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While in the DC area this past week, I stayed at another Kimpton hotel, The Topaz Hotel located on N Street NW between 17th and 18th Streets (the Husband and I recently stayed at another Kimpton hotel in Chicago – Hotel Allegro).  Normally, when I visit the DC area for work, I usually stay in the Northern Virginia area, anywhere from Arlington to Fairfax to Reston/Herndon.  This time around though I was craving some city time (I used to live in the city and love so much about it!), so based on my past good experiences with the Kimpton chain, I compared the rates and locations of those in the DC area.  There are 11 of them in the area (7 in DC and 4 in Virginia).  The Topaz Hotel had the best rates for the location I was aiming for.

After landing mid-afternoon at Dulles, I grabbed my rental car and headed into the city.  I double checked ahead of time on their website to determine the parking situation.  Parking is not easy to come by in the Dupont Circle area so I was happy to see that they had valet parking.  It was quite steeply priced ($35 per night, PLUS tax which I wasn’t expecting), but for the convenience (the Husband once spent almost an hour trying to find a space around that area when we were dating – he almost broke up with me over it ) it was worth it.

A quick note for those driving to the hotel, if you’re coming from the Northern Virginia area, it’s actually quite easy to get to.  Just take 66 to the Key Bridge (bridge that goes into Georgetown from Arlington).  Head through Georgetown on M Street and once you pass all the shops, the street becomes Pennsylvania.  Make a slight left at L Street and then turn left on 18th street.  Stay to the right on 18th and as soon as you cross Connecticut, N Street will be on your right.  Turn right and the hotel is just half a block down on your left

(My exterior hotel shots were taken at different times of the day).  The hotel was easy to find with it’s royal blue awning reaching to the street.  I left my car out front, grabbed my bags and keys and headed in to the reception desk.

Simple and modern decorations surround the entrance.

Once inside, I dropped my keys off to the valet (a valet is rarely out front so a sign directs travelers to drop keys at the reception desk) and checked in.  The process was easy (as always) and I used their July Twitter password – Fireworks.  There was some confusion at first but once the “password” was confirmed, I was awarded with a choice of a free drink at the bar or a breakfast in the restaurant.  Since the breakfast didn’t start until 7:30 and I needed to be out of the hotel each day by 7, I chose the free drink but unfortunately never got to use it.

Up a few stairs (maybe 5 steps?), I took the warm elevator up to the 8th floor to my free upgraded room (I don’t remember what I booked, probably a queen, nor what the technical name of my upgrade was), a relatively large King room.  Upon entering the room, there was a bit of a hallway to the main living area with a vanity sitting area and separate bathroom to the right.

The shower boasted bulk sized shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.  I was pleasantly surprised to see this! While I do love my mini toiletries, especially the Aveda ones, I hate all of the plastic wasted with those tiny bottles.  This was a great addition to their environmental consciousness in addition to them actually leaving the towels hanging that I wanted to reuse.

The room itself included my very comfortable king sized bed facing a dresser, mini bar, and television.

To the right of the bed was a nice sitting chair and very large circular mirror.

On the other side of the bed, I found a wall of windows, a full couch, and, around the corner, a desk and chair.  (The closet was immediately when I came in the room.)

I love DC architecture and was pleasantly surprised at my beautiful view of apartment buildings, row houses, business buildings, and a cathedral.

Not getting a chance to eat lunch during my trip but still having a few hours till meeting my friend for dinner on U Street, I raided the mini bar.  Kimpton In Touch members (their free rewards program) currently get a $10 credit toward the mini bar.  I enjoyed a container of cheesy crunch and a bottle of water.  Yum!

On my night stand, I was surprised to find a letter with my name on it!  I haven’t yet checked out their blog, but I was impressed with the personalization (even in the way of a form letter) of my stay.  Once or twice when I called the front desk, they referred to me by name.

After getting settled in to my room, I headed back downstairs to enjoy my first ever Kimpton Wine Happy Hour.  At many of the locations, from 5-6pm they offer free wine for guests.  I’ve never had the opportunity to experience this and enjoyed my first (and second) nights of wine in the lobby

In the mornings while waiting for my car, I enjoyed the company of the hotel’s goldfish Nirvana and Serenity It really is fascinating how relaxing fish can be.

One of the things that Kimpton hotels are known for is their friendliness toward pets.  This food and water bowl is located in the lobby (usually full) and I saw a handful of dogs while I was there.  Being a pet-friendly hotel, guests without pets might be concerned about pet stains and smells but in my three stays at Kimpton properties, I’ve never had any problems.

Overall, I had an excellent stay at The Topaz Hotel and will certainly consider staying here again the next time I stay in the city.  The customer service was good and it’s in such an excellent location.  From the hotel, I had reasonable walks to U Street, Dupont Circle, Georgetown, the White House, Chinatown as well as one easy cab ride back.  Kimpton Hotels are definitely becoming one of my favorite chains!