• 1. Where to Stay
• 2. Where to Eat
• 3. What to Do
• 4. Insider’s Tip
• 5. An Oddball Day

A suite at Donovan House, Thompson Hotels’ first property in Washington.   (Photo: Courtesy of Donovan House)

Get a heavy dose of whimsy at The Mansion on O Street (from $350), where 32 guest rooms are hidden behind secret doors and pivoting bookcases, and each one is individually decorated with an eclectic collection of cultural artifacts. If space is what you’re after, book the duplex suite that re-creates an entire cabin, complete with a log staircase, Frederic Remington cowboy sculptures, cowhide rugs, and a wooden Jacuzzi.

Stay in the District’s sleekest option, Thompson Hotels’ Donovan House (from $159), where rooms are decked out with egg-shaped Studio Gaia lounge chairs and the rooftop pool deck serves cocktails and small plates from Susur Lee’s Zentan until 2 a.m. Explore nearby Logan Circle’s booming art scene, home to indie galleries like Long View Gallery, a warehouse space showcasing glass-and-light sculptures from Washington Glass School through June 19.

Find a homier atmosphere at the Asanté Sana (from $115), recently opened inside a private row house in up-and-coming Columbia Heights, home to a burgeoning bar and restaurant scene where you’ll never see tourists. Book the spacious W.E.B. Du Bois suite for the best south-facing morning light, and enjoy a complimentary basket of muffins, popcorn, and chocolate.

Published on Apr 28, 2011 as a web exclusive.