The International Spy Museum is one of the most fun daytime spots in Washington, D.C., It’s unique, intriguing, and super-interactive with lots of games to test your spying skills.
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The Museum has a fabulous location in L’Enfant Plaza, midway between the National Mall and the Wharf, a vibrant waterfront district teeming with lots of restaurants and shops.
There are more than a dozen hotels within walking distance of the International Spy Museum. Some of the more suitable are:
Salamander Washington D.C.
★★★★★
This Preferred luxury hotel is about a five- to ten-minute walk to the International Spy Museum.
The hotel took over the building that formerly housed the Mandarin Oriental. It offers fabulous views of the Tidal Basin, the Potomac Park reservoir surrounded by cherry-blossom trees. Rooms are spacious and elegantly appointed.
The Salamander is a fine choice if you want classic luxury in a waterfront location.
InterContinental
Washington D.C. — the Wharf
★★★★★
This modern IHG hotel is a five- to ten-minute walk to the International Spy Museum. It is also a short walk to Arena Stage, where I saw Oscar Wilde‘s “The Importance of Being Earnest“.
Rooms are cozy, but suites are more spacious, and some have balconies. The hotel boasts a rooftop bar, an infinity pool, and wonderful waterfront views. The InterContinental is a good choice if you want a sophisticated lodgings in a waterfront location.
Pendry Washington D.C. — the Wharf
★★★★★
This Preferred hotel is a five- to ten-minute walk from the International Spy Museum. Rooms and suites have a sleek modernist design with full-length windows. Many have nice views of the Potomac River.
Amenities include a terrace with a heated saltwater pool, a whirlpool, cabanas, and views of the Potomac River.
The Pendry offers guests complimentary rides around the immediate area in its hotel Cadillac. And it has a boat you can charter for a local cruise.
The hotel’s Michelin restaurant Flora Flora serves Latin American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Options range from huevos rancheros to ancho-braised short rib.
The hotel’s rooftop bar Moonraker offers spectacular views of the River; its walls can open and close depending on the weather.
The lobby Bar Pendry offers a speak-easy feel, with comfy backed stools and cushy seating by the windows and in a cozy side room. It offers “boozy tea” on Saturday afternoons. I enjoy popping in for a glass of wine while visiting the Wharf.
The Pendry is a good choice if you want modern luxury in a waterfront location.
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington D.C.
★★★★-1/2
This historic IHG property is a 15- to 20-minute walk to the International Spy Museum. It is also catty-cornered from the Capital One Arena in a lively location rich with restaurants.
The Hotel occupies a 19th-century building that once housed the General Post Office. It features a stunning lobby with complementary coffee in the morning and wine in the evening.
The Hotel Monaco is a good choice if you want historic accommodations in a hopping hotspot with lots of restaurant options.
Hotel Washington
★★★★-1/2
This upscale hotel is a 15- to 20-minute walk to the International Spy Museum. It is also steps away from the White House.
Its rooftop bar VUE is iconic, offering spectacular views of Washington. When I worked nearby, it was a favorite spot to meet friends or take out-of-town guests. It appeared in the Cold War thriller No Way Out.
The Hotel Washington is a good choice if you want sophisticated lodgings downtown.
Hilton Washington D.C.
National Mall the Wharf
★★★★
This upscale hotel is steps away from the International Spy Museum. It is also a short walk to several Smithsonian museums on the Mall. Its building was once home to the Loews L’Enfant Plaza Hotel (where my parents used to stay when they came to visit me in college).
The Hilton is a good choice if you want a standard hotel super-close to the International Spy Museum and comfortable walking distance to both the Wharf and the National Mall.
Canopy by Hilton Washington D.C. the Wharf
★★★★
This upscale hotel is a five- to ten-minute walk from the International Spy Museum. Canopy is Hilton’s “lifestyle” brand, with modern design elements and large common spaces.
Canopy the Wharf was the first of the brand to open in the United States. Standard rooms are cozy, but suites are more spacious. Many have waterfront views. They also have Nespresso machines and “unclosets”, impractical and inelegant open spaces to hang your clothes.
Canopy the Wharf is a good choice if you want contemporary comfort in a waterfront location.
J.W. Marriott Washington D.C.
★★★★
This upscale hotel is a 15- to 20-minute walk from the International Spy Museum. The hotel boasts elegant, spacious rooms with views of the city. The Marriott is a good choice if you want classic comfort downtown.
Hyatt House Washington D.C. | the Wharf
★★★-1/2
This extended-stay hotel is a five- to ten-minute walk to the International Spy Museum. It is also within walking distance of Nationals Park. Rooms and suites feature fill kitchens, and there is complimentary breakfast daily. Many suites boast beautiful views of the Potomac River. Hyatt House the Wharf is a good choice if you want an extended-stay hotel in a waterfront location.
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