Location, location, location – the war cry of hoteliers – and the Rouge is certainly one well-placed hotel. Positioned almost equidistant from Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Downtown and the hipster village of the U Street corridor – we found that everything we needed to see was within walking distance from this Kimpton hotel. What we loved most about this property is that it dared to be different, in all the officialness of D.C., the Rouge offers a somewhat irreverant and bohemian oasis. With over a hundred rooms, it wouldn’t be fair to call it a boutique, but its funky pop-art cum speakeasy style (complete with crimson leather furnishings and animal print) and usual Kimpton amenities – including an evening wine hour on the house, communal lobby, doggies-welcome attitude and complimentary hotel bikes, gives it the intimate feel of a smaller property. It was lucky that we consider the colour red as auspicious, as it is liberally used throughout the hotel, from its public areas, right through to our room. Perhaps the colour has shell-shocked the staff somewhat, because the service we experienced was too much on the aloof side and could certainly be improved.
