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Willard InterContinental Washington
Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, United States · InterContinental · High Luxury
Henry Willard turned John Tayloe's Pennsylvania Avenue houses into Willard's Hotel in 1847; Henry Janeway Hardenbergh's Beaux-Arts tower opened in 1901 two blocks from the White House. Lincoln hid here before his 1861 inauguration; Julia Ward Howe wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic in a Willard room that November. Closed without notice in 1968, it reopened 20 August 1986 under InterContinental after a Carr-led rescue of Washington's so-called residence of presidents.
- 404 rooms
- Opened 1847
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Rooms from 301 sq ft (28 m²)
- Architect: Henry Janeway Hardenbergh
About Willard InterContinental Washington
- Abraham Lincoln was smuggled into the Willard by Allan Pinkerton on 23 February 1861 and worked from the hotel until his inauguration.
- Julia Ward Howe wrote the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic while staying here in November 1861.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote that the Willard could more justly be called the center of Washington than the Capitol or White House.
- Henry Janeway Hardenbergh's present 12-story Beaux-Arts building opened in 1901 after decades of earlier Willard hotels on the site.
- Closed abruptly on 16 July 1968 and sat vacant until a restoration reopened it on 20 August 1986 with InterContinental as operator.
History
Six houses went up here in 1816 for Colonel John Tayloe III; they ran as Tennison's Hotel and a string of later names until Henry Willard, a Hudson River steward, leased them in 1847 and joined them as Willard's Hotel. He bought the land in 1864. The present twelve-storey Beaux-Arts house, by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, opened in 1901, two blocks from the White House.
Lincoln was smuggled in by Allan Pinkerton on 23 February 1861 and worked from the hotel until his inauguration. That November Julia Ward Howe wrote the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic in a Willard room after hearing a Union regiment sing John Brown's Body in the street below. Nathaniel Hawthorne thought the Willard more justly the centre of Washington than the Capitol or the White House. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote part of I Have a Dream in a room here in 1963, days before the March on Washington.
A fire in 1922 emptied the top floors during Gridiron weekend. The Willard family sold in 1946. The hotel closed without notice on 16 July 1968 and sat vacant until 20 August 1986, when it reopened under InterContinental after a Carr-led rescue. The Round Robin still pours. Presidents still use the address.
The setting
Willard InterContinental Washington anchors Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street NW, two blocks east of the White House on America's ceremonial main street — the federal corridor L'Enfant designed in 1791 linking Capitol to President's Mansion. The Beaux-Arts building, designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh and opened in 1901, occupies a site where hotels have operated since 1816; Abraham Lincoln sheltered here before his inauguration, and Martin Luther King Jr. completed his "I Have a Dream" speech in its rooms. The White House is nine minutes on foot, the National Mall eleven, and the Smithsonian Natural History Museum fourteen. 2 miles from Lincoln Memorial.
Restaurants and bars
- Round Robin Bar — Bar
- Café du Parc — Café
- Le Café — Café
- Café du Paws — Café
Experiences
- Signature Suites — Suites that celebrate the famous guests and significant people in Willard's history, each styled differently to suit its personality.
- Oval Suites — Six opulent suites inspired by the baroque style architecture of the Oval Office, on the east corner with views of the Washington Monument.
- The Willard Spa — Spa offering custom massages and restorative skin treatments.
- Afternoon Tea — Afternoon tea served at the hotel.
- Holiday Brunch — Holiday brunch service at the hotel.
- Dog Happy Hour at Café du Paws — Dog-friendly happy hour in the courtyard with furry friends (Halloween edition on October 25).
Amenities
- Spa
- Fitness center
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- AAA Four Diamond (2026)
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