Situated just behind Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, VA, Hilton Arlington National Landing brings a touch of elegance and comfort to the popular business and leisure travel destination. //3877 was tapped as interior designer and architect to revitalize the property and reshape the hotel’s design and functionality.
Upon entering, guests are greeted by a sleek and sophisticated reception desk, setting the tone for the rest of their stay. Moving further into the space, a bar and lounge area is separated by metal screens and unique light fixtures to invoke a sense of intimacy while maintaining sightlines throughout. Behind banquette seating in the lounge sits the cafe. The separation of the space allows for a seamless transition from day to night, providing a multipurpose, adaptable element to the cafe for any event. A center staircase serves as a focal point, adding a sense of grandeur to the lobby area.
The existing floor plan included a first-floor lobby and evening lounge with a disconnected restaurant for breakfast on the Plaza Level. The //3877 team tackled this challenge by relocating the food and beverage components to the first floor, creating a full-service bar and prep kitchen for the new F&B space, The Landing Kitchen+Bar. This reconfiguration not only improved guest accessibility but also enhanced the overall flow of the space, a main goal of the renovation. The restaurant has a seating capacity of 120 and was strategically designed to be visible from the entry, ensuring an inviting and functional environment for guests.
The design aims to soften the existing brutalist architectural elements of the building through jewel-tone contrast and soft forms, creating an approachable and energetic experience. Warm, neutral tones provide a backdrop to the large-scale patterns and inventive use of negative space, creating balance and purposeful intrigue. Despite the challenges posed by limited natural light and a lower ceiling height, the team used lighter finishes and implemented a deliberate architectural lighting strategy utilizing an endless millwork facade with strategic layered lighting elements to create a welcoming atmosphere. The design celebrates the heavy column structures, making them an integral part of the space.
Hilton Arlington National Landing’s 393 newly refurbished guestrooms offer a relaxing respite for both business and leisure guests. The guestrooms showcase neutral tones with pops of jewel-toned color for a modern, refreshing atmosphere, balancing both warm and cool elements through the design. The property features an array of guestroom options including “Wellness Room by Peloton” for those looking to stay active and “Room 2 Work” designed to accommodate traveling business guests as well as Junior Suites and spacious corner rooms.
The plaza level was masterfully revitalized to host a variety of hotel amenities. The former club lounge was transformed into a modern innovation hub with multiple board and flex meeting rooms. The hub provides a remote working and collaboration space for Hilton’s elite status members and upgraded parties, addressing the increasing demand for remote workspaces among hybrid employees visiting the property (both on leisure and business trips). A fully equipped kitchen and accordion glass walls allow the hub to be transformed into a private room for hosting corporate gatherings. This approach effectively uses and optimizes the available space, meeting the expectations for an evolving work-from-anywhere workforce. The design team relocated the fitness center to this floor as well, allowing guests more space and privacy. The fitness center offers multiple stretching areas, Life Fitness ellipticals, Peloton stationary bikes, treadmills, a rowing machine, free weights and other individual fitness equipment.
Photo credit: Joseph D. Tran