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Washington · Hotel shortlist

3 star hotels near the cathedral in Washington

Gerald Whitfield

Gerald Whitfield The American northeast and Canada

Updated 1 September 2026 · 33 Washington hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Washington, out of the 33 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.6 down to 4.4.

The Concordia is the one I would book myself.

The Concordia

Highest rated of the five

The Concordia

★★★★★4.6 from 306 reviews

The Concordia comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.6 from 306 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 3 star property and found under city centre.

33 hotels in Washington qualified for this list and five made it. Hilton Club The District Washington D.C. is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Kitchenettebreakfast on your own schedule
  • Gymopen to guests, not a partner pass down the road

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All five, ranked

  1. The Concordia1

    The Concordia

    ★★★★★4.6 from 306 reviews

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly

    Check rates Read more

  2. Hilton Club The District Washington D.C.2

    Hilton Club The District Washington D.C.

    ★★★★★4.5 from 1,191 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

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  3. Tempo by Hilton Washington DC Downtown3

    Tempo by Hilton Washington DC Downtown

    ★★★★★4.6 from 141 reviews

    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly

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  4. Hyatt House Washington DC / The Wharf4

    Hyatt House Washington DC / The Wharf

    ★★★★★4.4 from 2,592 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

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  5. Phoenix Park Hotel5

    Phoenix Park Hotel

    ★★★★★4.4 from 2,221 reviews

    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Air conditioning

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How this list was put together

33 Washington hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Gerald Whitfield

Gerald Whitfield The American northeast and Canada

Volunteers three days a week and travels the rest. Maritime museums and working boatyards in 19 countries, mostly by ferry and train, talking to the shipwrights in every one.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.