The Loews Madison is a solid choice for a stay in DC's business district. We spent time there while picking up our daughter from a nearby summer program at GWU -- technically pleasure, but for all intents and purposes business. The public spaces of the hotel (lobby, etc.) are immaculate, reflective surely of the grand reputation the property has enjoyed in the past. The rooms, although clean, spacious, and completely satisfactory, were not stylistically inspired; the carpet and the paint job showed a bit of wear in our particular guestrooms, although that may or may not be a result of our probable assignment to a pet-friendly room, as we travelled with our dog (who was made to feel most welcome, by the way). We had done the monuments tour several times before, so proximity to the National Mall and such was not a priority. There are certainly lodging options closer to those sites than the Madison, but the distance is doable. It's also a short jaunt away from Georgetown, a visit to which is certainly recommended, if just for a temporary reduction of the frenetic pace of life in Washington. The staff at the Madison are consummate overachievers, the friendliest we've experienced in quite a while, and an unexpected and welcome surprise for an urban hotel such as this. Everyone from the doorman to the room service operator to the bellman did their best to please in a pleasant manner. Overall, we'd recommend this hotel as a dependable, comfortable, and even elegant choice for a stay in the capital city.











