3* Hyatt Place West End

Extra room to spread out is one of the nicest things about staying here. The 168 rooms at Hyatt Place Washington DC/Georgetown/West End are generously sized, with separate seating areas, mini-fridges and coffee makers rather than the tighter layouts you often find in central Washington. There’s a heated indoor pool, 24-hour fitness centre and rooftop terrace overlooking the West End, while The Placery provides casual food and drinks and there’s a breakfast bar downstairs. Georgetown is easily reached in one direction and Dupont Circle in the other. For LGBTQ+ nightlife, the location works particularly well for the longer-established gay venues around Dupont, with the increasingly busy Logan Circle and 14th Street scene a little further east. Foggy Bottom Metro also makes sightseeing simple. GayMapper tip: A particularly good choice if you value larger rooms and an indoor pool but still want to be able to walk out towards Dupont for drinks.

Few Washington hotels have quite as much going on inside as Eaton DC. Part boutique hotel, part cultural hub, it combines stylish rooms with coworking spaces, a radio station, events and music, giving it an atmosphere that feels far removed from the capital’s more conventional business hotels. Wellness is taken seriously too, with a 24-hour gym, yoga and an on-site wellness studio offering infrared saunas and treatments. After dark, Allegory is the destination cocktail bar hidden within the hotel, while Wild Days brings DJs and live music to the rooftop. There’s no swimming pool. The Downtown setting works well for sightseeing and the Convention Center, while Logan Circle and the main concentration of LGBTQ+ nightlife around 14th Street are easily reached on foot. GayMapper tip: Stay here if you like hotels with their own personality and social life — you may end up spending considerably more time inside than you expected.

A free hot breakfast and a genuinely useful location make Comfort Inn Downtown DC/Convention Center a good option when you'd rather put more of the budget towards actually enjoying Washington. Rooms come with refrigerators, coffee-making facilities and free Wi-Fi, and there’s also a fitness centre and guest laundry. The location has become particularly interesting for LGBTQ+ visitors as DC’s gay scene has shifted towards Logan Circle and the surrounding streets. The Little Gay Pub, Green Lantern and the gay bars around 14th and P Streets are all within walking distance, while the Convention Center, Downtown and the White House are convenient in the other direction. Two Metro stations are nearby, so getting out to the Smithsonian museums, National Mall and other neighbourhoods is straightforward. GayMapper tip: A particularly sensible budget base if nightlife matters — you’re paying Comfort Inn prices while staying surprisingly close to some of DC’s busiest gay bars.

The rooftop pool is a welcome bonus at Holiday Inn Washington-Central/White House by IHG, particularly during Washington's hot and humid summers. It’s seasonal, but gives this otherwise straightforward city hotel a much more relaxed feel, with a fitness centre and on-site restaurant adding to the facilities. More importantly for a GayMapper stay, you’re on Rhode Island Avenue just off 15th Street. That puts Logan Circle practically around the corner and the main LGBTQ+ nightlife around 14th and P Streets — including several gay bars and lounges — within an easy walk. Dupont Circle is also accessible on foot. Rooms are comfortable and practical rather than flashy, with coffee facilities, work space and free Wi-Fi. The White House and Downtown sights are close enough to reach without sacrificing the neighbourhood atmosphere. GayMapper tip: One of the better-value combinations of gay nightlife location and proper hotel facilities, especially when the rooftop pool is open.

If nights out around Logan Circle are high on the agenda, Viceroy Washington DC puts you right where you want to be. Number Nine, Trade and The Little Gay Pub are among the LGBTQ+ venues clustered around nearby 14th and P Streets, so there’s very little need to think about taxis on the way home. Days at the hotel can be equally sociable. Hush Rooftop Bar occupies the top of the building alongside a seasonal guest-only swimming pool, while Dovetail serves shared plates downstairs and BPM Coffee & Wine provides the caffeine. The hotel also has a 24-hour gym, large outdoor patio and a gallery showcasing local artists. Rooms are generous, with modern marble bathrooms and thoughtful extras including yoga mats and record players. GayMapper tip: Summer is when Viceroy really comes into its own — gay nightlife around the corner and a rooftop pool waiting upstairs is a very appealing combination.

Dupont Circle remains one of the easiest Washington neighbourhoods for combining restaurants, LGBTQ+ nightlife and sightseeing, and The Royal Sonesta Washington DC Dupont Circle puts you less than five minutes from the circle itself. The hotel has a seasonal outdoor pool and large sun deck — a particularly nice feature in summer — plus a 24-hour fitness centre and complimentary bikes. Rooms are spacious and contemporary, with marble bathrooms, mini-fridges and coffee makers. Downstairs, Certo! serves Italian food alongside a good wine and cocktail list. You can walk from here to several LGBTQ+ venues around Dupont, while Logan Circle and the busy concentration of gay bars around 14th and P Streets are also comfortably accessible. The Dupont Circle Metro takes care of longer trips across the city. GayMapper tip: A particularly easy all-round choice in warmer months, when being able to combine gay nightlife with an afternoon by the outdoor pool is a definite advantage.