The nation's capital may be the last city anyone would describe as "hip" and "happening," but one look at the new hotels in Washington, DC, will convince you that things are changing for the better, at least when it comes to lodging.

The impetus behind the hotel renaissance in DC is undoubtedly the Kimpton Group, the San Francisco-based hotel management company that practically invented the boutique hotel concept. With 40 hotels under its belt, Kimpton is now taking on staid Washington. While boutique hotels are not a new concept, they are new to DC, home to classic, yet formal properties such as the Willard and the recently renovated Hay-Adams. While those hotels appeal to an older clientele, The Kimpton Group's three new hotels and another managed by the French Sofitel chain are designed for the urban young, or young at heart.

The Hotel Monaco
The newest and most elegant of Kimpton's Washington hotels is the Hotel Monaco, which opened at the end of June. The hotel is located in the Tariff Building (also the former General Post Office) that was designed in part by Robert Mills, the architect of the Washington Monument. Mills patterned the building, the first marble building in DC, after the Temple of Jupiter in Rome. Since the building is on the National Historic Register, the hotel's designers kept the wide marble hallways, vaulted ceilings, and grand winding staircases.

The décor incorporates the bright red, yellow, and green fabrics and paints that are Kimpton signature touches along with complementing black furniture ­ a perfect mix of contemporary design and classic architecture. The only thing warmer than the look and feel of the hotel is the service. Everyone from the concierge to the housekeeper seems genuinely excited about this new hotel.

The folks at the Hotel Monaco know how to have fun. If you're feeling lonely, they'll bring a pet goldfish to your room to keep you company throughout your stay. Dogs and cats of all sizes are welcome at the hotel, and the front desk offers a map of the trees and fire hydrants in the neighborhood. Extra-tall humans will also feel at home at the hotel. "Tall rooms" feature 90-inch beds, high ceilings, and raised showerheads, all the better to accommodate visiting basketball teams -- the MCI Center, home to Michael Jordan's Wizards, is just up the street.

Monaco is smack in the middle of Washington's revitalized and hot downtown neighborhood. Within blocks, in addition to the MCI Center, you'll find the old and new convention centers, the Shakespeare Theater, the International Spy Museum, and a dozen of the city's best restaurants, including the Monaco's brasserie, Poste.

Prices begin at $199 per night. 700 F St. NW; 877-202-5411; www.monaco-dc.com

The Topaz Hotel
The 99-room Topaz Hotel, just two blocks from Dupont Circle, has a whimsical, soothing ambiance. Visiting the Topaz is certainly unlike any other DC hotel experience. For instance, the staff wears colorful orange silk tunics and blue and green jewel- toned Nehru jackets. In the mornings, the hotel offers guests complimentary energy potions.

The soothing, healthy tone extends to the colorful guestrooms where river stones are placed on the sheets during turndown and New Age CDs are available for the listening. Topaz even offers a personalized horoscope wakeup service.

If you're feeling even more inspired for a revitalizing stay, try the yoga rooms, equipped with yoga props and mats, dimmed lighting, and instructional tapes. The energy rooms have exercise equipment such as Pilates machines and treadmills and VCRs with exercise tapes.

Rates start at $145 per night. 1733 N St. NW; 800-775-1202; www.topazhotel.com

Hotel Rouge
While Monaco is classic and contemporary and Topaz is whimsical and revitalizing, the Hotel Rouge, just a few blocks from Topaz, is definitely funky. As the name suggests, red is Hotel Rouge's signature color and can be found everywhere -- from the silk-lined walls to the headboards. If something isn't red in this hotel, then it's probably black.

A former apartment building converted to a hotel, the Rouge's 137 rooms appeal to both business and leisure travelers with two-line cordless speakerphones, data ports, and 27-inch flat- screen Sony Wega televisions. If you haven't gotten enough red in the décor, you can find more in the mini-bar in the form of Hot Tamale candies and cans of Red Bull. There are three types of specialty rooms: Chat rooms have flat-screen computer monitors, chill rooms feature Sony Playstations, and chow rooms have microwaves and refrigerators.

Rates start at $150 per night. 1315 16th St. NW; 800-368- 5689; www.rougehotel.com

Sofitel Lafayette Square
Washington, DC, was planned by a Frenchman, Pierre L'Enfant, and his European sensibilities are recreated in the city's very posh, new Sofitel Lafayette Square, a member of the French hotel chain, Sofitel. How fitting as well that the hotel overlooks Lafayette Park, just across the street from the White House and named for French General Marquis de Lafayette.

The public spaces and rooms feature a 1930s Art Moderne look and feel, with green marble, wood paneling, mahogany furniture, and bronze sculptures. The 237 rooms and 16 suites also have luxurious linens and original artwork.

Antoine Westermann of the three-Michelin-star Buerehiesel restaurant in Strasbourg, France, is the consulting chef at Café 15, the hotel's 60-seat restaurant, which is worth a detour for lunch or dinner even if you're not staying in the hotel. The contemporary French menu offers lunch entrees ranging from $21 to $25 and dinner entrees from $30 to $34. Rates start at $179 per night. 806 15th St. NW; 202-730-8800; www.sofitel.com

After Hours in D.C.

Staying in a hip DC hotel and ready for a night on the town? Try one of the following Washington night spots:

Acropolis, 1337 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-496-5480: You know you're not in Kansas anymore when you see the Greek columns of Acropolis on Connecticut Avenue. And you almost think you are in New York when you hear the attitude in the doorman's voice. Pay the $10-$20 cover to get in, and you'll find a dining area on the right side of the first floor and Washington's longest bar (60 feet of granite) on the other side. Don't even think about going up to the second floor unless you're a VIP, a friend of a VIP, or willing to rent out a private suite for $2,000-plus an evening. House music plays on the weekends; on Wednesdays, you can hear Motown, and Thursdays are for international music. Dress the part or you may not be allowed in.

Gazuza, 1629 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-667-5500: If the weather is nice, chances are Gazuza's patio will be packed. The clientele here reflects the urban mix of the surrounding Dupont Circle neighborhood. Gazuza plays host to an international crowd, yuppies, and gays. The inside is an upscale modern lounge, with house music frequently playing. Apple martinis may be yesterday's edgy cocktail, but they're quite good here.

The Reef, 2446 18th St. NW, 202-518-3800: In the middle of DC's trendiest neighborhood, Adams Morgan, The Reef helps you get in touch with your aquatic side. The second-floor bar, with 14-foot-high windows, features a blue décor and six huge tanks filled with some of the ocean's most mesmerizing fish. The recently opened roof deck has eight tables and a bar with 12 stools. The Reef's atmosphere lends itself to a night out with friends rather than a see-and-be-seen show. If you don't want to wait in line, get there on the early side, as the word is out on The Reef. Oh, and be prepared to answer a Trivial Pursuit question to get in.

September 2002