Want historical accommodations?
The Hay-Adams hotel, across from the White House, plays host to a myriad historic figures and political powerhouses. It’s named after the distinguished residents who once lived there: John Hay, private assistant to President Abraham Lincoln and later Secretary of State, and Henry Adams, an acclaimed author and descendant of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. The 145-room boutique property was the temporary residence of President Barack Obama and his family before his first inauguration. The Capital Hilton, formerly the Statler Hotel, is two blocks from the White House. It was purchased in January 1954 for $111 million, at its time the largest real estate acquisition since the Louisiana Purchase. All 11 U.S. presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt have stayed at the hotel, which now has 554 rooms. It also has 30,000 square feet of meeting space, and one of the District’s premiere fitness clubs and day spas, the 11,000-sq. ft. Mint.
Want covert group activities?
Attendees can infiltrate the International Spy Museum, the first and only public museum in the U.S. dedicated solely to espionage. The museum features the largest collection of international spy-related artifacts on public display. Through film and interactive exhibits, the stories of individual spies unfold, revealing the impact on current and historic events. Visitors can experience the life of a crime scene investigator at the National Museum of Crime & Punishment, which explores techniques used by government and law enforcement agencies to solve crimes.
Want green venues?
The Walter E. Washington Convention Center employs such green initiatives as 100 percent SCA post-consumer paper disposables; Green Seal-certified Cojo foam hand soap in all restrooms; 30 percent post-consumer, acid-free paper in all copy rooms; and the use of Ecolab, an environmentally preferred vendor that provides cleaning and sanitizing products to food-service and housekeeping-service partners. Nationals Park is the nation’s first major professional stadium to become LEED Silver-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The project incorporates a variety of sustainable design elements. Other venues with “green” meeting packages include the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, the Willard InterContinental Washington and Kimpton Hotels.
Want eco-luxurious settings?
The LEED-registered Salamander Resort and Spa in the historic village of Middleburg, Va., is targeted to open in August 2013. It’s set on a 340-acre estate and just a half-hour from Dulles International (IAD)and Winchester Regional (WGO) airports, in the heart of Virginia’s horse and wine country. Amenities will include 168 guest rooms/suites, 11,000 square feet of indoor function space, outdoor event areas, an equestrian center and a full-service spa.
Want group dining?
Planners can reserve the Poste Moderne Brasserie‘s main dining room for private banquets for up to 94 people (reception capacity: 200). The restaurant also has a 10-person chef’s table, a private 45-seat dining area and an outdoor patio. Rosa Mexicano caters contemporary Mexican food off-premise or on-site. Zola is a meeting-friendly American restaurant that has reception space for 250, banquet space for 150, A/V equipment and T1 Internet access. Off-premise catering also is available. Maggiano’s Little Italy has a location near the National Cathedral in Chevy Chase, Md., near the Mazza Gallerie shopping mecca. Family-style Italian food is served in eight banquet rooms that can accommodate groups up to 240. Upscale seafood is served at McCormick + Schmick’s, known for its fine service, cuisine and business-friendly banquet rooms. It has two D.C. locations and several others throughout the greater metro area. If you want to shake up a meal function, try CulinAerie, a culinary school that can create such team-building programs as amateur “Iron Chef” competitions. Other options include customized chef’s table experiences, wine-tasting seminars and cooking classes. Chima Brazilian Steakhouse, just west of town in Tyson’s Corner-Vienna, Va., has private dining for small and large groups. Waiters dressed in traditional Brazilian gaucho (cowboy) attire roam the restaurant, offering a selection of 16 rotisserie meats. For non-meat eaters, there’s a generous salad bar.
Want group fun?
Amusement Masters has a large inventory of indoor and outdoor amusements and games, from familiar favorites to high-tech interactive simulators and green screens. It can provide services for corporate events, theme parties and team-building. Events can center around arcade, casino or sports games, zip lining, green screen photo imaging, virtual reality simulators, karaoke, inflatables, Xbox, Wii or Playstation 3 kiosks or good old-fashioned pool tables, LED dance floors or laser tag.
Want venues with exceptional views?
Top of the Town is a reception and conference facility that overlooks the Potomac River and Washington’s most famous monuments. The venue accommodates up to 180 attendees for meetings, conferences, banquets or receptions. Amenities include a dance floor, an outdoor terrace,and a large, private parking lot (parking fees are included in the rental rate). The USS Sequoia is a yacht that has ferried presidents since 1925. It’s where JFK had his last birthday dinner, Nixon decided to resign and FDR fished. The main salon/dining room accommodates 49 for a buffet dinner or 22 for a seated dinner around a mahogany dining-room table. Four staterooms, including the Presidential suite, sleep a total of six guests. The Newseum, an interactive museum of news, has gallery space for up to 3,000. The museum’s top two floors house the Knight Conference Center, which has more than 13 meeting spaces (total capacity, both floors: 750–1,000) and an open-floor plan with unimpeded views of the U.S. Capitol and surrounding landmarks. Private dining for 70 to 90 guests is available in a dining room, which has an adjacent terrace.
