Family Vacation Ideas and Help for Family Vacations

Parent Getaway to Boutique Hotel Topaz in Washington, D.C.

A cool vibe awaits guests to the Topaz Hotel

Every once in a while, mom and dad just need some alone time. My husband and I decided to head to Washington D.C. for a stay at a boutique hotel. While Washington D.C. is definitely a place we will take the kids on a family learning vacation, this getaway was for some much-needed R & R.

We chose the Topaz Hotel in DuPont Circle because of its promise of “positive energy to refresh the body, soul and senses.” I heard about this “yoga-themed” property and one look at the pictures online and I was sold. Relaxation is something that is often hard to do when my two boys are running circles around me at home. When staying in a large city, with hustle and bustle, it is nice to find a hidden gem like the Topaz Hotel, which is much like the gemstone it’s named after.

Situated on tree-lined N Street in the heart of the city, the Topaz Hotel is tucked away, just off the beaten path. Located between trendy Dupont Circle and the business district, the 99 room, 10-story boutique hotel provides deluxe accommodations for guests, and an avant-garde lounge, the Topaz Bar, designed to appeal to the trendsetters of the nation’s capital.

The inspiration for the hotel’s design came from the peacock -- an Eastern symbol of spirituality and Western symbol of opulence. Exotic furnishings are accented with faux fur zebra, sensuous silks, mohair, velvets and leather. The hotel’s intriguing “East meets West” theme extends to the staff, who are clad in colorful orange silk tunics and blue and green jewel-toned Nehru jackets. The well-informed staff is available to offer entrées into exclusive art galleries or suggestions on top Chinese herbalists and cardio funk classes.

To start the day, the Topaz Hotel serves complimentary energy potions with gingko, ginseng or wheat grass. A healthy continental breakfast offers traditional favorites.

As evening approaches, Washingtonians and hotel guests to gather at the Topaz Bar, which serves as the pulse of the hotel. Lined with floor-to-ceiling settees upholstered in sapphire velvet mohair, the Topaz Bar offers creative cuisine, and signature elixirs such as the Blue Nirvana, the Aromatherapy, the Liquid Yoga, and the Full Moons of Thailand.

The Topaz Bar is open for continental breakfast, dinner, and remains open into the late evening. In keeping with the hotel’s “East meets West” theme, the bar’s menu of shareable plates offers Western favorites with an Asian flair. Menu items include Indonesian Vegetable Rolls with chili lime sauce, Crispy Calamari with red curry aioli, Singapore Sliders - mini Asian-style burgers served with a cucumber salad, Ahi Tuna Tartare with wakame and avocado, and the Bento Box, which allows guests to choose a combination of three sharable plates from the menu. Other items include the Enlightened Duck Pizza with smoked duck, Asian barbecue sauce and jack cheese, and Fish and “Chips” with seared mustard crusted tuna, lotus chips, and a wasabi sauce.

Forget the chocolates

The hotel’s commitment to wellness also extends to the guestrooms, which are designated smoke-free to ensure a healthy environment for guests. Unique in-room amenities include personalized horoscopes and a turndown service featuring smooth river stones placed across the sheets. The personal touch can even be found in the mini-bars – offering items designed to boost energy or fire the imagination. Along with traditional mini-bar offerings, guests will find peppermint foot creams and new age CDs.

Specialty rooms provide guests with the chance to stay in shape or achieve a meditative state while traveling. Yoga Rooms, designed to create the optimal setting for practicing poses, are equipped with yoga props and mats, dimmed lighting systems and instructional tapes. Energy Rooms feature state-of–the-art equipment, including a recumbent bike, treadmill or elliptical trainer with VCRs and exercise tapes for private, in-room workouts.

In addition the hotel offers the “Om Away from Home” yoga program, allowing all guests to practice yoga in the comfort of their room. The program features a complimentary 24-hour Yoga Channel with instructional videos on in-room television sets, and a complimentary basket filled with essential yoga equipment for use while staying at the hotel.

“We want guests to feel as if they are taking a magic carpet ride,” said Andrea Dawson of Seattle-based Dawson Design Associates.