Where to stay in Washington DC: the best neighbourhoods and hotels

The streets around the White House are Washington at its most ceremonial. Lafayette Square faces the presidential mansion, the Treasury and the Renwick Gallery are close by, and the Washington Monument and the National Mall are a short walk south. It's safe, central and steeped in history.

The hotels are among the most storied in America. The Willard has hosted presidents for two centuries, and the Hay-Adams looks straight across Lafayette Square at the White House. The Sofitel, beside the square, adds French style, and the Waldorf Astoria occupies the 1899 Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue, with an observation deck in its clock tower. Expect high prices and a sense of occasion.

Penn Quarter, between the White House and Capitol Hill, is downtown DC's liveliest corner. The National Portrait Gallery, Ford's Theatre and Capital One Arena are here, alongside Chinatown's gateway arch and dozens of restaurants. CityCenterDC adds smart shops and dining, and several Metro lines meet beneath the streets.

The Conrad sits next to CityCenterDC with a stylish rooftop bar and views across downtown. The Kimpton Hotel Monaco fills a grand historic building in Penn Quarter with soaring ceilings and bold style, and the Grand Hyatt has direct Metro access near the convention centre. The Capital Hilton, on the National Register of Historic Places, is two blocks from the White House.

Georgetown was a port town before Washington existed, and it still feels separate: cobbled streets, Federal-style townhouses, the old C&O Canal and a waterfront park on the Potomac. M Street and Wisconsin Avenue are lined with shops and restaurants. Next door, the West End and Foggy Bottom are calmer, with the Kennedy Center on the river.

This is where many of DC's finest hotels hide. The Four Seasons sits on Pennsylvania Avenue in Georgetown, the Fairmont in the West End has secluded courtyards and an indoor saltwater pool, and the Park Hyatt, three blocks from Georgetown, has the feel of a small European hotel. The Watergate, yes, that Watergate, overlooks the Potomac after a lavish renovation. You'll need the Metro or a taxi for the Mall, but you won't mind.

North of downtown, Washington loosens its tie. Dupont Circle is ringed by grand mansions, cafés and bookshops, and Embassy Row's flag-flying embassies stretch along Massachusetts Avenue. To the east, Logan Circle's Victorian rowhouses lead to 14th Street, the city's buzziest strip of restaurants, cocktail bars, galleries and music venues, with U Street and Adams Morgan not far beyond.

The Dupont Circle Hotel, right on the circle, has a terrace and The Pembroke restaurant, and the Ven at Embassy Row is a playful hotel 50 steps from the embassy mansions. On a quiet residential street near 14th Street, the Viceroy is sleek and modern, and Hotel Zena, on Thomas Circle, is a bold art-filled hotel celebrating women. The Metro is close, and the Mall is a short ride away.

Capitol Hill is more than the dome. Behind the Capitol, the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court sit among leafy streets of rowhouses, and Eastern Market is a lively weekend food and flea market. Union Station is the hub for trains to New York and beyond, and the Smithsonian museums on the Mall, including the Air and Space Museum, are a short walk away.

The Hyatt Regency is just 1,287 steps from the Capitol, according to its own count, and the Hilton Capitol Hill is a couple of blocks from Union Station. North of the station, the NoMa neighbourhood is newer and trendier: the Morrow, five minutes from Union Market, has a rooftop lounge with views of the Capitol, and the Royal Sonesta is a modern base at a lively crossroads.

The Wharf, on the Potomac waterfront south of the Mall, is DC's newest playground: a promenade of restaurants, bars, music venues and piers, with boats bobbing in the channel and fire pits on summer evenings. The Smithsonian museums and the monuments are a short walk north, which makes it a great family base.

The InterContinental overlooks the Wharf with a rooftop pool, a spa and views of the river. The Canopy is a stylish, sociable option right on the waterfront, and the Hilton National Mall sits above a Metro station served by five lines, two blocks from the Mall.

Just across the Potomac in Virginia, Arlington is home to Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon and the Iwo Jima Memorial. Rosslyn faces Georgetown across the river, while Crystal City and Pentagon City cluster around Reagan National Airport, and the Metro whisks you into DC in minutes.

Hotels here are often cheaper than in the city for the same quality. The Hilton in Rosslyn has views of the river, a mile from Georgetown, and the Hilton Arlington National Landing runs a free shuttle to Reagan National. The Sheraton Pentagon City is a few minutes' drive from the Mall, and the DoubleTree in Crystal City has 627 rooms close to the monuments.

Most flights from the UK land at Washington Dulles, about 25 miles west of the city, so a night near the airport can make sense after a late arrival or before an early flight. The National Air and Space Museum's huge Udvar-Hazy Center, home to a Space Shuttle, is close by.

The Embassy Suites, three miles from the terminals, has a dramatic atrium and a free cooked breakfast. The Westin is an Art Deco-styled hotel with a free shuttle, and the DoubleTree and Crowne Plaza both run complimentary airport shuttles. For sightseeing, move into the city.