Donovan House

Hotel description

Though a first-class boutique hotel would fit in well just about anywhere, it’s a pleasant surprise to see one like Donovan House opening in the District of Columbia. This is a town with a slightly staid reputation — but openings like this one show it’s an image that’s much in need of some revision.

And while the Thompson hotel group is probably best known for their work in New York, Donovan House is a lot more than just Manhattan style transplanted to the District of Columbia — it’s steeped in local color as well. The hotel’s got an air of Sputnik-era cold-war cool about it, starting with the hanging chairs and modernist wingbacks in the lobby lounge.

The shiny and swanky public spaces are mid-century chic, and the rooms are half hideaway, half party pad. They come complete with Dean & DeLuca snacks in the minibar and Bigelow bath products in the nautilus-shell spiral shower. Most unexpected of all is perhaps the rooftop pool with accompanying bar, a far more enjoyable place to do a deal than the traditional DC back-room — and Zentan brings Susur Lee's particular brand of Asian fusion (and a bit of sushi) to the nation's capital.