The Park Hyatt Washington's entrance celebrates Washington’s famous blossoming cherry trees with impressive glass sculptures etched with images of their flowers and branches. The persimmon-colored burlap wall behind the reception area hints at the red stripes of the American flag while classic American Windsor-style chairs and rocking chairs dot the hotel’s interior. Weekday guests include corporate travelers and dignitaries. On weekends, the hotel is a popular site for weddings.

What to expect: Since opening in 1926, presidents, royalty, and celebrities have frequented this Washington, DC hotel, built in the style of an Italian palazzo. Today, business travelers cluster beneath the lobby’s gilded ceiling or in the cherry-paneled Library Lounge during the week. On weekends, other travelers move in, often to attend an event in the glittering Astor Ballroom.

Amenity highlights: A complimentary 24-hour fitness room offers Technogym machines equipped with personal television screens and iPod docking stations. The hotel's business center offers a computer, printer, copier and fax machine. All public areas have wireless Internet access (surcharge).

Insider tip: Because of its proximity to the White House, major media outlets, and K Street powerbrokers, the hotel's lobby is a prime people-watching spot. The hotel is also less than a mile from some of the city’s most chic boutiques, such as Burberry and Pink, as well as bargains at Filene’s Basement.

Monarchs, heads of state, and celebrities have made the Ritz-Carlton their home while in Washington. The lobby is a collection of wood-paneled rooms furnished with antique reproductions, Oriental rugs, marble tiles, and the works of artists such as Dale Chihuly.

Entering the Hay-Adams is like stepping back in time to the elegant world of 1920s Washington, when guests included Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and Sinclair Lewis. Lobby decor consists of rich dark-wood panelling, elegant chandeliers, and arched doorways.

With a prime location in genteel Georgetown, one of the nation’s oldest neighborhoods, this hotel offers respite from the hectic pace of downtown D.C. Brimming with Georgian mansions and Federal and Classical Revival homes, the area is a treasure trove for history and architecture aficionados. Collegiate types appreciate the location, too: The hotel is just half a mile from Georgetown University.

Built in 2004, the hotel features Asian-style decor with fresh orchids and other flowers, muted silk fabrics, and dark-wood furnishings placed sparingly throughout the domed oval lobby and other public spaces. Located across from Potomac Park, the hotel caters to diplomats, corporate groups, and American and international leisure travelers.

What to expect: Since the Mayflower opened in 1925, it has been a Washington landmark. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this neoclassical hotel features a grand atmosphere and opulent surroundings. Guests include dignitaries, corporate travelers, socialites, and vacationers. Visitors marvel at the block-long marble lobby with gold leaf trimming. The hotel is smoke-free and accepts small pets.

Amenity highlights: Featuring murals by New Deal artist Edward Laning and crystal chandeliers, Café Promenade serves classic Mediterranean cuisine and fine wines. The club-like Town and Country lounge is renowned for its menu of 101 martinis.

The hotel’s complimentary fitness center includes a cardio training center with cardio theater. A self-serve business center is open 24 hours, and complimentary wireless Internet access is available on the mezzanine.

Insider tip: On Saturdays, Washingtonians head to the outdoor Eastern Market just north of Pennsylvania Ave on Seventh St SE, where vendors line the sidewalk, selling produce, antiques, and crafts. It's four miles away, but the Metro will take you there—catch the Blue Line at the Farragut West Metro station two blocks south of the hotel.

The gleaming 14-story glass-and-marble atrium is a busy place much of the time, as corporate guests and groups check in or hurry to downtown meetings. In the summer, more tourists arrive, drawn by the hotel’s central location and easy access to the Metro, two blocks away.

This 15-story hotel attracts a range of guests with its extensive meeting and event space as well as its central location within four blocks of the White House and the National Mall. The two-story lobby, with chandeliers and inlaid marble floors, welcomes celebrities, dignitaries, and business and leisure travelers.