The Affinia Brand Expands to Washington D.C. with the Opening of The Liaison Capitol Hill, An Affinia Hotel

Washington, D.C. | The Affinia brand makes its D.C. debut on April 1, 2008 with the opening of The Liaison Capitol Hill, An Affinia Hotel, at 415 New Jersey Avenue NW, (formerly Holiday Inn on the Hill) following a $12 million dollar renovation of the 343 room hotel. The hotel, the closest to the US Capitol, will maximize its prime location on Capitol Hill by introducing an exciting new concept to the area offering public spaces and services that support guests’ desire to make connections and stay connected. Managed by Denihan Hospitality Group (DHG) under the company’s Affinia brand umbrella, the 343-room hotel joins the expanding Affinia brand, with locations in New York and Chicago.

"The April 1 debut of this hotel is a milestone for DHG as we continue to grow the Affinia brand in key markets throughout the country," said Brooke Barrett, co-CEO of DHG.

Known for customized guest experiences such as fitness, tranquility and location, Affinia is launching its new Cityscape positioning at The Liaison, which offers guests an urban escape centering around a sophisticated lobby that flows seamlessly into the restaurant, lounge, and bar areas, affording unique opportunities for social interaction. Iconic six-foot by six-foot paintings of world leaders, such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Margaret Thatcher among others, are placed throughout and designed to spark conversation and contemplation. The Cityscape features carry through to the rooftop bar with spectacular views.

"The rooftop bar and seasonal pool, terraces and the restaurant will be exciting additions to the hotel as well as the Capitol Hill neighborhood providing sophisticated and informal spaces for social gatherings, business meetings and more," commented Dani Elhachem, general manager for The Liaison. "The 248 -seat restaurant, lounge, bar, and patio will be an appealing destination in itself, with an emphasis on fresh, locally sourced ingredients."

In addition to the lobby space and restaurant, all guest rooms, guest corridors and meeting rooms have been designed by Dawson Design of Seattle. The monochromatic design scheme is executed in shades of black, white and grey, accented by a striking red line that unites the public spaces.

Each of the 343 guest rooms have been redesigned with a contemporary, residential atmosphere with modern lighting, furnishings, custom Affinia bed and 32” LCD TVs. Adding to the residential feel, the rooms feature signature design pieces such as stainless steel rail lighting over mohair-inset headboards and serpentine-shape chaise lounges with ottomans. Above the desk/dresser console, a glass inset depicting Mount Rushmore adds a definitive D.C. detail. A significant investment has been made to install a state-of-the-art, centralized heating, cooling and air ventilation plant to provide an in-room temperature control system that will ensure guest comfort, enhance service and conserve energy.

Like other Affinia branded properties, The Liaison offers an array of services and amenities designed to provide customized comfort to guests, including a six-choice pillow menu, the signature “Affinia Bed” covered with a down comforter wrapped in luxurious triple sheeting, welcome drink on arrival, rotating library where guests can exchange their book with one from Affinia’s library of best sellers and experience kits designed to help guests get the most out of their stay, as well as SpAffinia, a selection of in-room spa treatments.

The hotel’s enhanced meeting rooms will be a major draw to the property, featuring combined 10,000-square-feet of flexible meeting space making up a total of 10 rooms. The second floor meeting space has transitioned into three state-of-the-art executive boardrooms, each with LCD TVs, kitchenette and a private powder room. Pre-function space features large, dramatic artwork and new, more contemporary lighting.

"Washington, D.C. is an important location for our Affinia guests and The Liaison is an ideal complement to our branded properties in New York and Chicago,” added Patrick Denihan, co-CEO of DHG.

The Liaison Capitol Hill, An Affinia Hotel is owned by LaSalle Hotel Properties, an NYSE-listed Bethesda, MD based Real Estate Investment Trust.

LaSalle Hotel Properties is a leading multi-operator real estate investment trust owning 31 upscale and luxury full-service hotels, totaling approximately 8,500 guest rooms in 14 markets in 11 states and the District of Columbia. The Company focuses on owning, redeveloping and repositioning upscale and luxury full-service hotels located in urban, resort and convention markets. LaSalle Hotel Properties seeks to grow through strategic relationships with premier lodging companies, including Westin Hotels and Resorts, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., Hilton Hotels Corporation, Outrigger Lodging Services, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Benchmark Hospitality, White Lodging Services Corporation, Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, LLC, Thompson Hotels, Sandcastle Resorts & Hotels, Davidson Hotel Company, Denihan Hospitality Group and the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, LLC.

Affinia Hotels, with prime locations in New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., are designed to provide business and leisure guests with an experience of total customized comfort. New York hotels include the Affinia 50, Affinia Dumont, Affinia Gardens, Affinia Manhattan, and Affinia Shelburne (2008); the Affinia Chicago; and, in D.C., The Liaison Capitol Hill, An Affinia Hotel. Operated by Denihan Hospitality Group, a privately-owned company with more than 40 years of hospitality management expertise, Affinia Hotels is a proud member of a worldwide alliance of hotels including Joie De Vivre in the United States, Thistle Hotels in the United Kingdom, Rotana Hotels in the Middle East and First Hotels in Scandinavia. For more information, visit or call 1-866-AFFINIA.