What’s New in the Capital Region USA for 2019
New Hotels
Washington DC welcomes new hotels for 2019. The city’s hotel portfolio is set to continue to grow in 2019 with over 20 hotels and 4,500 rooms in the pipeline in the coming years. New openings this year will include the Conrad, Washington DC at CityCenterDC, The Moxy Washington DC Downtown; a 200-room budget-friendly property which soft opened in December 2018 but will be fully launched by Spring 2018 complete with its own funky rooftop bar and the Hilton Washington DC National Mall at L’Enfant Plaza that is expected to open in March 2019 as a renovated and rebranded property. Iconic luxury DC hotels, The W Washington DC and Rosewood Washington DC, have also both undergone significant renovations. On its re-opening in April, The W will feature two new restaurants while the Rosewood is adding six new townhouses and a new Wolfgang Puck restaurant, CUT.
Two new Marriott boutiques to open in South-eastern Virginia. Millennial must-stay The Moxy will be welcomed to Virginia’s capital Richmond in winter 2019 while the Glass Light Hotel, a Marriott Autograph Collection property will reinvigorate Norfolk’s historic Rail District in June 2019. Bringing 117 new rooms inspired by the buildings 1912 heritage and rooftop bar with expansive views of the city, The Glass Light Hotel will also house exceptional works of glass art by world renowned artists such as Dale Chihuly, Peter Bremers and Lino Tagliapietra at onsite The Glass Light Gallery.
Live! Hotels select Maryland as their flagship destination. Opened in May 2018, Hanover’s 310-room Live! Casino is the first in the world to carry the Cordish Company’s Live! branding. This stylish modern property, located just 30 minutes from downtown Baltimore will feature new dining, nightlife and entertainment options including David’s, an on-site Starbucks, a Shop Live! retail store, and Live! Spa offering a variety of massage therapies and treatments from Villa Floriani.
New Museums and Attractions
2019 marks the 400th anniversary of a pivotal moment in legislative history that influenced the creation of the United States we know today. Learn more about American Evolution 2019, and the events in Virginia that continue to define America 400 years later, through a variety of special offerings and exhibits this year including the new American Evolution VA History Trails app. This is the first app to directly connect users to over 400 historical sites throughout the state of Virginia and is available free for both Android and iPhone. In Colonial Williamsburg, Relive when Virginia said “yes” to American Independence through the thought-provoking play, Resolved: An American Experiment or explore the lives of the real women of Jamestown with a new exhibition at Jamestown Settlement, Tenacity: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia.
DC’s International Spy Museum set to relaunch this Spring. The only US museum dedicated to the history of espionage will reopen in a new facility in L’Enfant Plaza that is double the size of its predecessor and within easy reach of the National Mall and the Wharf. Showcasing the largest collection of spy artefacts ever publicly displayed, it will include interactive and immersive exhibits such as Operation Spy & Spy in the City, that take visitors deep into the exciting world of a spy.
Baltimore’s Light City is set to unite with the Baltimore Book Festival to create a one-of-a-king cultural event and will take place 1 – 10 November 2019. Illuminating Baltimore with literature and ideas during the day and world-class light art and performances at night, the two events will come together as one spectacular festival to create 10 days of festivities in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
New on the Food Scene
Pull a pint at Baltimore’s brand-new Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House. The first Guinness presence on US soil since 1954, visitors can take a brewery tour, shop for merchandise and even whet their whistle in a tasting room where exclusive US-only brews like Guinness Blonde American Larger are available.
Discover Southeastern Virginia’s succulent heritage. Long associated with peanuts and salt-cured hams production, in March 2019 The Salty Southern Route will launch to take visitors on a journey through Virginia’s picturesque southern counties to experience this tradition firsthand.
Washington, DC restaurants continue to impress Michelin. Visitors looking for a taste sensation will be spoilt for choice in DC. A new 2019 edition of the city’s Michelin Guide, its third, sees a total of 16 stars given to eateries in the metro-area, an increase of four from the previous year. Two restaurants, Minibar by José Andrés, and Aaron Silverman’s Pineapple & Pearls, have maintained their two-star rating, while Bresca and Siren, have gained an additional star each from their previous one-star grade. Michelin has also recognised 39 restaurants with a Bib Gourmand accolade. In addition, just 90-minutes from DC, Virginia’s The Inn at Little Washington, has received the Capital Region’s first-ever three-star rating.
For more information on the Capital Region USA visit: www.capitalregionusa.co.uk