Review: The Normandy Hotel in Washington, DC

You'll find all the usual hotel chains in Washington, DC. Everything from Hilton to Holiday Inn.

But what if you don't want a standard chain hotel, and what if you don't want to stay in the heart of DC's touristy center?

Consider a boutique hotel like The Normandy instead.

The Normandy Hotel in Washington, DC

The Normandy Hotel is located near Dupont Circle and Embassy Row just off Connecticut Avenue on a quiet, leafy street. It's part of the Modus Hotels collection, which offers up boutique properties in cities like DC, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

I stayed at The Normandy for two nights during a recent trip to Washington, DC, and can definitely recommend it if you're looking for something a little more unique.

Why The Normandy?

I liked The Normandy for a variety of reasons:

The location

The Normandy is located within walking distance of a couple of cool DC neighborhoods, including Dupont Circle (which has a metro stop) and Adams Morgan. Both are diverse neighborhoods with tons of restaurants. I especially loved colorful 18th Street in Adams Morgan.

Adams Morgan neighborhood in DC — 18th Street in Adams Morgan

The staff

The staff at The Normandy was some of the friendliest I've come across at a hotel. They were extremely professional, yet also very kind. I was in DC during a heat wave, and I was offered a cold bottle of water every single time I came back in to the lobby.

The rooms

My room at The Normandy was really nice, with a marble bathroom and an extremely comfy bed. The best part, though, was definitely the funky wallpaper and matching drapes – I may or may not have had a Sound of Music moment playing in the drapes…

The Normandy Hotel in Washington, DC

The extras

The Normandy offers guests free wifi, the option of a continental breakfast, and a nightly wine tasting/mingling hour in the lobby. The hotel also has a nice outdoor patio, a sunny garden room, and even has a few bikes that guests can use to explore more of the city (I had intended to do this, but it ended up being just too hot for cycling!).

Any downsides?

The Normandy doesn't have an on-site restaurant, but the staff is happy to recommend some favorite nearby restaurants (of which there are many).

It's also a 10-15 minute walk to the nearest Metro stop at Dupont Circle, but I wouldn't really call this a downside since the walk to the Metro is quite nice!

The Normandy Hotel in Washington, DC

If you're looking for a nice boutique hotel in Washington, DC, I can definitely recommend The Normandy.

*Note: Thanks to The Normandy for hosting me during my stay. As always, opinions (and tendencies to obsess over drapes) are 100% my own.

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