The Masidon, located in the heart of Washington DC, is the best hotel that I have ever stayed in. It is absolutely gorgeous, and the staff treats every guest like royalty.
Two Nights in Heaven
Our room, a deluxe king, was the most comfortable hotel room that I have ever stayed in. The bed was enormous and incredibly comfortable. It was covered with a white, 400-thread count Frette duvet (which encased a cushy down comforter), and loads of pillows. The sheets are 300-thread count Egyptian cotton. It felt like what I imagine sleeping on a cloud would feel like. Craig and I still talk about that bed to this day.
Other amenities in the room are an “upscale” CD player, premium and local TV channels, pay-per-view movies, large desk, complimentary high-speed internet access, mini-bar and a large bathroom. The bathroom has mirrors, heated towel racks, jewelry holder, hair dryer, scale, plenty of towels and 2 bathrobes. The closet and dresser have ample space for a lot of clothes. I could have stayed there for a month!
Service
There are so many words to describe this hotel: classy, elegant, superior, luxurious… You get the idea. The staff can be described with the exact same words. From the doorman to housekeeping, everyone is very friendly, and treats you like nothing less than royalty. There is a concierge that is more than happy to make dinner reservations for you, or help you plan places to go. The wake-up call in the morning isn’t a recording, but a friendly front desk associate. You can even choose a complimentary cup of coffee to go with that wake up call.
Speaking of complimentary, there are lots of complimentary amenities from this hotel. Besides complimentary coffee in the morning, you can also opt to receive a complimentary newspaper. At night, you can have port with your turndown service. The Madison personalizes your service to make you feel at home.
Speaking of Personal Service…
When you arrange to stay at The Madison, you can log into their website (www.themadisondc.com) and choose your personal preferences. You can choose a welcome beverage from an array of sodas, beers and wines. You can choose a complimentary “welcome amenity” from chocolate chip cookies, chocolate truffles, imported cheese and fruit, whole fruit bowl and assorted chips and nuts. This is ALL complimentary! Really!
You can also choose your favorite type of music, which will be softly playing when you check-in to your room and for your turn-down service. You can choose your preferred types of magazines and books to be in your room. No detail is overlooked. The Madison really caters to the individual.
Location
Located at 15th and M Streets in the Northwest quadrant of DC, The Madison is in a fantastic spot. There is plenty of (metered) on-street parking. There is a parking garage on the same block, if you don’t want to park on the street. There are plenty of restaurants and shops within walking distance. There are two Metro stops, Farragut North and McPherson Square, right nearby. There is even a park a couple of blocks away.
The nightlife in this area of DC is relatively quiet. However, the doorman will be happy to flag a cab for you to send you into Georgetown. Or, the concierge can create a nightly itinerary for you. Some restaurants worth going to are Luigi’s and Morton’s Steakhouse. Craig and I walked for most of the weekend that we were there, even though we did have a car.
Restaurants
There are three different restaurants located in The Madison. First is The Federalist, which served American fare. There is a formal dining room and two private dining rooms. Craig and I had breakfast here, which was wonderful. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are quite pricey, however. Craig and I wanted to splurge a little since our hotel room had already been paid for.
Palette is open for lunch and dinner. It is a full-service bar and lounge where you can find American fare. We didn’t go in here, so I really can’t comment on it. However, you can visit the Palette website at www.palettedc.com for more information.
Finally is Post Script. This place is mainly an elegant bar / lounge with light food service. Lunch is available on Saturdays and Sundays. Post Script opens daily at 11:30am. They even have a cigar menu here, and have 400 different wines to choose from. This is nothing like your average DC bar, like Lindy’s Red Lion.
In Conclusion…
The Madison is THE perfect place to stay in DC. Unfortunately, it is between $250 – $325 per night for a deluxe room. If you are EVER able to get it for less, make sure that you stay there. It is an incredible hotel experience.
