The Jefferson Hotel, Washington D.C. Unveils Its Makeover

After a top-to-bottom renovation that began on March 1, 2007, The Jefferson Hotel is once again causing a stir as a presidential pad in a powerhouse location on 16th and M Streets. Once catering to jetsetting celebrities, Washington's elite, and- yes- presidents and politicos, the hotel has started a new life with elegant public spaces and 99 guest rooms filled with antiques, period artifacts, and documents signed by Thomas Jefferson. Overseen by architectural and design firm ForrestPerkins, the full-scale transformation recalls Jefferson in the details: the Book Room has leather-bound books on the Jefferson era; the Private Cellar is devoted to Jefferson's love of wine; Quill, where guests can imbibe house-made mixers and herbal-infused alcohols, has the same parquet flooring pattern that Jefferson designed for Monticello's main salon. On the walls: a collection of 18th-century maps follows Jefferson's wine journey through France, Germany and Italy.

Historic details remain, but the hotel has been updated with 21st century technology. The 99 guest rooms embrace a French design aesthetic, evoking the era when Jefferson-- always a francophile-- lived in Paris working as Ambassador to France. Facilities include the destination restaurant, Plume, helmed by chef Damon Gordon, and a spa which utilizes botanicals from Thomas Jefferson's own farms.