In the building that was once home to Riggs National Bank in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C, Riggs Washington DC recently opened as Lore Group’s first hotel in the United States. Staying true to the building’s historic past, the reimagining combines the bank’s elegant interior with upscale hotel amenities to attract modern travelers.
The hotel’s lobby retains the bank’s original barrel-vaulted ceilings and check-in desks that mimic classic teller windows. The lobby also features an embossing of Juno Moneta—the Roman goddess of money—which can also be seen on the guestrooms’ minibars, and personal safes that are hidden within an imitation traditional steel money safe.
The 181 guestrooms were designed with floral headboards and black-and-white walls. Among the property’s 15 suites, four have themes based on First Ladies who influenced the White House’s design: Louisa Adams, Ida McKinley, Angelica Van Buren, and Caroline Harrison.
While the property nods to the bank and city’s past, it also ties in the present and future with food and beverage outlets that reflects the up-and-coming nature of Penn Quarter. Mirroring Lore Group’s European influence, Café Riggs has a menu modeled on European brasseries, leading from day to night with classic cocktails and food offerings. Silver Lyan is Café Riggs’s opposite, focusing on the diverse American cultures in a subterranean cocktail bar.
In addition to its food and beverage outlets, Riggs Washington DC also has gathering spaces equipped for weddings, meetings, and events, including private dining and Rooftop Riggs, its largest outlet, which has panoramic views of Washington D.C.
