Worth Traveling For
Hidden behind its stylish city façade, Pendry DC is, at its heart, a resort hotel that seems intent on giving your trip to D.C. a welcome dose of glamorous fun with a buzzy rooftop lounge, a sophisticated riverfront pool terrace, and a sexy hotel bar complete with out-of-the-way tables for two and Champagnes by the glass. That attitude is likely due to Pendry’s location in D.C.’s revitalized Wharf neighborhood, which draws locals and visitors to its mile-long promenade of bars, restaurants, and pocket parks set right on the Potomac.
It’s worth noting that Pendry is owned by Montage International, the California-based luxury brand known for fully indulging guests with service surprises and one-of-a-kind experiences in places like Deer Valley, Maui, and Laguna Beach. To that end, every experience has an indulgent edge that makes it feel extra special.
Hotel Highlights
Perhaps as a nod to Pierre L’Enfant, the Frenchman who created Washington, D.C.’s circle-and-grid street layout, Pendry DC has the perfectly thrown together flair of a Parisian apartment. In the lobby, neon mixes with a vintage Louis XVI marble mantelpiece; rooms have sleek iron beds, round needlepoint rugs, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Moonraker, the Pendry’s rooftop lounge and restaurant, serves creative cocktails, Japanese whisky, and Japanese-inspired bites highlighted by views of some of D.C.’s iconic sites. Bar Pendry is a sleeper, serving a wide range of foolproof snacks, burgers, and salads in a space that’s just off the lobby but still manages to feel like a secret (keeping in mind that on Saturday afternoons the normally quiet bar is home to the hotel’s fun Boozy Tea).
Rooms and Experience
Rooms are spacious, quiet, and well suited for working or sleeping; outlets galore make it easy to keep electronics charged. And staff members are warmly engaging and fully empowered to help in any way they can.
The Pendry’s bars are popular happy-hour stops for local office workers; but after about 7:30 pm on winter weeknights, you’ll have the place to yourselves. That all changes during the warmer months, when visitors fill the neighborhood.
Thanks to Montage’s spa culture, the Pendry’s spa isn’t an afterthought: there’s a full lineup of treatments in a gorgeous space. The adjacent gym is enormous and outfitted with a wide array of equipment and extras like Theraguns and a heated outdoor whirlpool. During the season, the resort’s riverfront pool is open only to hotel guests on the weekends, creating a blissful oasis for looking out over the scene.
What to Know Before You Book
It’s all about the view here, so whether you’re looking to book a room or a suite, upgrade to the highest view category you can.
There aren’t many places in D.C. where you can see the spring cherry blossom display from above, but the Pendry’s Moonraker lounge is one of them. Seating is a bit limited; your best bet is to reserve a table so you can gawk at will. You can also hop onto one of the hotel’s complimentary e-bikes and cruise over to the Tidal Basin (where many of the cherry trees reside) in no time. Note: Cherry blossom season is March 20 – April 12, 2026, with peak bloom predicted between March 28-31.
655 Water Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024
Closest airport: Reagan National; 15 minutes (but could be up to 45 in morning rush-hour traffic.)
Feature image courtesy of Pendry Washington, DC-The Wharf. Travel Curator may earn a commission from product or booking links on this page.
