Holiday Inn Washington – Capitol

This large Holiday Inn outpost buzzes with activity during the day, as everyone from government workers to business professionals to tourists come and go through its swinging glass doors. The neighborhood quiets down significantly at night and on weekends, but in summer, the rooftop pool and surrounding patio are popular places that boast sunset views of the skyline. The spacious lobby is primed for speedily checking guests in and out, with cream tile floor that's like a runway for suitcases. There's a tall workstation with outlets at the entrance for quickly checking email, and a roomy seating area with leather benches that handles overflow from reception. The ceilings are low, but the space is bright thanks to natural light pouring in from floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The hotel is a nine-minute walk from the National Mall's southern border. The immediate area is filled with office buildings and can be desolate on weekday evenings and weekends, when most of the area’s restaurants (primarily fast food) and convenience stores are shuttered. On the plus side, it's quiet at night. It's about a 10-minute metro ride to Union Station, and approximate driving times to Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport are 15 and 30 minutes, respectively.

• Four-minute walk to National Air and Space Museum
• Six-minute walk to Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
• 10-minute walk to two metro stations
• Eight minutes to National Portrait Gallery via metro 
• Eight minutes to Smithsonian American Art Museum via metro 
• 11 minutes to National Gallery of Art via metro 
• 14 minutes to the White House via metro 
• 14 minutes to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via metro
• 15 minutes to Capitol Hill via metro  
• 15 minutes to Washington Monument via metro 
• 23 minutes to Thomas Jefferson Memorial via metro 
• 31 minutes to Lincoln Memorial via metro 

Guest rooms at Holiday Inn Washington-Capitol are streamlined and modern. Decor is contemporary, with a mostly neutral palette and appealing sapphire blue accents that punch up bedding and carpeting. Cream walls and large windows keep units bright. Rooms are well-equipped with mini-fridges, Keurig coffeemakers, safes, free Wi-Fi, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, and large desks with ergonomic chairs. Bathrooms are basic but polished, with black granite vanities and prints of major D.C. landmarks on walls. Some have walk-in showers, and others feature shower/tub combos. 

Accommodations range from Standard to Kings with sleeper sofas. Don't bank on views from rooms -- even those on higher floors. Units in the back face railroad tracks, and rush-hour traffic can also be noisy, but they're otherwise generally quiet. 

The hotel's attractive amenities are among the its biggest assets. There are two reasonably priced restaurants, two bars, and a Starbucks on-site. The Capitol Bistro serves a breakfast buffet for a fee with plenty of options including made-to-order omelets, and it has a la carte lunch and dinner menus with standard American fare. The 21st Amendment Bar & Grill serves much of the same, and has live jazz a couple nights during the week. Room service is available as well, and a 24-hour minimart in the lobby stocks snacks, plus soda, wine, and beer. Two communal microwaves give a spot to heat up frozen dinners or other food.

Another highlight is the heated seasonal rooftop pool and bar, with a large patio and views of the United States Capitol building. There's a bright and airy gym with updated equipment, and a 24-hour business center with several desktop computers and printers, plus two additional workstations for printing boarding passes. Up to 350 people can be accommodated in the hotel’s 10,000 square feet of event and meeting space. Wi-Fi is free throughout.

Other perks include a concierge, a guest laundry room, and an underground parking garage (fee).