Visits: 4
Rates
From $268 a night including Wi-Fi.
The Basics
The Line DC, part of a group of design-focused hotels from the Sydell Group, a hospitality company, is situated in a 110-year-old neoclassical church in Washington’s Adams Morgan neighborhood. The 220-room property opened last December and has been renovated with a nod to its past: the lobby’s 60-foot vaulted ceiling, brass details and large copper entry doors recall the building’s days as a house of worship, and so do the pews, now repainted in bright colors, that are scattered throughout the public spaces. The lobby is home to a coffee shop, The Cup We All Race 4, and a restaurant and bar, Brothers and Sisters, and is meant to be an all-day social hub for both locals and tourists.
Location
The Adams Morgan neighborhood, north of the city’s monuments, has a reputation for night life and is home to many independently owned stores and restaurants. Many locals in their 20s and 30s call it home. Taxis are easy to find, and the Woodley Park Metro Station on the Red Line is a short walk away. Several bus lines run through Adams Morgan, with multiple stops in the blocks surrounding the hotel.
The Room
We stayed in a light-filled landmark studio suite, the hotel’s third-highest room category, of 10 (through our travel agent, we were upgraded several levels for free; the hotel did not know we were from The New York Times). The suite had light wood floors and a long entryway with a red rug that led to the main room. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the neighborhood and a comfortable king-size bed with a copper frame flanked by hanging copper lights and night stands. A small sitting area had two silver-gray chairs and a navy leather sofa, and the white walls were adorned with a mix of photos and artwork. A 55-inch flat-screen television hung above the desk, and we were welcomed by a pair of keys inviting us to have two cocktails at the bar.
The Bathroom
The roomy bath had sand-colored walls and floors, a large dark-wood vanity with lots of counter space for our toiletries, and a large shower (there was no tub). The robes were from Frette, and we hoarded the eucalyptus-sage- scented toiletries from the holistic line American Medicinal Arts.
Amenities
There are five dining and drinking spots: Brothers and Sisters; The Cup We All Race 4; an all-day restaurant, A Rake’s Progress, from Baltimore chef Spike Gjerde; an Asian-inspired restaurant and bar, Spoken English, that only has standing tables; and a bar that focuses on local distiller’s and brewers, A Rake’s Bar. The Line also has a 24-hour gym and, most unusually, a radio station, Full Service Radio, that broadcasts live from a lounge in the lobby. The station, which streams online, plays music and conducts interviews and round table discussions with local and visiting artists, musicians and other notables.
Dining
We drank a delicious gin and tonic and a refreshing tequila muddled with lime before heading out for dinner, and it was hard not to go overboard with the morning baked goods, all made in-house: perfectly flaky and buttery croissants, blueberry-oat crumb muffins and cakes like the Budapest, a rich gluten-free hazelnut and chocolate confection.
The Bottom Line
Washington has its fair share of traditional mid-tier and luxury hotels, and The Line, a four-star property, is a refreshing addition to the familiar scene. It’s a cool spot with a friendly and eager-to-please staff. Sometimes, the service can miss the mark — we had to ask three times, for example, for slippers and toothbrushes to be delivered to our room — but it’s easy to overlook the slip-ups because the Line DC is such fun.
1770 Euclid St. NW, 202-588-0525, The Line DC