The Bar/Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.

"Doormen greet you effusively when you arrive, and poised young women in the bar swan around, gracefully serving you your cocktail"

"Only seven years young, the downtown Ritz-Carlton feels like an old-fashioned grand hotel, where bellmen wear white gloves and the clubby old-boy bar fairly rings with the sound of shoulders being clapped"

"The 300 guest rooms overlook either the West End neighborhood or serene courtyard; their style is a modern take on the traditional, and all come with terry bathrobes, Asprey bath amenities, stocked mini-bars, flat-screen HD TVs, iPod docking stations and Internet access for a fee"

"Walk through The Lobby Lounge — you’ll find a cocktail hour here daily from 5 to 9 p"

"Guests staying in the Club Level rooms have access to a dedicated concierge and a private lounge that offers daily refreshments, as well as free WiFi and free passes to the 10,000-square-foot gym across the street"

"A stay on the club floor allows access to a lounge where complimentary drinks and snacks are served all day"

"Up-tempo lounge music, solid cherry floors, and an elliptical marble bar backlit by a gold-leaf wall set the concordant tone for its straight-up menu of hanger steak, roast chicken and vegetable casseroles"