Seminars and company events
Briefings, board meetings, training sessions and banquets for up to 120 people in theater style take place at the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square, a hotel of 237 rooms and 23 suites at 806 15th Street NW, beside Lafayette Square and one block from the White House. The hotel has six meeting rooms named after Paris landmarks, from St Germain, a boardroom for 10, to the Paris Ballroom.
The location is the draw for organizers working with government, embassies, law firms and associations. Delegates can walk to the White House area, the Treasury and the downtown business district, and McPherson Square Metro station is three minutes away on foot. The meeting rooms form a compact floor of mid-sized spaces, which suits a main session with two or three breakouts.
Weddings and receptions
The hotel hosts weddings and receptions. The Paris Ballroom accommodates up to 200 guests for a wedding, according to the hotel, and the smaller rooms serve rehearsal dinners, getting ready and the brunch the next day. The events team plans the menu, the room block and the timing of the day.
Rooms and capacities
The Paris Ballroom covers 165 square meters with a ceiling height of 3.6 meters. It takes 120 people in theater style, 100 in classroom, 110 for a banquet, 45 in a U-shape and 40 around a boardroom table. The Madeleine, 69 square meters, takes 70 in theater style, 42 in classroom, 60 for a banquet, 26 in a U-shape and 30 in boardroom style. The Concorde, 43 square meters, takes 50 in theater style, 33 in classroom and 40 for a banquet. Montmartre and Bastille, 38 square meters each, take 36 in theater style and 30 for a banquet. St Germain, 31 square meters, is a boardroom for 10.
In total the six rooms add up to about 384 square meters, enough for a full-day meeting with plenary, breakouts and a separate lunch room.
Accommodation
The hotel has 237 rooms and 23 suites, so a group of several hundred can stay under one roof, a short walk from the meeting rooms. Indoor and valet parking are available.
Catering
Catering is in house. Opaline Bar and Brasserie, the hotel's French restaurant with a terrace, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and can host a group meal outside the meeting rooms. Banquet menus for events are prepared by the hotel kitchens.
History and setting
Lafayette Square faces the north side of the White House and is surrounded by historic buildings, which places the hotel at the center of political Washington. The Sofitel brand gives the hotel a French accent in its restaurant and room names.
Getting there
McPherson Square Metro station is a three-minute walk. Union Station, with Amtrak trains from New York and Boston, is a short taxi ride away. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is the closest airport, and Dulles International serves long-haul flights.
