Located about 15 minutes outside of our nation's capital, National Harbor is a waterfront destination home to several shops, restaurants and activities for people of all ages. I was in the mood for a mini staycation, so I made AC Hotel National Harbor (156 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745) my home base for the night. While I love the National Harbor, I never quite spend as much time there as I'd like, so I was excited to explore. As it turns out, the AC Hotel was the perfect place to stay for several reasons. The main one being that they focus on cocktails more than food! But let me not get ahead of myself. Let's get into it.
Photo Credit: visitmaryland.org
PROS
Location
AC Hotel is perfectly situated in the middle of National Harbor. I was able to walk to dinner at Succotash and visit several surrounding bars and restaurants during my Harbor Hop Bar Crawl including Granite City Food & Brewery, The Walrus Oyster Bar and Ale House, Bobby McKeys Piano Bar, and Cadillac Ranch. And to top it off, the AC Hotel is located right near the Capital Wheel. Sidenote: I've been dying to get on the Capital Wheel since it was built and I must say, it did not let me down. The views from the top of National Harbor were spectacular.
View from my balcony
Room Design & Size
The room design was sleek and modern. I stayed in a corner suite and had a perfect view of the Capital Wheel and the rest of the harbor from my balcony.
Photo Credit: Marriott.com
Additionally, I gasped when I saw they welcomed me via my tv screen. I adored the personalized touch.
Bar
AC Hotel focuses on unique, signature hand-crafted cocktails including GinTonic and its signature cocktail experience, the Porthole. It's a nod to National Harbor being a nautical destination. Their AC Lounge offers wine on tap, local craft beers and spirits, and tapas. They also have great happy hour specials each night of the week.
AC Lounge Bar
CONS
You know we keep it real here at Will Drink For Travel. I honestly have no feedback for this hotel. The staff was friendly and accommodating, the room and common areas were clean, and the bed was comfortable. All wins in my book!
AC Lounge
Other things you should know:
- There is free wifi available.
- Breakfast at the AC Kitchen is European-style with freshly baked croissants (flown in from France!), fruit, sweet and savory tarts and more. If you're looking for pancakes and waffles...don't.
- There's a gym, but no pool.
- I highly recommend valet parking for the price of $35 for the night since parking can be a bit challenging.
OVERALL RATING: 5 OUT OF 5 COCKTAILS
I loved my stay at AC Hotel National Harbor. It's a great place to stay whether you're visiting from out of town and don't want to be overwhelmed by the city, or if you're a city dweller and need a break from the everyday hustle and bustle. Enjoy your stay!
While this post was sponsored by the AC National Harbor, all opinions are absolutely my own.