The Palomar DC and Urbana Review

By VGP guest blogger Rachel

I travel to Washington DC often and lately have been switching up my usual Hilton affiliation for Kimptons since all of the Hiltons in the DC area seem to have sky rocketed in prices this fall. A recent stay was at The Palomar and I was very impressed with my visit, in particular the hotel décor and amazing adjoining restaurant and wine bar, Urbana.  The Palomar is hands down my new top choice for a winter stay in the DC area.

Last week in DC had chilly winter temperatures and I liked that the ambiance at the hotel was sleek and modern yet still cozy and inviting. The lobby has a few large fireplaces and comfy couches. My hotel room was very spacious which I have consistently found with most DC Kimpton properties. There was a dark, natural word vast entertainment center with a generous desk. I especially liked that the Palomar was modern but still charming and didn’t have cookie cutter hotel furniture. If you are looking to stay near a central, hopping area then the Palomar is a good spot. It’s just a block or so from Dupont Circle where there are many restaurants and shops. It is just enough away from the center that it is still quiet for sleeping.

Palomar hotel room

I usually explore rather than eat at hotel restaurants or bars but I heard great things about Urbana and my co-worker wanted to take advantage of Kimpton’s restaurant month in November. The offer was a three course meal for $35. The menu at Urbana lent itself to ordering lots of small items so that is what I did as opposed to the $35 coursed meal.

Image from Palomar Website, copyright Kimpton Hotels

I love seasonal fall dishes so I had a creamy butternut squash soup, brussels sprouts with pancetta and 2 large diver scallops in a pureed cauliflower. Both dishes were fresh and decadent and presented in Le Creuset-like dishes that gave them a home cooked feel. The scallops were a small portion, but we had a few appetizers including what the waiter described as the house special of parmesan flatbread served with three spreads so I wasn’t starving for my entree. There was a large brick oven and many pizza specials so the flatbread was delicious. Urbana had a similar atmosphere to the hotel that was dark and modern yet still a great spot to escape the winter cold.  My only complaint about the meal was that the pours of red wine were very small and a bit pricey.  Despite the wine, that food stood out and I will certainly be back at Urbana for a great winter meal.

Featured image from Palomar hotel website

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