Here's a look at Washington, D.C.'s new spaces open for events this spring. The new and renovated Washington, D.C. venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fundraisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, team-building activities, conferences, meetings and more.
A note regarding COVID-19: At BizBash, we're still committed to bringing you ideas and inspiration for when (yes, when!) events are back up and running. Some of the venues listed here may not yet be available for hosting events due to the pandemic, or they may be operating at a lower capacity.
Planet Word
D.C.'s historic, 5,000-square-foot Franklin School building is now Planet Word, a high-tech museum dedicated to literacy and the love of language. The landmark building opened in October and is available to host private events and meetings. Planet Word's showcase venue is the Great Hall, boasting 14-foot windows, trompe l’oeil frescoes and a 5,000-LED globe that also serves as a chandelier. The 3,122-square-foot space seats 152 for dinner and 240 for lectures, with room for 300 for receptions. On the fourth floor, the 2,697-square-foot Mansard Room is decorated with frescoed walls and exposed beams and features options like color-tunable cove lighting and a 165-foot LCD video wall. The Mansard Room seats 144 for dinner, 216 for lectures and accommodates 260 for receptions. This space can be combined with the rooftop terrace, offering great views of downtown D.C. with room for 50 for receptions. For screenings, the 1,802-square-foot Friedman Family Auditorium on the first floor seats 150. Host a reception for up to 278 outdoors in the AT&T Plaza courtyard, a 2,779-square-foot space off the auditorium that's anchored by "Speaking Willow," artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's interactive sculpture. Two classroom spaces seat 40 and 30 guests, respectively. The entire museum is also available for buyouts.
Photo: DuHon Photography
The Roost
Neighborhood Restaurant Group unveiled a 12,500-square-foot food hall in September in Capitol Hill, adding new vendors as the fall and winter went on and continuing to add new food options—that means everything from Cameo coffee shop to a beer garden called Shelter. Cuisine options include Red Apron Butcher, Slice Joint pizza, a sushi and omakase bar called Ako by Kenaki, and a healthful European cafe from buzzy Richmond-based chef Brittanny Anderson called Leni. Located in residential building Blackbird, the look of The Roost is playful and stylish, with outdoor seating available as well.
Photo: Stacey Windsor
Hilton Washington D.C. Capitol Hill
The 16-story Hilton Washington D.C. Capitol Hill opened in February in the former Washington Court Hotel, located right near the U.S. Capitol, Union Station and the National Mall. The 267-room hotel's new look is inspired by the city, with black and white photography decorating guest rooms. Hilton Washington D.C. Capitol Hill's event space spans more than 20,000 square feet with 22 meeting rooms. The 3,828-square-foot Grand Ballroom accommodates 700 guests for receptions and 360 seated guests for banquets, while the 3,150-square-foot Atrium Ballroom accommodates 400 for receptions and 260 for banquets.
Photo: Courtesy of Hilton Washington D.C. Capitol Hill
Moon Rabbit at InterContinental D.C. - The Wharf
Acclaimed chef Kevin Tien opened Moon Rabbit in October at the InterContinental Hotel at the Wharf, a modern Vietnamese restaurant inspired by Tien's childhood growing up as a first-generation Asian-American. Decor in the dining room includes intricate murals, and the menu features everything from pho fried chicken dinners to lemongrass pork steak. The 50-seat restaurant will offer restaurant buyouts once possible, and there's also a private dining room that can seat up to 40 people. Tien will offer custom menus for each event.
Photo: Courtesy of Moon Rabbit
Cambria Hotel Washington D.C. Capitol Riverfront
Cambria Hotels opened its fifth property in the D.C. area in February, the new Cambria Hotel Washington D.C. Capitol Riverfront. This nine-story, 154-room hotel is within walking distance of Nationals Park and Audi Field. It also boasts views of the Potomac River, along with a 3,600-square-foot terrace overlooking the Capitol building. The rooftop and terrace can accommodate 200 guests for banquet-style events and 240 for theater-style events. Perch SW, the hotel's rooftop lounge opening in April, is all about craft beer. Host a theater-style event at the lounge for 70 guests, or a banquet-style event for 60 guests. Meeting spaces include the 576-square-foot Delores Mack Room and the Mack Terrace, which can each accommodate 50 for theater-style events and 40 for banquet-style events.
Photo: Courtesy of Cambria Hotel Washington D.C. Capitol Riverfront
Ada's on the River
Old Town's new Ada’s on the River from Alexandria Restaurant Partners features 15-foot floor-to-ceiling windows to better capture a picturesque view of the Potomac River. The 267-seat riverfront restaurant is named after early 19th-century mathematician Ada Lovelace, with portraits of Ada and other historical figures like her father Lord Byron as decor. Chef Randall J. Matthews's menu revolves around the restaurant's wood-burning grill. Ada's features a 32-seat private dining room with red wood paneling, a wine rack and a large television for presentations. There's a 100-seat patio with shady umbrellas as well. The restaurant is available for full buyouts.
Photo: Alexandria Restaurant Partners
Stellina Arlington
Popular D.C. neo-Neapolitan pizza shop Stellina Pizzeria and Market opened a new location in Northern Virginia in February. Stellina's outpost in the Shirlington neighborhood serves Italian street foods, pastas and desserts in addition to pizzas and take-home items (with a pasta vending machine to boot). Molly Allen of Allen Studios designed the vibrant restaurant, featuring tiles from the Amalfi Coast and a Sophia Loren mural by local artists No Kings Collective. The downstairs dining room accommodates 25 seated or 45 standing guests; the upstairs dining room accommodates 45 seated or 65 standing guests; and the patio accommodates 24 seated or 40 standing guests.
Photo: Rey Lopez
Glover Park Grill
Prolific chef and restaurateur Michael Schlow swapped out his restaurant Casolare for Glover Park Grill in November, serving American classics from braised beef short rib to shrimp and grits from chef Hamilton Johnson. Located in the Glover Park Hotel, the restaurant debuted its all-day, year-round outdoor cafe and terrace in December, with room for 50 seated guests and 75 standing guests. The terrace is currently being used as the restaurant's main dining room, featuring an atmosphere of romantic lighting, greenery and colorful aqua paint on the walls.
Photo: Courtesy of Schlow Restaurant Group
Washington Justice
Professional esports team the Washington Justice opened a new team facility in Penn Quarter in March, where the team will play during the 2021 Overwatch League season and host fan events like watch parties. With 4,200 square feet of ground-floor retail space, the facility will soon be open for private events in accordance with the city's COVID-19 guidelines. The Washington Justice facility's total capacity is 100 guests.
Photo: Courtesy of Washington Justice
DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg
The DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg announced the completion of a multimillion-dollar renovation in January that gave a fresh new look to the hotel's meeting spaces, guest rooms and public spaces. The 298-room hotel boasts more than 16,000 square feet of event space spanning 14 meeting rooms, which all received a revamp with new carpeting, lighting and banquet chairs, and upgraded technological capabilities. The largest space is the 4,859-square-foot Majestic Ballroom, which can accommodate 625 for receptions and 480 for banquet-style events. The 2,898-square-foot Discovery Ballroom can accommodate 210 guests for receptions and 180 guests for banquet-style events.
Photos: John Bellenis
