Even the leaders of the free world need a break every now and then. While you may not have the Secret Service detail, you too can follow in the footsteps of founding fathers and today’s Beltway bigwigs at hotels and resorts with presidential connections.

VIRGINIA

The Inn at Little Washington
When Washington’s elite want to escape the capital, but not stray too far from the buzz, The Inn at Little Washington is a top choice. Former Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan and NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell booked the entire property for their wedding, and the Inn was a favorite getaway for Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper. Located about 70 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. in the bucolic Shenandoah Valley, the main attraction at The Inn at Little Washington is the culinary artistry of proprietor and head chef Patrick O’Connell. O’Connell is an avid adherent of the French “cuisine de terroir” precept, which makes careful use of the best products from the region—some of his favorite recipes include macaroni and cheese with Virginia country ham; crab cake “sandwich” with fried green tomatoes; and warm plum torte with sweet corn ice cream. The Inn’s collection of awards and accolades is endless; among them, The International Herald Tribune named it one of the Top 10 Restaurants in the World; it was the first establishment in the Mobil Travel Guide’s history ever to receive five stars each for its restaurant and for its accommodation, and was the first establishment ever to receive AAA’s Five Diamond Award for both food and accommodation; and The Inn and O’Connell have received five James Beard Awards. It’s no wonder critics have a tendency to swoon over the Little Washington experience—The New York Times’ Craig Claiborne called it “the most magnificent inn I’ve ever seen, in this country or Europe, where I had the most fantastic meal of my life.”

The Inn’s location in quaint Washington, Virginia, is steeped in history—George Washington himself first surveyed the area and named the village’s streets in 1749. The unassuming white building on the corner of Middle and Main Streets conceals an interior richly adorned with fresh flowers, sumptuous fabrics, amethyst-studded ceilings, and the owner’s stellar collection of art and antiques. The Inn’s 18 bedrooms and suites, created by London stage and set designer Joyce Evans, feature furnishings that were purchased in England, numbered, and shipped to Virginia to be assembled on site. Recently added are the Claiborne House, a 3,200-square-foot “cottage” overlooking the herb and cutting garden, and the Gamekeeper’s Cottage, both offering luxurious seclusion.

Address: Middle & Main Street,
Washington, VA 22747
Accommodations: 18 guest-rooms and suites; Claiborne House and Gamekeeper’s Cottage
Phone: 540-675-3800
Website: www.theinnatlittlewashington.com

Keswick Hall at Monticello
Nicknamed “Utopia” by Thomas Jefferson, the Piedmont Mountains at the foot of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains is the home of his beloved Monticello. Visitors can experience the area he immortalized at Keswick Hall, located just minutes from Jefferson’s historic home. The property’s 48 luxurious guestrooms are equipped with modern amenities such as flat-screen televisions and high-speed Internet access, but pay homage to the area’s historical roots with claw-foot bath tubs, afternoon tea service, and a one-of-a-kind Virginian library, all set amidst stunning views of the countryside and mountains. With 600 acres at one’s disposal, planning a meeting at Keswick offers endless opportunities for customized events—hold your board meeting on the croquet lawn, dine next the infinity-edged pool at a private butler-served event, host an evening meeting over cognac in the snooker room, or sip cocktails on the 12th tee box. Keswick Hall also boasts a total of 7,000 square feet of flexible indoor meeting spaces, with natural lighting and patio access. Guests of Keswick Hall receive complimentary access to the private Keswick Club, which includes an Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course, five tennis courts, fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a variety of casual dining experiences.

Address: 701 Club Drive, Keswick, VA 22947
Accommodations: 48 guestrooms
Meeting Space: 7,000 square feet
Phone: 800-274-5391
Website: www.keswick.com  

WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Hay-Adams
When it comes to proximity to power, you can’t beat The Hay-Adams, located directly across Lafayette Park from the White House, with unmatched views of both the White House and the “Church of the Presidents,” St. John’s Church. This revered National Trust Historic Hotels of America property is named after the distinguished residents who previously lived on the site: John Hay, private assistant to President Abraham Lincoln and later secretary of state, and Henry Adams, acclaimed author and descendant of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

In 2001, the hotel closed its doors for a $20 million renovation and re-emerged in 2002 lovingly restored, with some key enhancements. Guestrooms and suites now feature custom designed furniture and Italian bed linens, state-of-the-art phone systems, Bose sound systems, and complimentary T-1 and WiFi Internet connections, while bathrooms have been completely overhauled with deluxe finishes. The renovation also included creating two secure floors for visiting dignitaries and other high profile guests who require added security and privacy.

D.C.-style power dining is offered in the Lafayette Room, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, and the clubby Off the Record, where John Boswell, four-time winner of the Washingtonian’s “Best Bartender Award,” mixes his classic specialties to accompany a creative dining menu.

Address: 800 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006
Accommodations: 125 guestrooms and 20 suites
Meeting Space: Four meeting rooms, private dining room, and rooftop terrace; able to host groups of up to 225 guests
Phone: 800-853-6807
Website: www.hayadams.com

The Madison Hotel
The Madison Hotel has remained a popular choice for visitors to Washington, D.C. since President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy presided over its official opening in 1963 (the hotel has hosted every president since). Another attraction is its proximity to the White House, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown.

The Madison’s guestrooms and suites offer stunning views and 10-foot ceilings, and feature a combination of Georgian and early American antique and reproduction furnishings in the Federalist style of the hotel’s namesake, James Madison. Modern conveniences such as wireless Internet access in all guestrooms, meeting spaces, and public spaces; a 24-hour business center; and a 24-hour fitness center, sauna, and steam room ensure that the Madison can satisfy the needs of today’s business travelers. One of the most unique elements of the hotel is the Palette Restaurant, where seasonal art exhibits provide a subtle backdrop to an inventive menu. The hotel is also home to a spa that offers complete massage services, and has a pet-friendly policy that allows guests to bring four-legged friends weighing up to 75-pounds(sorry, mastiff owners).

Address: 1177 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20005
Accommodations: 353 guest rooms, 38 suites
Meeting Space: eight meeting rooms, plus ballroom; 11,000 square feet
Phone: 800-424-8577
Website: www.loewshotels.com  

The Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
The Renaissance Mayflower Hotel has hosted every U.S. presidential inaugural ball since the Coolidge administration. While waiting to move into the White House, President-elect Franklin Delano Roosevelt and family lived in rooms 776 and 781, and The Mayflower is where he penned the words, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” During his 1969 inaugural ball speech, President Richard Nixon commented that his predecessor, Dwight Eisenhower, had confided that he ordered his tickets for the ball eight weeks ago. “I told Ike that I had made my reservations eight years ago,” Nixon said.

Situated in the heart of the business district near the White House, The Mayflower is the largest luxury hotel in Washington D.C. and a member of Historic Hotels of America. Renovation work in the early 1990s led to the discovery of a 25-foot skylight that was blacked out at the beginning of World War II and two large murals by artist Edward Lanning. A recent $11 million restoration project revived meeting rooms and ballrooms as well as guestrooms and suites, which were updated with luxury linens and high-tech mod-cons, but retain signature appointments such as marble foyers in each guestroom, high ceilings, mahogany reproduction furnishings, and Italian marble bathrooms. The hotel also introduced a club level on the eighth floor, as well as 74 executive suites.

Onsite dining is offered in The Café Promenade, featuring classical Mediterranean cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and The Town and Country Bar and Lounge, whose wood-paneled, English Club atmosphere has long attracted Washington’s biggest powerbrokers. Step outside The Mayflower, and dining opportunities abound in nearby Dupont Circle. The hotel offers an onsite fitness center and easy access to horseback riding, sailing, a jogging and fitness trail, and tennis and squash.

Address: 1127 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
Accommodations: 583 guestrooms and 74 suites
Meeting Space: 19 meeting rooms; 35,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space
Phone: 800-228-7697
Website: www.renaissancemayflower.com

MARYLAND

The Inn at Perry Cabin
Vice President Dick Cheney keeps a vacation home in the Victorian resort town of St. Michaels, Maryland, which is also home to the manor house resort The Inn at Perry Cabin. The inn is a longtime favorite of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and when President Bush and Vice President Cheney visited the area in 2007, their helicopter landed on the inn’s expansive lawn. And fans of the 2005 film Wedding Crashers will recognize the inn as the site of the movie’s main wedding reception.

Situated on a 25-acre estate on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay, this Orient-Express Collection inn retains a sense of intimacy and exclusivity, with just 78 guestrooms and suites, each individually furnished with a mixture of period antiques and modern furnishings, and many with fireplaces. Rooms on the main floor and most on the second floor have French doors that lead onto a deck, patio, or veranda. Interiors pay homage to the inn’s long history and nautical setting, with hand-hewn beams, barge boarding, and polished wood floors, with sleek, contemporary finishes and airy fabrics to enliven the atmosphere.

Dining is an experience unto itself at The Inn at Perry Cabin. Locals moor at the inn’s docking facilities to dine at Sherwood’s Landing restaurant, which has won the DiRoNa (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) Award for the last six years, as well as Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for 11 years running.

To occupy your time, book a treatment at the inn’s full-service Linden Spa; take a dip in the heated, horizon-edge outdoor pool surrounded by gardens; work out in the fitness center; take a spin on a complimentary guest bicycle; or settle into an Adirondack chair on the lawn with a glass of wine to watch the boats sail by. Nearby activities include shopping, dining (especially seafood), and antiquing in St. Michaels; golf courses where the inn’s concierge has preferred tee times; sailing and fishing in Chesapeake Bay; hunting and sporting clays; and historic tours and horse-drawn carriage rides through “the town that fooled the British.”

Address: 308 Watkins Lane, St. Michaels, MD 21663
Accommodations: 78 guestrooms and suites
Meeting Space: Customized events for small-to-medium-sized groups
Phone: 866-278-9601
Website: www.perrycabin.com

The Maryland Inn
In addition to hosting presidents, governors, and statesmen, The Maryland Inn played a prominent role in the history of the United States—11 delegates of the 1783-84 U.S. Congress stayed at the Inn while in Annapolis to hear George Washington resign as commander in chief of the Continental Army and ratify the Treaty of Paris. Legend has it that Benjamin Franklin and John Adams also frequented the Inn’s tavern.

Part of The Historic Inns of Annapolis, a collection of three historic properties dating back to the Revolutionary War located steps from each other, The Maryland Inn (circa 1776) features 44 guestrooms, offering views of the State House, the waterfront, or downtown. All three properties were part of a multi-million dollar renovation to upgrade guestrooms, which are now equipped with new televisions (mostly flat-screen), high-speed Internet access, telephones, and private baths. In addition to the guestrooms, The Maryland Inn also offers historic suites that allow guests to truly experience the charm of a bygone era.

When hunger strikes, the inn houses the elegant Treaty of Paris restaurant, featuring fine cuisine made with fresh seafood and local, organic produce served in a historic setting; the Drummer’s Lot pub, an English-basement pub named after the spot where the town drummer resided throughout the 18th century, and serving casual, quality pub fare; and a Starbucks (the inn’s management worked with Starbucks to ensure that the addition blended seamlessly with the original property—the space is now a warm and inviting haven with low wooden beams and thick stone walls).

Address: 58 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401 
Accommodations: 44 guestrooms
Meeting Space: Meeting rooms for groups of 10-250; 8,600 square feet of flexible function space in The Governor Calvert House
Phone: 410-263-2641 
Website: www.historicinnsofannapolis.com