Mayflower Hotel: Historic Destination in the Historic Capital of the USA

Washington, DC, is a great city with a rich, deep past. We all learned in our civics courses about our founding fathers and the great experiment in government they established. DC has so many museums and memorials to our history; it is a place everyone should visit. When you come to DC, a great place to stay is at the Mayflower Hotel, which is one of DC’s most famous hotels that has over 90 years of history of its own. An elegant, notable hotel in a historic city is a great pairing and one that enhances the experience of a DC vacation.

This is a sponsored post with the Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection where I received a complimentary stay.  I do not earn commission from any bookings or affiliate sales.  As always, my reviews remain honest, and all opinions are my own.

** All photos taken by Pablo Raya, a Washington DC-based photographer, who is known for his love of combining fashion and architecture.  You can follow him on Instagram @praya1 **

Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC

When you come to DC, a great place to stay is at the Mayflower Hotel, which is one of DC’s most famous hotels with over 90 years of history. An elegant, notable hotel in a historic city.

By predupre

On Nov 7, 2021

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Listed in the Historic Hotels of America, the Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection has kept its reputation as a stylish and sophisticated hotel, which it was renowned for when it opened. You see that in the interior of the hotel with a large open lobby, with lavish design and decoration, that continues down a long hallway to the ballroom where many inaugurations and other gatherings took place.

Wherever you go in the Mayflower Hotel, you are reminded of its history and significance. The second floor has seating areas where you see pictures on the walls of past events. You learn that FDR wrote his infamous line, “…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself…” at the height of the Great Depression. President Harry Truman stayed here when the White House was being remodeled, giving it the nickname of “Washington’s Second Best Address.” Since its opening, you see every President up to Reagan held functions at the Mayflower Hotel including their inaugural ball – and that is just one aspect of its rich history.

the room

The Mayflower Hotel opened in 1925 and has 583 luxury rooms along with 74 suites. I had the opportunity to stay in one of the suites with a living room and a separate bedroom. It was well decorated, very comfortable, complete with plush robes and slippers to lounge in at night. They had a huge screen TV in both the living room and bedroom, much larger than I had seen elsewhere. My husband and I enjoyed that given it was the weekend of the football conference final playoff games (go Niners!).

The most memorable part of the room was the wall in the bedroom. They have what they call the signature “Wall of Fame,” which was a really unique touch. It is a re-creation of the hotel’s guest book put on a wall vinyl, which artistically depicts signatures of the famous guests that have stayed at the hotel. You see names like Bob Hope, Sophia Loren, and Amelia Earhart. You also see the names of important public servants like John F. Kennedy, J. Edgar Hoover, and Winston Churchill.

When you see these iconic names and think about them being in the same hotel that you are staying in, and what they were accomplishing in their time, it heightens the experience beyond what you find elsewhere!

The Mayflower Hotel is conveniently located near Dupont Circle where it is within a short distance to Metro stops, the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, and many monuments and museums that define DC.

Edgar Bar and Kitchen

The hotel has a restaurant called Edgar Bar and Kitchen you have to visit. It has a great bar with original drinks and a comfortable seating area to enjoy a mouthwatering meal. The restaurant carries the same elegant feel as the rest of the hotel – when you are there, you feel like it is something special.

Even the name of the restaurant has a historical context. Edgar is named after J. Edgar Hoover, who dined there every day for lunch for 20 years (now THAT is an endorsement)! I guess they liked the name Edgar better than “G-Man Café.”

The review

If you get the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital, treat yourself by staying at the Mayflower Hotel and experience their history, their elegance, and their top-notch service. You deserve it, and it will become one of those memorable trips you think about often!

The hotel is located at 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington DC, 20036. Book your reservation online or call (202) 347-3000.