Welcome. That was our feeling when my family and I arrived at our spacious bedroom last December 19 in Hotel Madera DC. It was an 8-hour drive from Charlotte to Washington, DC’s downtown area and the last 30 minutes were confusing with the roundabouts, some very short streets plus the fact that I was looking for street names in the dark. We arrived in the hotel at 6:30 pm and we were surprised by what awaited us in our bedroom. The cold weather outside was in sharp contrast with the warm generosity of Danny de Asis, who invited us to stay in the hotel. There was a bottle of wine, toasts with spreads and cheese, cold cuts and freshly cut assortment of fruits on the table. I’ve stayed in hotels before, but there was no complimentary food as soon as you come inside your room. Not even a piece of banana! He also gave us a $10 Raid the Bar credit. That truly came in handy because my 12-year old son already grabbed a pack of M&M peanut chocolates after several minutes.
The hotel is located at 1310 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington DC 20036. They have a great staff!
Surprise!
At around 7:30 pm, we went down for dinner. Upon Danny’s prompting, we tried the “famous Firefly Restaurant” which was just at the ground floor of the hotel. I loved the cozy feeling of the place, the dark wood, especially the huge tree trunk that dominated the resto with lanterns hanging on its branches and the little candles flickering on each table. It felt like we were eating close to a palaisdaan (fishpond) at night in the Philippines with fireflies lighting up the place. We enjoyed our main courses but what stood out for me was the dessert—Chocolate Pot de Crème. The frothy and creamy texture of the chocolate just melted in my mouth. It just makes you want to ask for more. Saturday, was truly unforgettable. Our hearts were full of joy and so were our bellies! Thanks Danny!
The Firefly Restaurant located inside Hotel Madera DC
A celebration of life and food in Firefly. The cards were handmade and signed by the staff. How thoughtful! Muchos gracias!
Wanna try?
The beautiful farmhouse chicken is so filling. Come in hungry!
An inside view of The Firefly.
Chocolate Pot de Creme. Not to be missed by chocolate lovers! Delicious!
The following day, we went to mass at a nearby Catholic church late in the morning. We parked our car along 9th Street NW close to L Street NW. When we came back, our right passenger window in the back was broken and glass pieces were all over. My son’s camera bag with a small tripod and a special lens was stolen! After the police came and we vacuumed all the broken pieces, Danny and Brittany covered our window with a black industrial strength trash bag. That truly made a difference on our way back home. Thanks Danny and Brittany!
Broken glass everywhere. Lesson learned: Do not leave anything inside your car— bags, keys, pouch, et cetera. They might arouse the curiosity of the thief.
Special thanks also go to the staff who served us on that Saturday night, Kelvin and Stephanie, our morning waitress, who not only served us with a smile and provided great service but also printed for us the directions in the downtown area, including how to get to the Philippine Embassy. Kudos also goes to this lady employee at the Philippine Embassy. Although my husband, Roy Siplon was not able to get her name, I wanted to recognize her for fast, prompt and efficient service on December 21, 2015. He had a Power of attorney authenticated and she finished the work in an hour! Yes, in an hour! She is an example that Filipino government employees are worth emulating and world class if they want to!
A colorful and appetizing continental breakfast served by Stephanie, our delightful waitress.
Overall, my family and I enjoyed our stay in Washington DC. Thanks to all the people who made our stay delightful despite our broken car window!
