24-Hour Room Service: Hotel Rouge, Washington DC

What was once a tired, East Coast apartment block has had a scarlet-hued makeover at the flamboyant hands of West Coast designer Mike Moore. And, while Rouge's nearby sister hotel, Topaz, is all about wellness (yoga mats are provided on request and there's a free smoothie happy hour every morning), here it's all about indulgence.

Door signs read "clean up my mess" or "go away", you can order cold pizza for breakfast (and wash it down with a free Bloody Mary) and, if the red and tiger-print covered corridors haven't given you the boost you need, you can indulge in a cocktail from the bar.

Nifty internet deals mean you're now just as likely to be sharing your booth in the ambiently lit bar with mid-Western tourists as you are with the local style-setters but that's all part of the Rouge ethos. Whether you're working out in the gym or working away at a desk, it's all very laid-back.

Likewise, in the lobby, receptionists come with a genuine sense of humour, rather than an automatic "have a nice day", a gentle hip hop and house soundtrack plays away in the background and the furniture looks like it's come straight from some kitsch Hollywood mansion.

The room service menu may state that "you can't live on pleasure alone" but you can give it a good try at Hotel Rouge.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Bang in the middle of Washington. From here you can head south to the Smithsonian and the White House or west to the shops, cafés and galleries at Dupont Circle. Hotel Rouge, 1315 16th Street NW, Washington DC (001 202 232 8000, www.rougehotel.com).

Transport: the great thing about Washington is that you can cover just about all of it by foot. If you want to go further afield, there's a metro station less than 10 minutes walk away at Dupont Circle.

Time to international airport: the simplest way to both Washington Dulles (30 miles away) and Baltimore Washington (45 miles) is by Supershuttle bus, which operates a bit like a shared taxi (about £25 return, per person). Otherwise, from Dulles, you can catch a Flyer bus to the nearest metro station ($8 one-way) or, from Baltimore, a free shuttle bus to the nearby train station, from where trains run to Union Station ($5 one way).

ARE YOU LYING COMFORTABLY?

Flamboyant red furnishings in the 137 rooms make the overall effect extremely glamorous. Think retro-style lampshades, oversized cushions, velvet curtains and giant headboards, all in various shades of scarlet. The minibar, too, offers jars of red M&Ms, red jelly beans, red pistachios and a choice of red wine or Red Bull. In fact, even the toilet roll is wrapped in red tissue paper. Thankfully the beds are enclosed in white sheets.

Freebies: cinnamon chewing gum, Aveda toiletries, Starbucks coffee, a daily copy of The Washington Post and postcards encouraging you to indulge in the seven sins.

Keeping in touch: all rooms have separate phone and modem lines, CD players and flat-screen satellite TVs.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Rooms start at $119 (£73), although websites such as www.travelocity.com sometimes have reduced, last-minute rates.

I'm not paying that: dorm beds in Washington DC's well-equipped youth hostel cost $29 (£18) for members or $32 (£20) for non-members (1009 11th Street, 001 202 737 2333).