Mayflower Hotel by FredoAlvarez/flickr)
The Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, probably one of the best-known hotels in the city, was built in 1925 and developed by Allen E. Walker, who also developed neighborhoods in the northwest quadrant of Washington, DC. Its opening event was the Washington Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet; two weeks later, it held President Calvin Coolidge’s Inaugural Charity Ball. President Coolidge was a no-show for the event, but the Mayflower has held inaugural events for every president since.
The Mayflower is said to have more gold trim than any other building but the Library of Congress. Renovations completed on the hotel in 1998 revealed many decorative touches that were concealed during the Great Depression to mask the hotel’s opulence.
The Mayflower made headlines the other day when it announced that it will grant amnesty to anyone who pilfered towels, silverware, and other "souvenir" items stamped with its iconic ship logo. This coincides with the publication of a book on the hotel’s history. Amnesty starts today.
Pictured above is the rear façade of the hotel on 17th Street NW, which includes an entrance that is no longer used. The main entrance is on the opposite side of the hotel, on Connecticut Avenue NW. If you look carefully, you may also see a few flecks of snow. As I write this, the snow has gotten noticeably heavier and by day’s end we’re to accumulate about an inch, maybe two.
