Unusual Places to Stay in Washington DC, USA

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Hotel Monaco is a boutique hotel located in an 1839 general post office. Found near the Chinatown metro, the building was designed by Robert Mills (designer of the Washington Monument) and the architect Thomas U Walter, who helped make the Capitol Building. The hotel is lavishly decorated with Victorian, modern and classical furnishings, and every room hosts a lion’s head statue on the wall. The first all-marble building in DC, Hotel Monaco is certainly unusual, and quite an experience.

The George is a modern boutique hotel that pays homage to George Washington, near DC’s Union Station metro and Capitol Hill. The hallways are adorned with portraits of America’s first president in a variety of artistic styles, from realist to expressionist. The hotel hosts frequent art shows in the lobby, and is a popular gathering spot for politicians and artists. The George also offers amenities such as free daily wine receptions, yoga mats and cheetah print robes in every room.

Located in the Mount Vernon Square neighborhood of DC, this 100-year-old home has six themed bedrooms, ranging from the Cleopatra room to a private terrace room, all decorated with antiques and opulent lighting and featuring spa-style bathtubs and showers. Expect a home-made breakfast in the morning and lively conversations, as you’ll be encouraged to feel like family and interact with all the guests. For social butterflies and people interested in meeting a variety of different people from around the world, Mount Vernon Square B and B is a must.

Civil War buffs and nature lovers will love Bull Run Regional Park. It boasts trails used during the Civil War, and the Battle of Bull Run took place on its outskirts, in Manassas. The park offers tent camping, as well as upscale cabins and lovely cottages, the latter located along the Potomac River and including a deck with a view of the water. Certainly unorthodox for a trip to DC, a stay at Bull Run Regional Park is sure to be a wild experience.

The Mansion on O Street is a combination of museum, music venue and hotel. Designed in 1892 by Edward Clark (one of the architects of the US Capitol), the building has over 100 rooms. Guests will find Gibson guitars in every room that are free to play, and the walls are lined with secret doors leading to hidden rooms with a variety of interesting objects inside. Stay in one of the themed rooms (such as a guitar room, billiard room, or secret wine basement) and explore this house of delights for yourself.

Built in 1883, this bed and breakfast is a mansion in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. It has handily retained its 19th-century decor to give you that old-money feel. With their moldings, crystal chandeliers and wood-burning fireplaces, the rooms will take you back in time to a more opulently decorated era. Outside this cosy cocoon, the historic neighborhood offers easy access to high-end restaurants, nightlife, the National Mall and Georgetown.