Waldorf Astoria Washington DC

Rising like a castle from Pennsylvania Avenue, this luxury hotel’s historic architecture is as grand as the nearby museums, monuments and memorials you come to D.C. to see. The building itself was the city’s General Post Office until 1914 and its stunning nine-storey atrium now acts as the hotel’s lobby and houses the main restaurant, the excellent Peacock Alley. Diners are spoiled for choice, though, with the Waldorf also home to the Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa and an outpost of The Bazaar by Michelin-starred chef José Andrés. Rooms are some of the largest in the city, with several offering views of the US Capitol or Washington Monument. Suites regularly play host to visiting heads of state, often coming with huge living and dining rooms, private studies and spa-like bathrooms. The real spa is below Peacock Alley, a 10,000-square-foot escape from the political manoeuvrings outside.