Just across Lafayette Square from the White House, The Hay-Adams started as a residential hotel in the 1920s. Its clubby, lower-level drinking hole, Off the Record, feels like a secret hideaway, known as "the place to be seen and not heard." Think red, tufted banquettes, political caricatures on the walls and coasters, crowds of lobbyists, locals and smartly dressed tourists who can fit in. Sample the spot’s long Scotch list, or try a classic highball