Washington, D.C.: An Inside Look

O Street between 19th and 20th looks like every other residential street in the Northwest quarter of Washington. It's a row of picturesque brick townhouses with pretty little stoops and often one big window peering into a beautifully-decorated home. Midway down this block is an inconspicuous black door with one small indicating sign: "the mansion." Behind it thrives one of the most elite private clubs in our nation's capital.

It was designed in 1892 by and for the architect of the US Capitol, Edward Clark. It's connected on the inside to the building to its right where Clark's brother and the Speaker of the House during Teddy Roosevelt's presidency, James "Champ" Clark, lived.

It's now a members-only boutique hotel, bar, restaurant, and museum frequented by heads of state, foreign dignitaries, business leaders, prominent artists, and celebrities. Not only is it hard to get in, it's hard to find the other guests once you are in. The mansion is designed with well-hidden secret doors. The bar is entered through a spinning book shelf, one of the bedrooms is behind a large mirror, and another suite is accessed by lifting up a painting. 

Walking through the narrow antique-filled hallways can be claustrophobic. There's art, tea sets, maps, records, statues, miniature tiffany stained glass windows, instruments, and flowers covering every surface and every inch of the walls. You can be walking down a stairwell when someone suddenly steps out of a seemingly fixed part of the building. It feels a bit like a home that's been left in disarray, but behind closed walls it's a lavish and bustling scene where drinks are poured and music is played until the wee hours.

If you're lucky enough to know a member you can BYOB any night of the week to their intimate bar for some live jazz. If you've recently lost contact with your pull in the Senate, the mansion takes reservations from non-members for their Sunday brunch, afternoon tea, and limited tour.

Their brunch and tea are both $30.00 and decadent with all you can eat pastries made in-house. The best part, of course, is getting a taste of the Washington most Americans only hear whispers of.

For more information on visiting The Mansion on O Street click here