A number of hotels in Washington, D.C., have either rooms with a view of the National Mall or rooftop terraces overlooking the city. Hotels closest to the Mall are the most expensive, but properties a short ride across the Potomac River have more reasonable rates. Avoid the mad rush to the subway and the massive traffic jams after the fireworks display by staying in a hotel with a view.
POV, the rooftop terrace bar at trendy W Washington D.C., overlooks the White House and the Washington Monument. An annual “Boom with a View” party after the fireworks display features signature cocktails and live entertainment. You don’t have to be a guest at the hotel to attend, but tickets are hot, so reserve well in advance. Top of the Hay, the private rooftop space at the Hay-Adams hotel, opens to hotel guests who book a Fourth of July package. The elegant room overlooking the National Mall has floor to ceiling windows. The historic Willard InterContinental opens its doors for a block party on the Fourth. Choose a room with a south- or east-facing view.
Liaison Capitol Hill’s rooftop lounge and pool opens to the public on the Fourth of July. The hotel, a few blocks from Union Station, has views of the National Mall. If you stay at the Liaison, try to catch the patriotic concert presented by the National Symphony Orchestra at the foot of the Capitol building before the fireworks. When the "1812 Overture" starts, complete with booming cannons, head back to the hotel. At the Mandarin Oriental, choose a room with a city view, rather than a water view. The luxury hotel near the Jefferson Memorial has suites with large balconies and oversized windows.
If you stay at Donovan House north of the National Mall for the fireworks display, expect to share the rooftop lounge and pool with the public. Normally reserved for guests until late afternoon, the hotel uses the space to host an Independence Day party with drinks, food and live entertainment. Ask the concierge for a table reservation. Georgetown, a historic section of Washington with shop-lined streets, noted restaurants and quiet residential sections, is the site of the Graham and its rooftop bar and lounge, the Observatory. The view stretches across the northwest section of the city to the Mall.
Farther away from the fireworks, hotels across the Potomac River in Virginia provide a long-range view of the festivities as well as a peek at neighborhood fireworks displays. South-facing rooms at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington have views of the Mall. Head up to the Capital View Ballroom on the top floor for food and drink while you watch the fireworks. An east-facing room at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel will also give you a view of the Mall. The hotel’s Club Lounge, available to guests enrolled in the Sheraton points program, has city views from large windows.
