WASHINGTON—Choice Hotels International Inc. and Concord Hospitality celebrated the opening of the Cambria Hotel & Suites Washington, D.C. Convention Center by hosting a local craft beer tasting competition featuring local breweries and judged by a panel of celebrity food and beverage experts, including local restaurateur and Bravo’s Top Chef alum, Chef Mike Isabella. The winning brew will be added to the hotel’s list of local craft breweries including: Flying Dog, Starr Hill, 3 Stars, DC Brau, Evolution, DogFish Head, Port City, and Old Dominion.
The hotel, located in the historic Shaw neighborhood and just one block from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, was transformed into an urban beer garden for the day to embrace The District’s local community and craft brew culture. Guests included local dignitaries, local business partners, neighboring businesses, and friends and families of Choice Hotels.
“Washington, D.C. is a primary urban market for Choice Hotels, which is headquartered in nearby Rockville, Md., and like all Cambria Hotels & Suites properties, the D.C. property is heavily influenced by the local community,” said Michael Murphy, senior vice president of upscale brands at Choice Hotels. “Our extensive research has shown that craft beer and dining options are important to millennial travelers, and the Cambria Hotels & Suites brand wants to embrace the desires of millennial travelers by offering an all new, elevated food and beverage program aimed at providing an engaging guest experience—an experience where craft beer will continue to be a focal point in the Cambria bar. We are thrilled to support local breweries and offer another local beer to our guests.”
Guests also toured the nine-story, 182-room hotel and had a chance to enjoy the transformed rooftop patio, complete with views of the U.S. Capitol and national monuments.
Representatives from Choice Hotels and Concord Hospitality, as well as Councilwoman Muriel Bowser toasted the brand, the hotel, and the neighborhood before the judging panel announced the winning brew. Throughout the event, food pairings from Cambria Chef Michael DeMaria were available as well as a full bar offering.
In addition, the hotel hosted a raffle featuring locally themed baskets filled with hotel stays and items that represent what the District is known for. All proceeds from the event were donated to SOME (So Others Might Eat), a local charity that aims to help break the cycle of homelessness by offering services, such as affordable housing, job training, addiction treatment, and counseling, to the poor, the elderly, and individuals with mental illness in the nation’s capital.
