The Best Bed & Breakfasts in Washington DC

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Who’d have thought you could get this cozy in the capital city? This self-styled urban inn is an inviting 19th-century mansion in a peaceful spot near Dupont Circle with 12 lavishly decked-out rooms. All are different, some with four posters (the Parisienne Suite) or the Zen-inspired Shanghai’daway (see what they did there?) with richly colored fabrics, dark furniture and a luxurious travertine-tiled shower. Public spaces are awash with period features including crystal chandeliers and elaborately carved fireplaces. In summer, cool off in the courtyard pool.

This collection of restored 18th-century red-brick townhouses wows history and luxury lovers alike: its 96 light-filled boutique rooms feel fresh, with fluffy, white monogrammed bathrobes, pretty mirrors and smart headboards. You’re close to genteel Georgetown’s famous university, so expect students and visiting parents among the guests. Try the chicken pot pie at 1310 Kitchen & Bar, the on-site all-day brasserie-style restaurant. If you’re really impressed, there’s a recipe book to take home with you.

Red brick and blue trim mark the exterior of this simply styled B&B (in two separate buildings) in the leafy Woodley Park neighborhood, which is just minutes’ walk from the sprawling Smithsonian National Zoological Park. You can expect to sleep soundly in Kalorama’s pared-back rooms with their dark drapes and agreeable wooden furniture, before rising to breakfast at the communal dining table. Expect to be invited to freshly baked cookies and lemonade each afternoon.

Here you’re in the heart of the lively and diverse residential Adams Morgan neighborhood. Take a morning cuppa on the porch or in the sweet gardens enjoying the ambience of the tree-lined street. It’s all about the homely vibe here. Some rooms go bold with brightly painted walls, others feature characterful wood paneling and have scenic garden views. The Carriage House Suite has its own garden entrance. Grab a bagel in the breakfast room before you explore the city sights. The closest is the African American Civil War Memorial & Museum, less than 2mi (3km) away.

Fans of period charm love this 1890s row house in a residential area home to many famous Black scientists, poets and musicians. The welcome starts with the pretty flower boxes at the windows. Interiors salute the building’s era with original wooden floors, a knick-knack topped fireplace, tables topped with sparkling crystal glassware and ornately framed paintings. If you fancy checking out more such charming DC districts, the bus to Georgetown, DC’s oldest neighborhood, is just across the street.

This Marshall Heights home-from-home reflects its family-friendly neighborhood. Tropicality infuses comfortable rooms with beds of palm-leaf patterned throws, colorful headboards (yes, lime green in one) and warm full-length robes. Breakfast and dinner are a treat here, whisked up by a Cordon Bleu-trained chef with a passion for adding a twist of Pacific Rim to his dishes. After a breakfast burrito or eggs to order, spice up your day further with a thrilling trip to the Six Flags America theme park, alive with rides, shows and attractions, a 15-minute drive away.

Fans of history and a homely stay will love this pink-bricked family-run B&B with the warmest of welcomes. It was built in 1907 as a posh residence in aptly named verdant Woodley Park, before becoming a B&B during World War II. Persian rugs in deep shades of berry red, vivid art and wing-back chairs create a relaxed environment (similar to sister property Embassy Circle Guest House) in individually decorated rooms. Breakfast on farm-fresh eggs and organic toasted bread at the smart, starch-clothed communal table in the dining room.