The Jefferson is no stranger to awards; it is one of Travel + Leisure’s best 500 hotels in the world for 2006. It also holds the honor of being one of the founding members of the classic institution, the Historic Hotels of America. The hotel’s ornate Beaux-Arts exterior and glass canopy evoke a sense of the richness you’ll find inside. The Jefferson Hotel features dazzling staircases and ornate, antique-style furnishings. The 70-foot ceilings, awe-inspiring columns and exceptionally large windows are all reminiscent of features you might find in a European castle. Guest rooms feature original botanical artwork, high ceilings, mahogany furnishings and luxurious patterned fabrics. Neutral beige and ocher pair perfectly with burnt orange, maroon or blue. The range of detail is extraordinary, from the tasseled table skirts to the accent fabrics in rich toile de jouy. You’ll be in a prime position to explore the White House grounds, the Smithsonian, and the National Gallery. Or simply lounge at the Jefferson and progress from the bar, filled with historic caricatures, to the dining room, also filled with historic wall art. Like Julia Child, you may be so impressed with the French-American cuisine that you come for one meal and stay for the next. Try the crispy skinned wild Virginia striped bass with potato gnocchi, or the Muscovy duck cassoulet three ways with Surry County sausage.