A royal awakening in Washington, DC — beaver included

There’s a beaver in my bed. 

Not exactly what I was expecting, but I’m rolling with it. The mascot is part of The Royal Sonesta’s design aesthetic — each of the hotel group’s properties feature a unique portrait created to capture the location’s geography. 

I’ve arrived at one of the brand’s newest openings, the Royal Sonesta Washington, DC Capitol Hill, though my bedfellow has been around long before DC was named the nation’s capital. Native to the Potomac River, beavers are technically the largest rodent in North America, but I’m not a label queen. (In fact, I thought it was a chipmunk until a TikTok follower corrected me.)

Pack your bags, we’re going on an adventure

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@matty_rants Throw pillows are everything! #throwpillow #hotels #only1DC #royalsonesta ♬ soothing background music(1307075) – Art Music Style

Don’t worry. It’s not a real beaver. But the properly perched throw pillow exudes beaver energy: persevering and innovative, which sounds like a great bedfellow to me. 

Located just a few short blocks from Union Station and a quick walk to cultural attractions like the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the Royal Sonesta DC, Capitol Hill’s prime location is also convenient for LGBTQ+ nightlife, primarily located in Dupont Circle and the U Street Corridor. Though with a property as well-appointed as this, I’m inclined to stay in and revel in the high-thread count sheets.

Inside the Royal Sonesta Washington, DC Capitol Hill

Choose your stay among 274 rooms and 15 suites on five floors decked out with art curated by SOHO Art Consulting. The soothing palette in both public spaces and rooms leans toward natural earth tones with accents of deeply saturated blue. The modern furnishings have a stately (but not stuffy) quality with a whimsical air—a reminder that sometimes all we can do is have a chuckle at the goings-on in the politically driven town.

A well-appointed fitness center featuring state-of-the-art equipment and an adjacent yoga studio offers the opportunity to work off some of that lingering anxiety or muscle up for a night exploring DC’s bars and clubs. Or go the creative route and survey the hotel’s art collection.

If you know where to look, you’ll discover the collection’s theme, “forces of change,” exemplified with large-scale installations and hidden gems. 

Highlights include Sebastian Kim’s portrait of the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg (lobby side wall), which commemorates the fight for women’s rights; Morgan Swing’s graphic commission (lobby banquet sitting), which highlights the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Flora Borsi’s visual commentary (level two elevator landing), a giclee photography reproduction reminding viewers “to always stay tight-lipped in politics.”

A taste of France at Bistro Du Jour

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The latest concept from LGBTQ-owned KNEAD Hospitality + Design, Bistro Du Jour, brings a wisp of Paris to DC through bistro classics like coq au vin, croque madame, French onion soup, and steak frites. 

My visit allowed for a quick breakfast visit, where I opted for Paris-Brest au Saumon Fumé, the restaurant’s riff on a bagel with lox and cream cheese but reinvented with choux pastry, horseradish cream cheese and a decadent dollop of salmon caviar.

While DC has its requisite drag brunch options (head to Nellie’s Sports Bar or Perry’s, whose chef Masako Morishita won the 2024 James Beard Award for Best Emerging Chef), those looking for bottomless high-end cocktails can head to Bistro Du Jour for “Let’s French” — 90 minutes of cocktail classics like mimosas, Bloody Marys, and, of course, the French 75. Sundays also feature live jazz. 

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DC prepares for the world stage

Those who like to plan should mark their calendars for May 23 – June 8, 2025, when DC welcomes World Pride. A collaboration between the Capital Pride Alliance and InterPride, the event will mark the 50th anniversary of DC’s Pride celebrations with an estimated two million attendees. 

The line-up will be packed with entertainment, rallies, and cultural events, including an opening ceremony on May 30, a Human Rights Conference on June 4-6, and a Pride Parade and Festival on June 7-8, in addition to programming from partner Prides, including DC Black Pride, Trans Pride, AAPI Pride, and more. 

Looking for more travel tips for the nation’s capital? Check out our seven tips to dine, dance, and drink your way through Washington, DC.