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Head to the capital of the United States and immerse yourself in the history and diplomacy of the nation. When you stay in one of our outstanding Washington DC hotels, you'll be within easy reach of some of the world's most recognizable attractions and you may even brush shoulders with the president!

The landmark on the top of most tourists' bucket lists is the White House, so this should be your first stop. If you book ahead, you can go on a self-guided tour of this icon, where you'll learn all about how it was built in the late 18th century, burned down in 1812 and rebuilt again. On the tour, you'll see a number of the rooms in the East Wing, including the State Dining Room and the historic China Room.

Once you've finished at the White House, check out some of the other iconic buildings and monuments that make up the National Mall. The National Mall isn't where you can get your retail kicks, instead it’s a wide open space where you can see some of America's most important landmarks, all within walking distance of each another. Many of them are open to the public 24 hours a day and admission is free. Some of the must-see monuments include the Lincoln Memorial (make sure you take a selfie with the 19-foot-tall Abraham Lincoln statue), the 555-foot-tall Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Some of the world's most famous museums are also found in the National Mall, including the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian Castle. If you're an art lover, make sure you check out the National Gallery of Art, also located in the National Mall.

If you've got a penchant for politics, don't miss the U.S. Capitol. This beautiful building - well-known for its iconic domed roof - was built between 1793 and 1800 and the first cornerstone was actually laid by George Washington himself. If you book in advance, you can take a tour of the building and maybe even watch the Congress in session, if that’s your thing.

Away from the National Mall, there's plenty more this destie has to offer, including Ford's Theatre (where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865), the Washington National Cathedral, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Smithsonian National Zoo.

If you're a sports lover, check the events calendar and book tickets to see the Washington Wizards work their magic on the basketball court, the Redskins slog it out on the football field, or the Capitals shooting pucks in the rink.

When it comes to dining, you won't be short on choices in DC. The nightlife is also thriving and if you feel like an evening of entertainment, you've got around 80 theatres to choose from as well as heaps of bars and clubs to party the night away.

If you're here in Feb/March, you'll be amazed by the blooms of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. In May, there's the Memorial Day Weekend Concert and Parade. In June, the DC Jazz Festival is hosted at the National Mall. If you're here on the fourth of July, you'll witness the out-of-this-world Independence Day Festivities which in many say rivals New Years Eve celebrations! Foodies should try to make it for the International Food and Wine Festival at the Ronald Reagan Building in November. And in early December, you can enjoy the National Christmas Tree Lighting to get you into the festive spirit.

Getting here

Traveling to Washington DC couldn't be easier, to its three international airports. The city itself also has a very comprehensive public transportation system of trains and buses, so you won't have any trouble getting around.

So what are you waiting for? Book your Washington DC accommodation with us now and get ready to live up every last minute in the capital of the USA.