Stay & Play
Courtyard Washington, D.C. Dupont Circle
by Randy Mink
A sparkling new addition to a well-established residential street in one of Washington, D.C.’s liveliest neighborhoods made a perfect base of operations for my recent trip to the capital city. The location—close to the commercial activity of Connecticut Avenue, Dupont Circle Metro station and Embassy Row—could not have been better. The White House was just a 20-minute walk away.
Marriott’s 10-story Courtyard Washington, D.C. Dupont Circle lies on a quiet, well-lit block of N Street NW, a street lined with turn-of-the-20th-century townhouses, some of them now law offices or restaurants. On pleasant days, the windows of the lobby lounge open onto the sidewalk plantings, letting the charm of the neighborhood waft in.
The 143-room hotel, which opened in early 2022, is tucked between the Hotel Tabard Inn, a relic of the past where guests sip drinks before a fireplace in a cozy, wood-paneled bar, and Embassy of the Federated States of Micronesia. The environs, in fact, abound with foreign governments’ embassies, many of them occupying opulent mansions dating back to the days when Dupont Circle was the preferred address of the elite. Today the eclectic mix of clubs, restaurants, offbeat shops, coffeehouses and bookstores make the neighborhood diverse and a bit funky.
The Courtyard’s convivial lobby lounge, with its tables, booths and five-stool bar, functions as a social gathering spot, workspace for laptop users and restaurant called The Bistro. After a busy day of sightseeing, the room provides an inviting place to unwind over drinks and “Social Snacks” like chicken wings, meatballs, quesadillas and Margherita flatbread.
Courtyard guest rooms, accented with abstract art and decorated in shades of gray, feature minimalist design, contemporary flair and tech-savvy touches. I liked the long desk facing N Street and the oversized chair on rollers. But perhaps the best feature was the bright, white bathroom with a walk-in shower and huge circular mirror set in a ring of light.
Other in-room amenities included free Wi-Fi, an abundance of outlets for devices, a refrigerator, safe, coffeemaker and 55” HDTV. There’s a 24-hour fitness center in the basement.
Dupont Circle, a tree-shaded traffic island where Connecticut, New Hampshire and Massachusetts avenues meet, is a great spot to sit on a bench and people-watch. In the middle rises a white marble fountain honoring Rear Admiral Samuel Francis du Pont, a Mexican-American War veteran and Civil War naval hero.
For a peek into the diplomatic side of Washington, it’s fun to walk north along Massachusetts Avenue NW, known as Embassy Row, and see how many embassies and ambassador’s residences you can spot. A statue of Winston Churchill outside the British Embassy stands across the street from one of Nelson Mandela at the South African Embassy.
The vibrant neighborhood is a window on the world in the most cosmopolitan part of town. Guests of the Courtyard Washington, D.C. Dupont Circle can rest assured they’re in good company and moving about in the right circles.
