You're paying for the ambience. The drinks are overpriced. I ordered a blood orange Bellini and finished it in 2 gulps. Weak drink and small. The bartender made my nephews Shirley temples and the drinks spilled over. He didn't even clean or dry the glasses before handing them to me. I had to dry the glasses off myself. Not classy for the type of environment they are trying to portray. Bonus is the view is excellent.
Review Source:I'm going to give it an extra star for the view it offers. Â The view is phenomenal, it offers a wonderful view of the National harbor and DC. Tripe spectacular at sunset. Â Other than the view it is a hotel lobby bar, nothing extra special. Â The sushi is surprisingly good and not extremely over priced. The staff was very attentive, conversational, and extremely polite.
Review Source:If you like bars in hotel lobbies then you will find the Gaylord National Resorts Belvedere Lobby Bar glorious. Bars connected to lobbies are notorious for preying on tourists and business travelers with a sterile ambiance, high prices, and weak drinks. The Belvedere has perfected all three.
Seating is a blend of tables, couches, and a counter. It is a convenient place to meet someone, but my recommendation is to do just that. Meet the person, finish your drink, and then head some place else. Of course, there are limited choices in the area, but almost all of them will be better than the prices and service of the Belvedere Lobby Bar.
The view and atmosphere will impress most. The decor is very elegant with beautiful craftsmanship. The "open air" lounge - which is bathed in creme-colored marble - basks in sunlight and evokes a classical Greek atrium, albeit an uncovered one.
Conclusion, I cannot afford to hang out here.
Anyways, I had a drink here waiting for my ride to another part of the city. $6 for a bottle of Yuenling. Ouch. Though I may be chastised by Yuenling-aficionados (oxymoron?), Yuenling is just a fancy Budweiser. The only thing that impresses me about Yuenling (the company) is its history but no history compared to European brewers.
Business-casual attire is requested. Yes, per the website, it is requested (not just recommended). Well, it was Friday (and I'm paying $6 for a mediocre beer) so I was in jeans (and I can wear whatever I want) =)