There’s no better time to visit Washington, D.C., than during cherry blossom season. The beautiful blooms of the city’s Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees signal the arrival of spring and are the beloved muses for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place from March 20 to April 13, 2025.
To make the most of the season, choose one of the area’s luxury hotels as your base. These properties offer an upscale ambiance, gourmet dining and themed packages primed for cherry blossom enjoyment. Here’s a rundown of several premier D.C.-area hotels to immerse yourself in the cherry blossom spirit.
Waldorf Astoria Washington DC
Originally opened in 1899 as the headquarters for the U.S. Post Office Department, the historic Waldorf Astoria Washington DC is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. In celebration of Washington DC cherry blossoms, the hotel has transformed its grand lobby and Peacock Alley restaurant into a floral wonderland, with exquisite installations and a centerpiece cherry blossom tree. The hotel’s cherry blossom afternoon tea provides a refined experience with rare Tealeaves spring blends and cherry-infused treats such as cherry ricotta toast and chocolate cherry financiers.
The hotel has unveiled its first-ever cherry blossom suite, a blissful space with floral and pink accents, ornate chandeliers, three walk-in closets, an in-suite massage room, and panoramic views of Pennsylvania Avenue. Guests can opt book the cherry blossom suite, which averages about $5,000 per night, or opt for the two-night Full Bloom Retreat package, available through May 4, 2025. The retreat package includes private massages, a personal chauffeur and after-hours access to the hotel’s clock tower. The package also contains a gourmet picnic lunch, a Concierge “Secret List” of hidden cherry blossom spots, a luxury bath set and sakura-inspired spa treatments like the Sakura Body Treatment and Ultimate Sakura Ritual Facial.
The St. Regis Washington, D.C.
The St. Regis Washington, D.C. is offering its sophisticated cherry blossom afternoon tea service until May 18. Guests can choose from a selection of Dammann Frères teas, including a custom cherry blossom blend and an assortment of cherry blossom-inspired treats beautifully presented on a cherry blossom serving tree.
For those with a penchant for sweets, the St. Regis Bar & Lounge serves a tempting selection of treats on its cherry blossom dessert wheel, paired with Pieper-Heidsick Champagne. Delight in creations such as white chocolate cherry blossom mousse and passion fruit cremeux. The bar also showcases the “When in Tokyo” cocktail, a refreshing mix of Japanese gin, Junmai Saké and Green Chartreuse.
The Jefferson
The Jefferson, an opulent 99-room Beaux-Arts-style hotel near Dupont Circle, provides guests an extraordinary vantage point for cherry blossom viewing with its Blossoms by Boat package. Operated by EmbarkDC, this experience includes a 90-minute private boat tour, allowing guests to marvel at the breathtaking cherry blossoms without the usual crowd.
Guests will stay two nights in a suite at The Jefferson and enjoy gourmet picnic treats curated by Executive Chef Fabio Salvatore, complete with a custom picnic blanket and basket. The package also comes with complimentary cocktails for two at Quill, The Jefferson’s stylish bar, with a cherry blossom-themed drink list that includes sakes and fruity wines.
Pendry Hotel Washington, DC – The Wharf
At Pendry Hotel Washington DC – The Wharf, guests can choose from a variety of cherry blossom-themed experiences. The hotel’s Bloom Treatment at Spa Pendry uses a cherry blossom product line made just for Spa Pendry, while the Picnic & Petals package includes e-bike rental reservations, a gourmet picnic, a Pendry thermos and a digitally guided journey to the perfect picnic spot.
The property also hosts a fun cherry blossom sip and paint experience, where guests can try sakura menu items and Moonraker’s full a la carte menu. Every spring, the hotel’s popular Boozy Tea experience incorporates a cherry blossom-inspired tea service with items like Sencha Shogun and Hibiscus Hana with Haku vodka, Roku gin and St. Germain.
Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C.
The historic Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C., just steps from the White House, goes all out for cherry blossom season. The celebration begins in the grand Beaux-Arts lobby, which is graced with elegant pink and white floral décor. The Willard’s cherry blossom afternoon tea, a cherished tradition since the 1920s, features a harpist and enticing menu of boutique blended loose-leaf teas and sweet and savory treats, including the hotel’s famous scones, crafted by Executive Chef Gyo Santa and Pastry Chef Sabri Uzun.
Guests can also sample cherry blossom-themed cocktails and mocktails at the Round Robin Bar. The new Ume & Sakura cocktail, inspired by the sakura cherry trees gifted from Japan in 1912, combines Ume Japanese whisky, cherry blossom liqueur, Marugoto Shibori and Sakura Bitters. The Blossoms and Diplomacy package, available from March 20 to April 14, includes a historical tour of the hotel, food and beverage credits and a $150 spa credit.
Conrad Washington, DC
Located in the city’s high-end CityCenter district, Conrad Washington, DC is offering the over-the-top Cherry Blossom Celebration. With a two-night minimum stay, the package includes a one-hour photography session at the Tidal Basin, a gift of rose gold jewelry by David Yurman and a $1,000 shopping spree at Scanlan Theodore. Guests will also enjoy a gourmet cherry blossom-inspired four-course dinner at Estuary Restaurant and access to the Sakura Club for daily Japanese whiskey tastings.
Additional seasonal options at the hotel include a St. John pop-up boutique showcasing cherry blossom-inspired fashion, a Japanese parasol art installation by My Ly honoring the historic 1912 cherry blossom gift from Japan and the signature Kyoto Spring Cocktail, which combines Japanese gin with cherry blossom green tea syrup.
The Watergate Hotel
The Watergate Hotel introduces a unique way to celebrate cherry blossom season with its Blossom Drive package. Starting at $20,000, guests can unwind in the opulent two-room Rose Suite, with cherry blossom-themed amenities and fantastic views of the Potomac River and D.C. skyline.
The package includes luxurious pink silk pajamas by Petite Plume, a rose gold caviar delivery and a private city tour in a vintage 1965 Mustang convertible, stocked with a gourmet picnic basket and Dom Pérignon rosé. Guests are chauffeured to prime cherry blossom viewing spots like the Tidal Basin and East Potomac Park. The Blossom Drive experience is capped by the Cherry Blossom Bliss Spa Experience at Argentta Spa, which includes an 80-minute massage with rose and cherry blossom oils, a sugar foot scrub, a facial and a soothing cup of cherry blossom petal herbal tea.
Additionally, for five select Mondays starting March 17, guests can partake in an intimate 15-course omakase experience at the Kingbird Restaurant, curated by Michelin-starred Chef Masaaki “Uchi” Uchino of Kiyomi.
Le Méridien Washington D.C., The Madison
Le Méridien Washington D.C., The Madison invites guests to embrace the season with its Petals on the Potomac package. Enjoy a delightful two-night stay with a cherry blossom-themed keepsake and tickets to the immersive “Isekai: Blooming Parallel Worlds” exhibit at Artechouse.
Starting March 20, the hotel will unveil its spring transformation, featuring a weekly event series with live music, where guests can sip on cherry blossom-infused cocktails like the Sakura-spresso tini at the hotel’s swanky social lounge, Lady Madison, enjoy cherry blossom-themed treats from Dog Tag Bakery and capture petal-worthy moments at the illycaffè pop-up.
Hotel Heron
For those seeking a quieter cherry blossom experience, Hotel Heron in Alexandria, VA, has created the Bloom & Blossom Escape Package. This getaway includes water taxi tickets for viewing the beautiful cherry blossoms along the Potomac shoreline.
The hotel’s craft cocktail bar, Francis Hall, hosts an exclusive cherry blossom pop-up experience until April 30, 2025. Guests booking the package receive two complimentary cocktails like the Sakura Spritz, made with pisco, Aperol, agave, lime, egg whites and cherry blossom syrup. The hotel’s main restaurant, Kiln, also serves blossom-inspired food and beverages, including salmon marinated in sake served with sweet potato and dashi and a dessert mochi trio.
The Morrow Washington DC
Guests of The Morrow Washington DC can participate in several cherry blossom-themed activities, including the nightly Sakura at Sunset Ritual for guided self-meditation and the complimentary Cherry Blossom Tea in the lobby each evening. The Morrow also hosts the Spring Sake Festival, sponsored by the National Cherry Blossom Festival, offering guests the chance to meet top sake professionals and sample more than 100 different imported and craft sakes.
Families seeking cozy luxury should consider booking The Morrow’s Petite Plume x Cherry Blossom package. Upgrading to a suite not only enhances the stay but also includes a connecting room for a 50 percent discount. This delightful package includes The Morrow’s District Pass, a limited-edition cherry blossom candle and matching Petite Plume pajamas and eye masks for the entire family.
The Morrow’s Adopt a Tree package offers additional perks, including two one-day metro passes, a $60 daily dining credit and access to The Morrow’s District Pass. For every Adopt a Tree package booked, the hotel donates 10 percent to support the Trust for the National Mall’s preservation efforts.
This article first appeared on Forbes.
