First opened in 1970 by Dr. Cyrus Katzen, the Embassy Row Hotel, part of the Destination Hotels portfolio, recently debuted in Washington, DC following a $15 million overhaul by Rockville, Maryland-based Jonathan Nehmer + Associates (JN+A).

The project introduced a “lively, playful irreverence,” says Shirli Sensenbrenner, Destination Hotels’ vice president of design and construction, with geometric patterns and rustic elements throughout the property.

Juxtaposed with an elaborate wallcovering in an adjacent area, presidential silhouettes clad a wall behind the lobby’s front desk.

By raising the lobby one level, Sensenbrenner and the design team were able to include new features, such as a bar anchoring the brightly colored Station Kitchen & Cocktails, and a grab-and-go food station.

Guestrooms feature a calming blue and gray color palette with robustly patterned rugs and curtains.

The hotel’s rooftop—decked out with mirrors and greenery—was designed as an urban respite with a pool, bar, and cabanas.

With games like ping-pong and foosball, the hotel’s Adult Playground offers a fun and functional space for pop-up events and features a gym and street art by locally based Kelly Towles.