Check it out: The Watergate Hotel, Washington DC

The reopened Watergate Hotel’s owners have not shied away from the property’s links with political scandal.

A guestroom in the reopened Watergate Hotel, Washington DC.

Few hotels have a name as infamous as this one, but the New York-based owners of the recently reopened Watergate Hotel in Washington’s Foggy Bottom neighbourhood have not shied away from the property’s links with political scandal.

Guestroom key cards read “No Need to Break In”; desktop pens are inscribed with “I stole this from The Watergate Hotel”. All of this harks back, naturally, to 1972 when burglars staying in rooms 214 and 314 broke into the Democratic National Committee’s HQ in a next-door office building; it all led, of course, to the eventual resignation of then US president Richard Nixon.

Designed by Luigi Moretti to resemble a sail on the city’s Potomac River, the hotel was the epitome of cool when it opened in 1967. Now, after lying vacant for several years, the Watergate well and truly has its groove back following a six-year, $US125 million ($167m) refurbishment by Euro Capital Properties.

Staff uniforms are designed by Mad Men costumer Janie Bryant; the bespoke mid-century furnishings include Moroso chairs by Ron Arad.

The acclaimed architect is behind the refit that saw the hotel gutted to provide extra guestrooms (now totalling 336, including six diplomat and two presidential suites) and new restaurants and bars. Key features including the listed exterior, grand staircase and mosaic-tiled indoor pool have been meticulously restored.

Most of the hi-tech guestrooms feature great views of the Potomac River and almost half come with balconies. All chambers feature a 49-inch smart TV, coffee machine, top-notch bed dressed in 300 thread-count sheets and goosedown comforter plus a luxury marble-clad bathroom stocked with La Bottega amenities.

DON’T MISS: A couple of hours in the hotel spa (opening later this northern summer).

DINING IN: Executive chef Michael Santoro moves to DC from New York’s Andaz 5th Avenue hotel. He is dishing up contemporary fare in the all-day-dining Kingbird, which runs almost half the length of the hotel, affording outdoor seating on a riverfront terrace. Expect all-American Wagyu beef, Alaskan king salmon and a mini duck Reuben sandwich.

Opening soon is the hotel’s rooftop bar and lounge with 360-degree views, taking in the river, Kennedy Centre and Washington Monument.

DINING OUT: Watergate Pastry (2534 Virginia Avenue, NW) has been baking delectable cakes since before Nixon was president.

ASK THE CONCIERGE: You must have a drink (or at the very least snap a selfie) in front of the wall of 2500 illuminated whisky bottles in the lobby bar. With its super sculptural Ron Arad chairs, The Next Whisky Bar pays homage to The Doors’ Alabama Song and the lyrics are woven into the rugs.

CHECKING IN: From $US425. More: thewatergatehotel.com.

ALSO TRY: Hotel Kurrajong, Canberra; St Ermin’s Hotel, London; Crowne Plaza Belgrade, Serbia.

ACCOMMODATION BUZZ

Crown is boosting its Perth presence with the opening of the Crown Towers in December featuring 500 rooms, suites and villas, a luxury day spa, and resort-style pool; it will bring Crown Perth’s accommodation inventory to 1200 rooms • Generator, Europe’s fastest-growing hostel brand, has unveiled a stylish property in Stockholm’s technology hub near the city centre featuring 233 suites, rooms and hostel lodgings; private rooms from €80 ($119) • Starwood Hotels & Resorts has opened the first of three hotels it plans in Cuba; the Four Points by Sheraton Havana, formerly the Hotel Quinta Avenida Habana, has 186 guestrooms, free-form pool, day spa and Wi-Fi throughout • Hilton has teamed with Ugg Australia to offer a Nordic-themed winter room at the Hilton Melbourne South Wharf and Double Tree by Hilton Melbourne; until the end of August expect faux snow, warming room-service meals and oodles of fluffy sheepskin cosiness.