Twelve & K Hotel Washington DC

Located in D.C.'s business district, just two blocks from the convention center, this 265-room hotel caters mostly to business travelers with its 6,000-square-foot banquet hall, host of conference rooms, free Wi-Fi, predictably comfortable rooms, and helpful service. 

With either two double or one king-size bed, the no-nonense rooms provide plenty of comfort. The bed, an especially thick 11-and-a-half-inch Sealy Posturepedic mattress with a nine-inch-high shock absorber foundation, comes with four large fluffy pillows, a cushioned duvet, and cotton-blend sheets. Since Oyster's original visit, the hotel has updated its linens, adding a bit of streamlined style to its already comfortable abode. New curtains and desk chairs round out the new look well, providing a bit more modernity to the rooms. The 32-inch flat-screen TV gets premium cable channels, including a few in HD. The in-room Wi-Fi is free. The relatively roomy bathrooms have high pressure showers. The rooms are stocked with free bottled water, replenished daily, but have no mini-fridge or microwave (both are available for an extra charge).

The best kept secret at this hotel is its indoor heated pool. Housed on the roof in an all-windowed space that gets plenty of natural light, the pool lets guests do laps even during the cold months. Given the hotel's popularity with business travelers, it may come as a surprise that it has no formal business center. Instead, guests will have to make do with two pricey computer kiosks in the lobby. The 24-hour fitness center has two stationary bikes, two elliptical machines, two treadmills, and Nautilus equipment. Though the restaurant, District Grill, serves three meals a day and room service, it's not the place for festive dining. For that, head eight blocks toward Chinatown and the Verizon Center for restaurants aplenty.

The convenient, modern facilities, and comfortable rooms make this an excellent and affordable choice for getting things done in comfort. Business travelers looking to be a little closer to the nightlife of downtown should consider the Washington Marriott Metro Center. To get even closer to the convention center, check out the Hampton Inn, which has a few more business-friendly amenities like free breakfast and coffee available 24 hours a day.

The Twelve & K Hotel Washington DC is located in D.C.'s busy business district at 12th and K Streets. The hotel is on what's known as the K Street Corridor, the home to some of the city's largest lobbying firms and most prominent think tanks. The area is convenient to the Mall, the White House, and many of D.C.'s finest museums. However, the immediate neighborhood is strictly a business district, and it's quiet at night and on weekends. On a Sunday, you will likely have to walk a few blocks to find a Starbucks that's open.

• Four blocks to the McPherson Square Metro Station (Orange and Blue Lines), which provides easy access to the Smithsonian, the Mall, the White House, and virtually every downtown sight
• Five blocks to the Farragut North Metro Station (Red Line), which takes you to Union Station, Capitol Hill, Adams Morgan, and the zoo
• 20-25 minute taxi ride to Reagan National Airport
• 45 to 60 minute taxi ride to Dulles International Airport
• Union Station, D.C.'s main train station served by Amtrak, commuter rails, and the Metro system, is about a 10 minute taxi ride (or five Metro stops away)
• Five minutes by foot to the White House
• Two blocks from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center
• 10 minutes by taxi, or five minutes by Metro (via Red Line), to the U.S. Capitol
• Five-minute Metro ride to the Air and Space Museum (via Orange Line)
• About 15 minutes by foot to the Vietnam Veteran' Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and other monuments on the western end of the Mall.
• About eight blocks away from the Verizon Center and Chinatown, a lively area with plenty of restaurants and bars
• Hotel staffers can call or hail a cab anytime; taxis are easy to come by on weekend evenings