Late Checkout: For Over 100 Years, Dozens of Presidents Kept Their Money In One Bank. Now, It’s DC’s Swankiest Hotel

Whether you first visited Washington, DC as a kid with your family, on a high school class trip, or as an adult on business, it’s nearly impossible to not feel in awe, no matter which side of the political aisle you fall on.

That sense of place never really goes away either, no matter how many times you visit. I attended college in DC an unmentionable number of years ago and have visited each monument countless times. And yet I still can’t help but feel gobsmacked from the moment I enter the city and bypass so much unwavering history. The White House, Washington Monument, the Pentagon — all just casually slipping past my window on the ride in from the airport, in an Uber to catch drinks with friends, or even visible from my hotel window.

And while I didn’t mean to seek out a history lesson on my latest visit, that’s exactly what happened when I checked into Riggs DC, a former bank where presidents and world leaders once kept their funds.

Now, it’s a 181-room boutique gem that’s far swankier than most other hotels in the city, a welcome contrast in a town overflowing with big box chain outposts and long-standing properties that could use a good dusting. 

After spending a night here, I couldn’t help but feel like a DC power player, whether dining in the hotel’s sleek brasserie restaurant that was once its banking hall, or checking out the sultry basement bar in the former vault.

Here’s a closer look around.

If These Walls Could Talk — They’d Have a Lot of History to Share 

The name Riggs isn’t random.

Once known as the “Bank of Presidents,” the building dates back to 1891 when it opened as the headquarters for Riggs National Bank. It operated for over a century, and in that time, 23 US presidents – including Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon – and their families entrusted their finances there. Senators Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Daniel Webster, along with the iconic suffragist, Susan B. Anthony also banked with Riggs, and by 1950, most of the embassies in Washington were customers.

Today, instead of serving as a safe space for money, it houses hotel guests who choose it for its sumptuous interiors, enviable location within walking distance of the National Mall, and captivating history that’s honored throughout its halls.

The lobby, for example, is fashioned to resemble a working bank and if you didn’t know any better, you’d certainly think you stumbled into one. However, the actual former banking hall that once processed transactions is where Café Riggs now operates. Likewise, a winding staircase leads down from the lobby to where the vault once stood and the door is still intact — more on both of those venues in a moment.

But back to the lobby. Most of the design elements are actually replicas with a really well executed theme. But as the clerk checked me into my room, something caught my eye. On a wall behind the desk were rows and rows of checks hanging. They were original cashed checks from the 1920s through the 1980s, he told me, and once belonged to actual former customers.

With check-in completed swiftly, I put my indoor sightseeing on hold and started off my stay by heading up to my room.

Bank on a Super Stylish Room 

DC has many hotels that have stood for decades, nearly a century in some instances, but none have been revitalized for a design-savvy crowd quite like the Riggs. It brings a high level of sophistication to DC while honoring the building’s storied roots, and the guest rooms are a prime example.

They’re awash in color, styled as a modern pied-a-terre with options ranging from a king, queen, or double beds spanning 250 to 360 square feet, depending on the category selected.

I stayed in a Superior Room and was instantly enamored by the bespoke wallpaper and headboards. The eye-popping design was created in collaboration with studio Voutsa and beautifully blends marbled florals in a modern maximalist way.

The statement wall was the focal point, and it flowed cohesively with the room’s other rust-painted walls alongside heavy red drapes, wood floors, and a patterned area rug. 

According to the hotel, each room at Riggs is meant to be unexpected, akin to the thrill of opening a safety-deposit box in a nod to the building’s history.

Many small details certainly achieve that mission. The mini bar, for example, is fashioned like an antique safe with a heavy lever to open it. It’s done in a clever way that lends to the hotel’s banking theme without teetering into kitschy territory.

Similarly, a small table wedged between plush velvet swivel chairs was unassuming at first, but a closer peek revealed it was stocked with vintage-feeling hotel pamphlets in the form of postcards and a mock newspaper that looked preserved from a bygone era.

The nightstands also came topped with a nostalgic touch-tone landline phone (it works, I used it to request a wakeup call) on one side and books by the poet John Keats on the other.

The bathroom was decked out in Italian Carrara marble with a wash basin separate from the toilet and shower. The walk-in rainfall shower impressed me with a spa-like feel, especially when coupled with the provided in-room toiletries from fragrance house D.S. & Durga in its signature Debaser scent.

Outside my window was a direct view of the National Portrait Gallery and I slept exceptionally well in the plush bed. Despite the busy downtown location, I found it to be quiet and restful.

Interestingly, the hotel also has a slate of lavishly-decorated suites. The Riggs Suite is actually the bank’s former board room, and there are also four First Lady suites, inspired by the personalities and interests of Ida McKinley, Caroline Harrison, Louisa Adams, and Angelica Van Buren. They’re decadent and extravagant with richly-decorated sitting areas, soaking tubs, and in the case of Adams’ namesake room, a baby grand piano.

The Rooms Where It Used to Happen

Amenities-wise, Riggs isn’t overloaded like other hotels with a plethora of venues and shops. Instead, the offerings here are pared-down and curated. 

On the ground floor across from the lobby is Café Riggs with its high ceilings and Corinthian columns. This is where the bank originally operated for its queues of customers, though you wouldn’t know it now with its slick design designed in the grand tradition of bustling European brasseries.

There’s plenty of plush lounge seating, a glossy bar, several dining tables and banquettes, and a long communal bar table, which is where the actual bank tellers used to work. 

While the overall design is upscale, playful details shine such as a 14-foot paper floral installation that seemingly glows at night and adds a punch of color for daytime dining. It was a collaboration between the hotel's creative director, Jacu Strauss and Mio Gallery, which creates unique paper flowers.

Though, the real standout is the food. A destination for local diners in its own right, the all-day menu is excellent with a wide range of American and European flavors. I had dinner here and my belly is growling recalling stellar dishes like an indulgent lobster mac and cheese starter, followed by mains such as the King Salmon in a dreamy hollandaise sauce, the seafood risotto topped with buttery uni, or tender and juicy steak frites. If room is somehow left remaining, the creme brulee is light, airy, and refreshing when paired with the accompanying berries.

In some ways, Café Riggs is the face of the hotel as it’s the largest public area, but the secret star is an additional offering tucked away in the bottom level. 

Silver Lyan is the hotel’s swanky underground speakeasy-style bar that’s housed in the actual former vault. The oversized original door stands proudly just outside of it. 

Go past a curtain to slip inside the sultry space lit up in red; it’s on the smaller size, so arrive early or make a reservation for weekend nights when crowds swell.

Small cocktail tables flank an intimate bar, but keep going back to grab a seat at one of the moody banquettes. Backlit by trophy cases, this is where I imagine hushed political deals taking place.

The bar scene is the brainchild of famed London mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana in his first US outpost. Each drink on the menu draws inspiration from the spices and flavors of America’s diverse heritage with cheeky names like ‘Press Gang Daisy’ or ‘Bare Market Hardshake.’

The cocktails are avant garde — you won’t sip anything like these elsewhere, though bartenders will also gladly mix up the classics. There are also tater tot and shot pairings, top shelf concoctions costing between $29 and $49 each, and small bar snacks.

After so much indulging, it might be worth a stop into the hotel’s 24-hour gym, which is well equipped with cardio machines, weights, and a leather tufted punching bag. Bikes are also available to guests to borrow for a ride around town.

Discovering DC

As there is just one restaurant and one cocktail bar on-site, unless you’re only staying for a very short period, you’ll want to venture out for some meals and hopefully a bit of sightseeing. This is the nation’s capital after all, and the hotel’s address in DC’s downtown Penn Quarter means that a leisurely 15-minute stroll could easily find you standing in front of the storied Star Spangled Banner herself at the Museum of American History, if you so choose.

Closer though is the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, which is directly across the street from Riggs. It’s open daily and free to enter, so there’s really no reason not to find a few minutes to pop over to admire exhibitions showcasing American art, which includes the nation’s only complete collection of presidential portraits outside of the White House, as well as several rotating exhibits.

You can also walk just 15 to 20 minutes to visit any of the other Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which is one of the newest, or snap a pic in front of the White House, Capitol Building, or the Washington Monument.

Hungry sightseers can later satiate their appetites at several excellent restaurants and bars that are conveniently located within walking distance of the hotel. 

Celebrity chef José Andrés owns many fine establishments in DC and his restaurant Zaytinya has been a trusted favorite since my college days. It’s only a 3-minute walk from Riggs with innovative mezze inspired by Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese cuisines, as well as Andrés’ own travels to the Mediterranean.

Or, walk 6 minutes in the other direction and you’ll end up at another Andrés restaurant with an entirely different concept. China Chilcano by José Andrés merges Peruvian, Chinese, and Japanese flavors in inventive dishes that are totally one-of-a-kind.

For traditional French fare, walk 10 minutes towards the White House to try La Grande Boucherie. The Art Nouveau-inspired dining room is elegant and ornate and includes a massive bar with a metal top imported from Paris. In addition to the alluring ambiance, house specialties center around the raw bar and large-format meats for sharing. 

If you’d like to keep things patriotic, one more block over is Old Ebbitt Grill, a classic DC institution for upscale American dining. I’ve been eating here for years and it always stands up to the test of time. The jumbo lump Maryland-style crab cakes are delicious.

The Bottom Line

There’s no shortage of comfortable hotels in DC, but for a character-infused stay that’s unmistakably original, the choices are surprisingly slim.

Sure you could book a room in a chain and know exactly what to expect. Or you could have more of an experience — and that’s exactly what awaits at Riggs. 

The theme is fun and eclectic but tasteful, and every design detail is curated with intention. The rooms are plush, comfortable, and quiet, and the location is superb, within walking distance of all the major sights and close to metro stops that make it easy to hop around the city.

It never gets old to see our nation’s capital and with a refreshing POV, neither will a stay at the Riggs DC.