The Hay-Adams- Washington, DC
The Hay-Adams is a Washington institution; it is a historic hotel that feels like it has been around as long as the city itself. A thoroughly plush establishment, with one of the best addresses in town, it is an excellent escape for locals, tourists, and visiting dignitaries alike.
Long before the hotel was constructed, the prime location on Lafayette Square was the site of two Romanesque houses; one owned by esteemed statesman John Milton Hay, assistant to Abraham Lincoln, and later Secretary of State under McKinley and Roosevelt, the other by renowned historian and presidential relative Henry Adams. In 1927, the parcel was purchased by real estate mogul and prolific developer Harry Wardman, who planned to raze the stately houses and construct a magnificent luxury hotel overlooking the White House.
Wardman, an English immigrant, started as an apprentice carpenter in 1898, and in true American Dream fashion, worked himself into a construction empire by 1907. Starting with rowhouses, then moving to luxury apartment buildings such as the Wardman Park, he was responsible for much of the District’s residential development during the early 20th century. His wild success allowed him to move into luxury hotel construction, with properties including the St. Regis and the Hay-Adams.
In 1926, Wardman enlisted Armenian-American architect Mihran Mesrobian to design The Carlton Hotel, currently known as the St. Regis. So impressed by the Beaux-Arts beauty, upon its completion, he immediately commissioned him to design a second hotel, The Hay-Adams.
Completed in 1928, the Italian Renaissance Hay-Adams was considered the height of luxury. Costing $900,000, the hotel boasted all the modern amenities available at the time, including steam heat, elevators, and circulating ice water. It was the first dining room in the city to be air conditioned, which no doubt made it very popular in the summer. Designed to be visually stunning, walls were embellished with walnut wainscotting; above, ornate plaster ceilings depicted Elizabethan and Tudor motifs. Wood paneling from the demolished Hay house was reused in the original dining room, which now functions as meeting space.
Alas, Wardman like many others lost his fortune in the 1929 stock market crash, and was forced to sell the Hay-Adams. It was purchased by hotel magnate Julius Manger, who safely navigated the hotel through the Great Depression, retaining ownership until 1973. Unlike many other grand DC hotels of the era, it has remained in continuous operation. Location has certainly played no small part in the hotel’s longevity. It is impossible to stay any closer to the White House, unless you score an invite to the Lincoln bedroom. And then there are the views.
Views from the roof of the Hay Adams are absolutely amazing. Overlooking Lafayette Square, you have a birds-eye view of the White House, the Washington Monument and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Across 16th Street, the stunning 1815 Greek Revival St. John’s Episcopal Church stands in stark contrast to the modern city that now surrounds it.
As you can imagine, the roof is not open to the public. It has recently been expanded to house a beautiful event space that hosts ridiculously over the top parties. However, if there is no event, and you ask nicely, as a guest the concierge will have security escort you up to the top floor of the hotel. It is absolutely worth it.
Another fabulous space is the hotel’s dark basement bar, Off the Record. It is everything you would imagine a bar from the Kennedy or Johnson administration to be, minus the smoke. The political caricatures that line the walls are not to be missed. Reminiscent of an earlier, bygone era for sure, they still make excellent cocktails, that I dare say might be too large. Fortunately your room is just upstairs.
The updated rooms at the Hay-Adams are certainly luxurious, and very layered. If you are going for broke, there are fabulous suites overlooking the park that can accommodate you and your security detail. Obama and family stayed in one such suite prior to moving into the White House. However, even standard rooms are plush; you will just have a view of a horrible Brutalist building. I suggest keeping the curtains closed. For a night or two, it is absolutely worth the added expense for a room with a view, if you will be in the room to enjoy it.
DC is a city that boasts several historically significant hotels, each with its own charms and advantages. For location, you cannot beat the Hay-Adams, where “the only thing [they] overlook is the White House.” Despite the silly slogan, it is a fun historic hotel, with a great vintage bar, and one of the best views in town.
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