Where to stay if D.C.’s gay-marriage bill passes

Washington, D.C. could soon become THE hot new wedding destination if a same-sex marriage bill recently passed by the city council gets past the U.S. Congress, which must approve new laws in the nation’s capital. That could happen as early as March, so the city’s hotels have already begun to ramp up their marketing campaigns in an effort to attract spouses-to-be. We did our homework before the bill passed, however. Here’s our list of D.C.’s best gay-friendly hotels, all of which have been approved by the Travel Alternatives Group and/or the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association:

European Luxury
Hotel: Sofitel Lafayette Square Washington DC
Price: $245/night
Location: Downtown, Washington, D.C.

This graceful 237-room hotel, part of a French-owned international chain, opened in 2003 in a former bank building. With its elegant lobby, spacious rooms, sumptuous beds, and a decidedly European feel in the center of old downtown near Lafayette Park and the White House, it’s tres popular with French businesspeople.

Boutique Appeal
Hotel: Hotel Madera
Price: $224/night
Location: Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.

This 82-room boutique with stylish interiors sits on a treelined residential street in Dupont Circle — D.C.’s center of nightlife and dining. A can-do staff, up-to-date guest rooms, a jewel of a restaurant, and a vibrant location (coffeehouses, a farmers’ market) add up to a solid value.

Value Play
Hotel: The Dupont Hotel
Price: $194/night
Location: Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.

Despite its modest 1940s-era exterior, the Dupont is in the vanguard of modern design among D.C. hotels after a yearlong, top-to-bottom renovation. Handsome, well-appointed rooms are the highlight, but solid service, a popular local bar scene, the excellent Cafe Dupont, and a prime Dupont Circle location complete the substance behind its style.

Romantic Atmosphere
Hotel: Donovan House
Price: $211/night
Location: Downtown, Washington, D.C.

Named for WWII spy “Wild Bill” Donovan, father of the CIA, the Donovan House seems to aim its spy theme at those whose “covert operation” is to get lucky. Its sensual rooms come with black leather headboards, a frosted cocoon shower, Veuve Clicquot in the minibar, and a “Pleasure Pack” with not one, but two types of personal lubricant. Throw in a sultry rooftop pool, an exotic Pan-Asian restaurant, and an ideal location surrounded by dining and nightlife, and you have all the makings of a clandestine weekend that won’t soon be forgotten.

Historical Significance
Hotel: Hotel Monaco Washington D.C.
Price: $325/night
Location: Penn Quarter, Washington, D.C.

Architect Robert Mills, the same man who designed the Washington Monument, first erected this gorgeous Greek Revival building in 1839 to be the General Post Office. Today, it’s a National Historic Landmark. When the Kimpton brand took over the building to develop the Hotel Monaco in 2002, it chose to blend the grand historic appeal of its structure with contemporary design flourishes, like bold colors, striking patterns, and fun pendant light fixtures.