Often overlooked for the Big Apple, Washington DC is actually slightly less of a flight than New York from the UK, and a fantastic alternative for a weekend away. I spent a night here as a stopover to my honeymoon destination, but my experience at the Four Seasons in the trendy Georgetown district made me wishing I was staying for longer.
Rumoured to house the Obamas' favourite steakhouse, the stunningly swanky hotel is the only 5-star, 5-diamond establishment in the nation's capital. Its excellent location offers it all: a popular place for leading politicians to liaise; chic boutiques and numerous restaurants, as well as unmatched access to Washington DC’s huge range of cultural institutions, historic landmarks and iconic memorials.
The Four Season's lobby makes you instantly feel in the lap of luxury
As we swept into the lobby, where black marble fireplaces contrasted beautifully against red-brick walls and white pillars, the hotel staff provided a warm and attentive welcome for our arrival. They showed off the hotel’s excellent room service by asking for our orders ahead and ensuring they were waiting piping hot when we arrived, despite us being late!
RELATED: 21 UK staycations you need to visit on your next weekend getaway
Aware we were honeymooning, they even left champagne and cake for us to enjoy on arrival - the personal touches on a short visit really made a difference and stood out in our memories long after our departure. Having already been told by friends that there was no bed as comfortable as those at the Four Seasons, we were certainly not disappointed. We were promised we would be sleeping on a cloud, and we were. After an eight hour flight from London, this was very welcome, along with the deepest bath in the all-marble bathroom and all the important things you might have forgotten laid out and waiting; from cotton wool to make-up remover, the hotel really does prize itself on attention to detail.
Washington is so beautiful by moonlight
The thing that really topped off this overnight stay was the incredible ‘Monuments by Moonlight Night Tour’ which we were taken on that evening to ensure our sightseeing wasn't hampered by the fact that we were only staying 24 hours. This adventure included seeing the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial and the White House by night - the experience was simply magical.
SEE: Hand luggage beauty products for summer 2022: A non-liquid cheat's guide
SHOP: Support an active lifestyle with $100 or more off Therabody products
The Jefferson Memorial is quite breathtaking after dark
DC sparkles at night, and with the lights from the monuments illuminating the dark sky above, it really was a breathtakingly beautiful sight. The limo was pure luxury, with goodie bags of snacks and cool drinks, highly needed on a humid DC night in August. Our tour guide demonstrated extensive knowledge of the buildings of DC and provided a professional, yet very friendly, descrition throughout.
We were dropped very near to each monument and then given some space, allowing us the opportunity to explore up-close and personal, as well as gather photos for the memories. You can even hire a photographer to accompany you if you'd like a professional momento. It's a place you really will want to remember.
More details and bookings available here.
MORE: Royal gap years: where Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry and more travelled
Like this story? Sign up to our HELLO! newsletters to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
