Review of Hotel Rouge in Washington, D.C.

Visiting Washington DC with kids is not a vacation where families spend hours by a pool, it’s a sightseeing destination. As a consequence, accommodation location is everything, particularly in DC where there’s quite a bit of walking involved in exploring all the different monuments and museums. The location of family-friendly Hotel Rouge is excellent, as is the plethora of ideal room configurations for traveling with kids.

Rouge is owned by Kimpton Hotels, one of the few boutique brands offering kids’ amenities to families. It’s hard to beat Kimpton for value in this quality category — this is why this brand is a constant family travel favorite.

hotel-rouge-bunk-bed-suite
Bunk Bed Suite

Rouge Location

Rouge is located just five blocks from the White House and three blocks from Dupont Circle. This location is very central, near all kinds of shopping and dining, and you can easily get to the Metro station for any attraction in DC that is not walkable from here. It’s ideal!

Variety of Ideally Configured Rooms for Families

For a 137-room hotel, Rouge has a surprising number of different configuration options that suit families. We stayed in a Bunk Bed Suite with a king bed plus a separate space with a curtain and bunk beds. This kids’ space has a TV and a XBOX 360 player ready for action. We were able to watch our own movie while our 9-year-old played games. This is a perfect way to end a long day of sightseeing.

For travel with babies and toddlers, Rouge offers suites with basic kitchenette facilities where simple meals and bottles and be prepared and washed. Otherwise, I also love the Day Bed Suite, a 500 square foot room with an alcove fitted with a lounge area – perfect for family of three.

There’s also a Queen Queen with Bunk Bed Suite that sleeps a family of up to six people. A prized set up for a large family.

Hotel Rouge Suite

The Vibe

The vibe deserves it’s own section in this review as it’s just plain entertaining. Fire engine red is everywhere (hence the hotel name) and beautifully complements the bold, eclectic design. The rooms have been recently refreshed, comfortable, and exceptionally spacious.

The lobby of the hotel includes a popular DC bar and I was worried it would make the experience not kid-friendly. Not so. Although there were people relaxing there on the night we were there (Friday), it wasn’t a scene. But it is a fun place to unwind. There’s a hosted wine hour every day from 5 to 6pm.

Roommate for the night

Kimpton is Kid and Pet-Friendly

Baby equipment and proofing materials are a standard part of the Kimpton Kids amenity program. In addition, pint-sized animal print robes are placed in each room. Rouge also offers kids the chance to choose a treat from a toy chest at check-in.

Pets can stay at Rouge pet-fee free — love this! — plus, there’s a pet-free floor for any families with allergies.

We are big fans of Kimpton’s goldfish program where you can bring a fish into your room for the duration of the stay. We get such a giggle as a family from interaction with and about our in-room goldfish.

Service

In line with the brand, the front desk is friendly and helpful at Rouge. There were kids of all ages throughout the lobby in the morning. Clearly, the word is out that Rouge works well as home-base with kids while exploring DC.

Want More Information and Help Booking a Holiday at Kimpton?

We can help! Our kid-friendly hotel review of Kimpton has more information about why this property works so well for families. Check out our Connect with a Family Travel Advisor page and one of our expert advisors will follow up with you to advise about any additional questions you may have regarding a stay here.

Relevant Links:

Washington DC trip planning

10 new ways to experience Washington DC with kids

Choosing between Washington DC museums for kids

Tips for finding family-friendly boutique hotels

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1 Comments
  • This looks great! We visited DC last year and stayed near the Pentagon. I wished we were closer to the District because we spent a lot of time and $$ on taxis when the metro was down. I love the goldfish and the bunk beds! Looks perfect!

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