Our Verdict

Canopy by Hilton is by far one of the hotel brands we were most excited to stay at this year. And our stay at the Canopy the Wharf is our first of three Canopy by Hilton stays this year. Canopy by Hilton is Hilton's lifestyle brand, focusing on locally-inspired design, food and beverage offerings, environmentally friendly features, and large multi-use public spaces. And Canopy the Wharf, which opened earlier this year, is the first Canopy Hotel to open in the United States.

Canopy the Wharf

We stayed at the Canopy The Wharf for two nights in April. And we really enjoyed our first time at the Canopy by Hilton brand. The hotel was everything you would expect in a lifestyle boutique hotel. The newest Canopy hotel in Southwest Washington DC is part of the hot new waterfront development called The Wharf. The Wharf is a vibrant neighborhood full of restaurants and nightlife. And the location can't be beat. You are a 10 minute walk from the National Mall, plus The Wharf offers a free shuttle to the Mall that runs every 15 minutes.

Our Room

We booked a partial waterfront view suite. And the room was everything we expected from a Canopy by Hilton. The room had had floor to ceiling windows. And with lots of modern design elements, the room featured a barn door, one of the innovative Canopy hotel features. The barn door separates the bedroom from the dining and living area.

Canopy by Hilton rooms have a Canopy bed with gel memory foam and Serta Cool Balance® Technology. The bedroom featured plenty of modern design elements and the bed was extremely comfortable.

The living area featured a small couch and several chairs along with a small dining table. And while the room was extremely comfortable, we loved the local decor. There were maps of the DC area used as wallpaper behind the huge flat screen television in both the living and bedrooms.

The bathroom had a large vanity and walk-in shower. Plus just off the bathroom was the Canopy "uncloset". That’s an open area with no door where you store your clothes. The uncloset has a great look and is a great concept, however it probably isn't as practical as it should be.

The Canopy by Hilton brand uses Apivita toiletries. This was our first time using the Apivita brand toiletries, but we really enjoyed the natural smells and scents like Green Honey & Mountain Tea shower gel and the Greek Honey & Orange shampoo.

Each room also has a Nespresso machine. And one of Canopy by Hilton's goals is to be ecological friendly. So you'll notice that there are no plastic water bottles. Instead, there are glass bottles which can be filled at water filling stations on each level of the hotel.

Dining

Canopy by Hilton hotels offer a free artisenal breakfast buffet to all guests. And the breakfast was delicious, local and fresh. The wood burning oven turns out flatbread egg pizzas for breakfast, along with a meat and cheese platter and several other rotating dishes. You'll also find smoothies, fruit-infused water, yogurt and coffee from a local roaster. Overall, the breakfast met and exceeded our needs and expectations.

And if you are in a hurry or prefer to eat in your room, you can get a bag filled with fruit, yogurt, and coffee delivered instead of going to the artisenal buffet.

If you need a quick bite for lunch or dinner, The Canopy Central Bistro and Bar serves small nibbles and bites and enticing beverages such as refreshing juices, wine, craft beers, and signature cocktails. We enjoyed a quick dinner at The Canopy Central Bistro and Bar one evening and had a delicious flatbread.

In addition to the Canopy Central area, the Canopy the Wharf also has a rooftop bar, Whiskey Charley. And it's worth a visit, even if just for the view. The bar and the outdoor patio have an incredible view of the entire Wharf Neighborhood plus you can see the United States Capital.

Amenities

The Canopy the Wharf sits along a stretch of waterfront biking paths. And the Canopy has a dozen bikes available on a first come, first served basis. A helmet and a lock is included.

And if you need more than a bike ride, the Canopy by Hilton shares a fairly large gym with the adjacent Hyatt House hotel.

Overall Impression

The Canopy by Hilton The Wharf is a luxurious, lifestyle oriented hotel. It's not stuffy, but it's also higher end than the neighboring Hyatt House. It has an upscale feel, the rooms were perfectly comfortable and the free artisenal breakfast was superb.

The Canopy the Wharf is located within walking to distance to many of the Washington D.C. attractions, but the Wharf neighborhood itself has plenty to offer. And since the Canopy by Hilton the Wharf is pet friendly, we might have to bring Madi with us on our next trip!