and cozy reading chairs.

The dog-friendly property also has a fitness center and two restaurants: The Greenhouse and Quill.

The win for The Jefferson is well-deserved; the property is a WBA Hall of Fame honoree and was ranked No. 2 on the World’s Best Awards list the two previous years. It all speaks to what one reader called a “rare ability to maintain luxury standards and staff over the years. They never compromise quality.”