The luxury Dupont Circle hotel is delighted to announce it will open its doors to guests on the 16^th October following a largescale renovation. This transforming refurbishment includes a cutting edge bar and restaurant designed by internationally regarded Martin Brudnizki, alongside a new lobby and penthouse suite realized by trailblazing Irish designer Clodagh – known for her trademark ‘life-enhancing minimalism’.

As part of The Doyle Collection, a family-owned Irish luxury hotel group with a 60-year heritage, the Dupont Circle exudes a unique warmth and pervasive atmosphere of Irish hospitality - imbuing the space with the familiarity of a members’ club and the intimacy of a private home. The complete refurbishment of The Dupont Circle follows in the footsteps of a similar reimagining of The Doyle Collection’s other luxury hotels in the UK and Ireland, including The Westbury, an award winning hotel in Dublin, and The Bloomsbury, The Kensington and The Marylebone in London. Like its sister hotels, The Dupont Circle now exudes an urbane and European sensibility while remaining decidedly part of its vibrant and bustling neighborhood. The new design concept has been the vision of Bernie Gallagher, Chairman of The Doyle Collection and daughter of PV Doyle, founder of the eponymous hotel group. Mrs. Gallagher is personally invested in the design of each property – suffusing them with a unique sense of style and place in their local community.

For The Dupont Circle, Mrs. Gallagher worked with Clodagh and Martin Brudnizki to create a glamourous hub in the world’s most powerful city – seamlessly weaving contemporary comfort and style with a 1950s aesthetic that pays homage to the building’s mid-century beginnings. Brudnizki focused on bold colors and varying textures in the bar and restaurant, while New York based Clodagh incorporated holistic touches like live-edge wood and handwoven rugs in the penthouse suite and reimagined lobby.

Irish designer Clodagh poured her Irish sensibilities, and a touch of nostalgia into the design of the new Penthouse Suite and the hotel’s lobby – reflecting low key, relaxed luxury that was inspired by her childhood in the West of Ireland.  A sanctuary on the ninth floor, The Penthouse Suite is available in two configurations, with one or two bedrooms. When expanded into two bedrooms, and incorporating the heated outdoor terrace which overlooks Dupont Circle and has views of the Washington Monument, the suite is one of the largest in the city – almost 3000 square feet. All accommodations on the Penthouse level are suites, many with large heated terraces overlooking the historic surrounding area. Guests can also book the entire floor to include The Penthouse Suite and terraces, alongside 12 additional suites with private access.

Following suit, all of the guest rooms have been redesigned to echo the newly launched spaces, epitomizing contemporary chic and relaxed comfort with natural materials and soothing earth tones. A stunning selection of art, personally selected by Mrs. Gallagher has been installed throughout the hotel, including works by celebrated Irish sculptor John Behan and legendary American actor turned photographer Dennis Hopper. Behind the scenes the air conditioning system has been completely renewed, creating optimal airflow and temperature control for year round comfort.

Having traveled extensively, Bernie Gallagher has seen the significant shift in the consciousness of the modern luxury traveler.

“The modern traveler is more connected, more mobile than ever before – however they are also now more interrupted, anxious and stressed by how unpredictable the world has become,” says Gallagher. “As hoteliers, it is for us to provide customers with that sense of calm and order and that feeling of being looked after, of belonging, of being ‘home from home’.”

The chic mid-century interiors and leafy terraces of the Doyle Bar are once again lively with clinking glasses and conversations, having reopened on September 24. With its atmospheric wood paneling, fireplaces, and extensive use of brass and leather, the lounge-like space feels like a private club.  A popular destination amongst locals, the bar is serving its show-stopping cocktails (such as a barrel-aged Manhattan or the Doyle G&T with house-made tonic water) and an impressive selection of Irish whiskeys. Accompanying bites include duck confit steam buns, tuna tostadas, and the seared scallops with sunchoke purée.

The Pembroke restaurant serves up a mix of classics (Dover Sole is a mainstay on the menu of Doyle Collection restaurants which focus on simple, fresh, and locally sourced food of the best quality) and dishes with an international influence inspired by the neighboring embassies (think tagine or house-made pasta). The bold diagonally striped floor and salmon pink banquettes combined with marble table tops and seductive lighting make for a glamorous interior while the spacious garden terraces with their distinctive pale blue umbrellas are perfect for alfresco dining.

Doyle & Co. is the hotel’s own coffee shop where pink and white striped cups are filled with cappuccinos, lattes, and cortados for guests and neighbors to grab on the go with a pastry, a freshly made green juice and a newspaper.

In addition to the property’s several stunning and opulent event spaces all featuring ample natural daylight and many including stunning outdoor terraces, the Penthouse Suite and Terrace overlooking the Circle is extremely popular for private parties and events and can be booked for intimate events and dinners.

Located on Dupont Circle, the hotel takes full advantage of its surroundings with ample outdoor seating set in lushly landscaped terraces, complete with umbrellas, heaters and all weather awnings. Its neighbors include a number of embassies housed in 19^th century mansions (former homes of D.C.’s Gilded Age elite), America’s first modern art museum (the Phillips Collection), and independent shops and cafes like the legendary Kramerbooks, a working bookshop with busy cafe, Tiny Jewel Box with its vintage baubles, and Eighteenth Street Lounge with its famous reggae nights and live music. On Sunday mornings, the discerning local populous flock to the nearby farmer’s market to stock up on the best of fresh produce from neighboring Virginia and Maryland. The quality and variety on offer are a testament to DC’s burgeoning food and restaurant culture.

The hotel’s bar and restaurant attract a cosmopolitan crowd, from diplomats visiting the nearby embassies to local, well-heeled creatives to enjoy brunch, after-work drinks and date nights indoors or al fresco. Emulating the spirit of The Doyle Collection’s other hotels in London, Dublin, Cork and Bristol, the Dupont Circle serves as the neighborhood social hub, even more so now with its updated design credentials.

Room rates start at $325, rising to $725 for a one-bedroom suite with Penthouse suites from $1,500. The entire Penthouse floor with private access, is available as a buy-out option at $ 20,000 per night.

Martin Brudnizki Design Studio is an internationally acclaimed interior architecture and design practice with a team composed of over 70 interior designers, architects, lighting designers and product designers. They specialize in transforming hotels, restaurants, bars, private members’ clubs, residential developments and more. The Studio has a reputation for creating some of the world’s most celebrated interiors including; The Beekman in New York, The Ivy, Soho Beach House Miami, and The Coral Room at The Bloomsbury in London.

Clodagh passionately believes that good design supports well-being and that it can transform people’s lives. She feels that clutter can undermine serenity, but minimalism should not be self-denying. The experience of entering a Clodagh-designed space is one of blissful serenity. A believer in the tenets of integrative medicine which addresses the entire body and psyche as a whole, Clodagh embraces both ancient and cutting-edge methods in an effort to comfort not only the body but also the mind. She was among the earliest adopters of Feng Shui in her design practice. Clodagh is once again ahead of the curve by now incorporating such cutting-edge modalities as chromatherapy and biophilia into all of her projects.

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