Hotel Online
News for the Hospitality Executive

.

advertisement



Officially Opened by JFK in 1963, Washington, D.C.’s Historic
356-room Madison Hotel Completes $20 million Restoration

Owned by Jamestown and Managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts

Washington, D.C. (March 5, 2012)—As Washington, D.C. power brokers ponder possible future changes at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, one of the city’s most historic and well known hotels—The Madison—has completed a $20 million facelift in time to welcome crowds of visitors to the Nation’s Capital for the Presidential Inauguration in the winter of 2013.

Opened in February 1963, The Madison was the address of choice for visiting celebrities and dignitaries from Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor to the Dalai Lama and the high-level Russian delegation for the U.S.-Soviet summit talks. The U.S. State Department has frequently chosen The Madison for its long record of superior service and sensitivity to the privacy and security concerns of its VIP guests.

The Madison, with 356 rooms and suites - all offering complimentary wireless access - was purchased for $123 million in 2011 by Jamestown, a leading real estate acquisition and asset management firm based in Atlanta, GA. Michael Phillips, Jamestown chief operating officer, commented on the reasons for investing in The Madison: “Our vision is to restore The Madison to its rightful place among the best-in-class hotels in the Nation’s Capital,” he said.

President John F. Kennedy paid tribute to the importance of The Madison in February 1963 when he was guest of honor on opening day. Since then the hotel has served as a temporary home to incoming presidents during the transition, as they waited to move into the nearby White House. The Madison, located on the strategic corner of 15th and M St. N.W., just a few short blocks from the White House, served as the “interim White House” for president-elect George Bush.

Noted interior designer Dominick Coyne oversaw the current restoration. Recognizing the challenge posed by a traditional interior design and modern façade, Coyne attempted to bridge the distance between the two elements. “The challenge was to find the youth in the midst of all the tradition paying tribute to the centuries old James and Dolley Madison influences,” he explained.

A unique feature of the hotel, which was retained, is the spacious terraces attached to some of the most frequently-requested guestrooms and suites. These private, covered terraces offer guests a perfect place to unwind and enjoy the atmosphere of an American country home or in-town pied–à-terre. The terrace rooms on the 15th floor of The Madison are the perfect private viewing place to enjoy the city’s spectacular July 4th fireworks displays.

Coyne cited the architecture of Washington, D.C. as his main inspiration. Using warm tones of gray, brown and taupe in his color palette, the designer was also inspired by octagonal shapes in many of the interior accents, including the carpeting and area lobby rugs. Of special guest room interest is the use of gray and white toile wall coverings, replicas of wall furnishings which graced The White House several decades ago. The Federalist Restaurant, adjacent to The Madison, was also designed by Dominick Coyne. Influenced by vintage oak wood and a colorful blend of gray, taupe, black, and splashes of red, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.

Guests can enjoy the comfort and convenience of the hotel’s PostScript Café and adjoining lobby bar. Designed to mirror the colors and textures in the main lobby, PostScript offers a wide selection of panini, sandwiches, and light lunch and dinner for those with limited time to fit a meal into their schedule. At the Lobby Bar, the walls are covered by antique prints of historical figures and places, with two small oil paintings of President James Madison and his wife Dolley. The café is reminiscent of the cafes of Europe, offering classic barista specialties, pastries, and farm fresh products.

The Madison offers 12,000 square feet of function space. The rooms are equipped with flat-screen plasma TVs, Bose speakers, ergonomic chairs and other state-of-the-art technology to accommodate meetings and events from large corporate gatherings to smaller board of directors meetings. The Madison has been the setting for lavish society weddings in its two beautiful ballrooms.

The restoration of The Madison will be complete by April 2012 at an estimated cost of $20 million, to transform it from very formal surroundings to an ambience of relevant and understated luxury. Included in the transformation are three Presidential suites, featuring custom made furnishings, kitchenettes, and approx. 2,000 sq ft of living space. These suites are of particular interest to many diplomatic delegates who choose to stay at The Madison.

During the transformation The Madison has remained open. For information on current rates and special occasion packages, including The Cherry Blossom Festival Centennial this spring, contact a travel professional, visit the web site at www.madisonhoteldc.com or call toll free 1-800-424-8577.

In partnership with Jamestown, The Madison is operated by managing agent Destination Hotels & Resorts, a leading hospitality management firm recognized for its collection of high-quality, independent hotels.  The Madison’s Managing Director and Vice President Operations is James (Jim) Horsman, a veteran hotelier whose lengthy career includes assignments worldwide with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He joined Destination Hotels & Resorts in 2003 and oversaw NINE ZERO hotel in Boston and the award-winning Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont.

About Jamestown
Founded in 1983 with headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., and Cologne, Germany, Jamestown is a leader in asset acquisition and management. For 29 years, Jamestown has generated billions of dollars in strategic investments. The company is focused on core and private equity real estate funds in two primary market classes: 24-hour cities and Sunbelt territories with strong demographic growth. Acquiring more than $8 billion in these submarkets, Jamestown’s recent growth has been significant. Jamestown successfully invests in multiple U.S. markets including New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C., Raleigh, N.C., Charlotte, N.C., Chattanooga, Tenn., Charleston, S.C., Jacksonville, Fla., Savannah, Ga. and many more.  For more information, visit www.jamestownproperties.com .

About Destination Hotels & Resorts
Destination Hotels & Resorts is a privately held lodging management company headquartered in suburban Denver, Colorado. Destination is the fourth largest independent lodging management company in the country. For more information on the 36 luxury, independent, and upscale hotels and resorts and golf clubs, visit www.destinationhotels.com.
.
Contact: 

Vivian Deuschl
[email protected]
571-419-0060


.
Receive Your Hospitality Industry Headlines via Email for Free! Subscribe Here  

To Learn More About Your News Being Published on Hotel-Online Inquire Here

See Also: L'Auberge Del Mar in California Names New Sales Team; Robert Harter, Jeffrey Livingston, Christina Benson and Lindsey Dollahon Join the 120-room Resort Managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts / February 2012

Destination Hotels & Resorts to Manage the 296-room Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Virginia / February 2012

Kara Owen Named as Director of Group Sales for the Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington Managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts / February 2012

Destination® Hotels & Resorts Selected to Manage the 257-room Valley River Inn in Eugene, Oregon / October 2011

Destination Hotels & Resorts Names Steve Sackman Regional Vice President of Sales and Marketing / July 2011

Destination Hotels & Resorts to Manage The Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club & Spa in Kirkland, Washington; John T. Murphy Named General Manager / June 2011

Destination Hotels and Resorts Appoints Cody Vasek as Executive Chef at Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, Vermont / June 2011

Destination Hotels & Resorts Appoints Jim Horsman as Managing Director, Gavin Phillip as Hotel Manager and Doug Camp as the Director of Sales and Marketing at the 353-room Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C. / May 2011

Andre Fournier Appointed Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Destination Hotels & Resorts / April 2011

Destination Hotels & Resorts Launches Kids Healthy Recipe Contest in Support of National Nutrition Month in March; Program Supports Company’s Commitment to Healthy Eating Through Kids Café Menus / March 2011

Destination Hotels and Resorts Appoints Heinrich von Puschendorf as Director of Operations at Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, Vermont / February 2011

Destination Hotels & Resorts Appoints Amanda Acosta as Director of Sales for The Hotel Telluride / January 2011

Destination Hotels & Resorts Selected to Manage the 353-room Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C.; Jim Horsman Appointed Managing Director / January 2011

Seven Destination Hotels & Resorts Properties Listed Among the Best of the Best in North America by the Readers of Conde Nast Traveler; Destination’s Stowe Mountain Lodge Makes the Top 100 in the World List / November 2010

Lowe Enterprises Secures $100 Million Capital Investment for Terranea Resort, Positioning it for Long Term Success; Lowe’s Subsidiary, Destination Hotels & Resorts, Continues as Operator / October 2010

Steve Sackman and Nancy Lindemer Appointed Chair and Vice Chair Respectively for the International Association of Conference Center's Marketing Committee / October 2007
.

To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.OnlineSearch

Home | Welcome | Hospitality News
| Industry Resources

Please contact Hotel.Online with your comments and suggestions.