"A Night at the Post Office" the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC is SPECTACULAR.

How many times in life have I said, "How cool would it be to be able to sleep in that hotel, but I'll never be able to afford it" But then came the crazy idea to turn a hobby into a job, and The Flight Club was born. and today, thanks to the points, I can tell these experiences and explain to others how to do them.

The Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. is housed inside a historic structure, is the former headquarters of the US Post Office. Before it was a WA, it was a Trump Hotel for years, then in 2021 the change of name and today it is one of the most iconic structures in the Hilton portfolio, in a spectacular location within walking distance of Capitol Hill and the White House.

Waldorf Astoria Washington DC: The Reservation

Of course, I booked with points, the cost of a standard room was 110,000 Hilton Honors per night, As many as one of the best hotels in the Maldives, for a dollar equivalent of just over 750$ which with taxes and other levies became just under 900$. Certainly it was not a super conversion, but sometimes you have to aim for the result, even at the cost of spending a little more than usual.

As a Diamond, I didn't have much expectation of receiving an upgrade, sure the status is high, but in the U.S. it is easy to get it with little effort.

Instead. a few days before arriving I received the email announcing the upgrade. Actually initially from the app resulted in a one-level promotion from deluxe room (i.e., the basic) to Premium King.

The day before arrival checking on the app the upgrade had become to Junior Suite.

In a nutshell. a room that with points cost about 330k Hilton Honors per night and that if paid cash, on the same night, would have cost me almost 1400$.

Waldorf Astoria Washington DC: the location

We are in the heart of DC, behind the hotel is the Smithsonian , less than 500m away is the George Washington obelisk and the U.S. Government House.

The Waldorf is in a better location than any other luxury hotel in D.C.. The only comparable hotel in terms of location is the Willard InterContinental, just down the street. The Park Hyatt is too far from all the tourist attractions and not close enough to downtown for business travelers. The Conrad's location is not bad, but it is still farther from the monuments and museums than the Waldorf Astoria. The St. Regis is close to the White House and downtown but not much else.

If you don't have points you have to use Hilton Impresario

This is a facility that must be absolutely booked through Hilton Impresario, by anyone who wants to stay by paying for the room. To take advantage of this channel just contact the Italian team at Exclusive, the specialists at ACIblueteam service is absolutely free and provides access to a range of benefits that, in a two-night stay can mean a savings of over 400$.

Waldorf Astoria Washington DC: Check-in

We arrived around 12 o'clock and the room was not yet ready, this time I didn't do like other times where I gave up to the upgrade to get the room immediately.

The only flaw I found is that the entrance is not possible from the beautiful, and majestic, facade. You have to go through the side, private alley. Great if you arrive by car, but definitely less scenic.

We took a seat in the couches of Peacock Alley, the bar that occupies the covered plaza in the center of the hotel, and after dropping all our suitcases, we went sightseeing.

Waldorf Astoria Washington DC: The Junior Suite

When around 4 p.m. we escaped from the heat and mugginess we were escorted to the 5th floor, our suite was number 536.

WOW, the house where I live is smaller, We are in the corner of the "castle" as my daughter renamed it. The room also incorporates a piece of one of the two towers.

There is a lobby that in a normal hotel would be the actual room.

Then there is the room, a huge room with a double overlook.

In the center is a king bed with 40cm topper, fortunately the TV is 62″ otherwise it would be too small to be seen from so far away.

Underneath one of the two windows was a couch from which to observe Pennsylvania Avenue, the street leading directly to Capitol Hill.

A smart working area is built into the tower, with a hemispherical desk that follows the circular wall. The 3 windows on the outside of the hotel illuminate the room, which can be isolated from the rest of the room by curtains.

Writing this review overlooking the noble side of the building, on the façade that houses the flags looking out onto one of the most important streets in all of the United States of America is not bad at all.

Plenty of space in the bathroom as well, with double marble sinks. Walk-in shower and double bathtub.

It's just too bad that the Aesopp products, really some of the best I find in hotels around the world are family-sized and you can't take them home.

It's a Waldorf Astoria it's fair to expect the best in all aspects, and at the amenities level in the room there was really nothing lacking.

Not everything, however, was perfect, from a WA I expect housekeeping to come by for the afternoon room rearrangement and instead nothing.

The hotel

The structure, as mentioned is majestic; the top floor houses the clock tower. A museum that can be visited by all.

The atrium is majestic. The structure is covered by a glass window and is therefore livable h24 regardless of what happens outside.

All room corridors overlook this small square that houses one of the hotel's two restaurants.

The elevators are the original ones, or at least the structures are as they were at the time. With the little rod indicating what floor it is on (but in many cases it is broken)

Everything is (almost) perfectly maintained, not least because with the transition from Trump to WA over $300M has been spent on renovations.

There is a gymnasium and a spa in the basement.

Food & Beverage

In addition to Peacock Alley, the hotel is also home to Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa and José Andrés' Bazaar.

While more than half of the people were intent on enjoying the scenic 5 o'clock tea ceremony, we had an aperitif. Like everything else in this hotel, but I would say in the U.S., the prices are out of all European metrics.

A cocktail, not even a very scenic one, and a glass of Veuve Clicquot cost 60$ plus tax and gratuity. If we add a dish from the Kids menu and a side dish the cost comes to over 120$. Here we used up our available credit as Diamond members.

Then considering that, in the U.S., breakfast is no longer included the credit you receive of 28$ per person (maximum 56$) covers virtually nothing or almost nothing from the menu.

Room service is operational h24, but again beware of the price shown on the TV. This does not include 7$ delivery charge and the 20% service charge. That adds up to 37$ for a cheeseburger.

This is why, if you are going to pay cash for a stay at this hotel, it is MANDATORY to take advantage of the channel Hilton Impresario is the only Way to have free breakfast for all guests as well as 100$ credit to spend at the hotel.

The clock tower

In the center of the hotel, a panoramic elevator can be seen going up to the top floor, while all other elevators stop at the penultimate floor. This part of the structure remained public when the structure had been rehabilitated into a hotel in the mid-2000s.

To access the tower, one must go to the opposite side of the structure, where the starred restaurant Nakazawa is also housed. Like all public museums and parks, access to the tower is managed by the Rangers.

After the long corridor where the history of the structure is told, you take the panoramic elevator to the eighth floor of the building, from here you then take an elevator to the terrace of the clock tower, where the bells were also once housed.

The view here is open to 360 degrees of all of Washington; there are few taller buildings in the area. From here you can see the entire Constitution Mall, the Capitol, and the White House. Even if you do not stay at this hotel a visit to this tower is imperative.

In conclusion

Super staff, really spectacular hotel. I was afraid you could still see traces of the Trump Hotels, but I must say there is almost no trace. The suite was spacey, best bed I have ever slept in. Sure everything is expensive, but given what drinks and breakfasts cost in diners, even scrappy ones, it's not that unattainable. Booking it with points and leaving with a bill of less than 200$ was not a bad experience at all.

 

• Hilton Honors