Hello, we are married, young professionals going to DC & Virginia in early April and need a great suggestion on a hotel, restaurant and live music. Price isn't a problem, but we want to stay someplace fun and eclectic, like The W in New York - fun & funky. Also, we are both artistic (music and design) and want to see the best sights, but not sure where to go for such a short visit? Of course shopping has to fit in somewhere too! Any ideas?

I don't really think if DC as hipster haven, but you could check out the Mansion on O Street, a B&B. I don't know anyone who's stayed there, but I went to a fundraiser there once and it's definitely funky, plus it's in Dupont Circle:
http://users.erols.com/mansion
/Bed%20and%20Breakfast.htm

I'm sorry, I'm still laughing over the words DC and fun, funky and eclectic in the same sentence. People are too self-absorbed and anal-retentive here. However, Martha did have a good suggestion in the Mansion on O Street. The unique thing about it is that everything there is for sale.

Michelle, do a search for "Tackled DC" under the Washington, DC forum and you'll find my trip report from our trip in January. It won't address all your questions/desires, but we're also married, young professionals and we had a lot of fun.

I don't know the degree of your hipness, but I can suggest some rather trendy/hip restaurants/nightlife. If you're coming to DC to shop, just about anything will be hipper than what you're used to, probably. Seriously, don't waste your time shopping here, there's nothing special to buy -- a Nordstrom's is a Nordstrom's and the clothes in stores here are terrible. I leave town to shop, myself. I'm not familiar with that NY hotel, but I don't think there is any real funky Wash hotel, but trendiest/hippest might be Four Seasons in Georgetown (usually where movie/rock stars stay) or the Latham in Georgetown (very expensive French restaurant Citronelle in it), Hotel George near Union Stn has the tres hip French bistro, Bistro Bis, in it (which I'd recommend, good location, also), and around Dupont Circle, the Westin Fairfax is a great location and was the childhood home of Al Gore before it turned into a Ritz-Carlton and now Westin, it's not too hip, though (Jockey Club restaurant in it was a favorite of Nancy Reagan so that's not exactly funky), but I like the hotel and it's a good location. Trendy restaurants (seem to be a lot Latin/Spanish lately) and nightlife are around Adams-Morgan and U/14th St corridors and Pennsylvania Ave/7-8th St area. Try restaurants: Nora's, Georgia Brown, Cities, Cafe Atlantico, Coco Loco, Jaleo, Perry's for a few. Coco Loco also turns into a hip Latin Dance Club on Th-Sat nights; good blues is at the New Vegas Lounge on P St; you'd prob like Utopia, very hip with modern art on the walls, jazz & blues on Sun and Brazilian music Thursdays (1418 U St). The Zei Club is very popular for jazz; the Black Cat is a pretty hip club in Adams Morgan. Very hip bar (some live music sometime I think) is MCCXXIII on Conn Ave; too hip as you probably won't get in past the bouncers manning the ropes; if you look like models or Eurotrash and wear black, that will help--think they serve champagne and caviar or something, I'm not hip enough to go there. Anyway, pick up the free "City Paper" when you get here, you'll find plenty of nightlife/entertainment ads. There's also some good info online in the Wash Post site and the Washingtonian magazine (www.washingtonian.com). One sight-seeing suggestion, try the building museum, you'd probably like that.

All of the above suggestions are great! I would second the nomination for the Mansion on O Street, the George, and the Four Seasons. Of those I would choose the Mansion on O for its location -- close to Dupont Circle. The most fun neighborhoods are Dupont Circle (for shopping, restaurants, & some galleries) and Adams Morgan which is only a short walk away from Dupont Circle (mostly for restaurants & clubs). My favorite restaurant in the city by far is in Adams Morgan -- it's called Cashion's Eat Place and the chef, Ann Cashion, is really great. A cozy, chic little place with fab food. Make reservations. After dinner wander around Adams Morgan (18th St. & Columbia Rd. NW) and pop in any clubs you like the sound/looks of.

The best club in town for live music is the 9:30 club (it was recently voted best in the country by some industry magazine). Not in a good neighborhood though so cab it.

I also second the nomination for Jaleo for dinner & Coco Loco for dancing after dinner. They're downtown, not in Dupont /Adams Morgan.

There are tons of great museums and galleries here. Most of the museums are on the Mall which you can metro or cab to. You can't go wrong at the National Gallery -- two huge wings. For contemporary art I like the Hirschorn which is on the other side of the Mall. My favorite private museum is the Phillips Collection in Dupont Circle.

We do come up a bit lacking on the shopping end of things though. You can find a few funky shops in Dupont/Adams Morgan if you keep your eyes peeled.

DC? For fun? On purpose? HA HA HA HA HA HA...
The nightlife in this town is LAME!
These people think sitting in an overpiced restaurant talking about who they know, and what they do, is exciting.
BOOOOOORRRRRRRIIIIIING!
This town thinks Al Gore knows how to dance!