Dupont Circle Hotel’s concierge champions Atlas District, cherry blossom season.
By Anna Storm
Michael High, concierge for The Dupont Circle Hotel. (Photo by Joseph Allen)
It’s easy to overlook modern concierges in the age of the iPhone: you can’t carry one in your pocket, or stick one on your dashboard as you navigate Georgetown traffic. But as the only professionals trained to know the city better than anyone else, their encyclopedia-meets-personal approach is far from outdated. In our series, D.C.’s Top Concierges, we offer up The District’s top hits — and misses — from the city’s very own human Googles.
Name:
Michael High
Hometown:
Evanston, Illinois
How long have you been living in D.C.?
25 years
How long have you been working as a concierge?
18 years
Most bizarre question you’ve ever been asked by a guest:
Can you fly to London and purchase a bottle of vodka for me?
What’s one place tourists should ask about… but never do:
Best off-the-beaten-path site:
The Atlas District of D.C. Soon the tram cars will make their way back to D.C. and will be going through there. It is the coolest spot with restaurants like Smith Commons, Granville Moore’s and Sticky Rice, and lounges like Little Miss Whiskey’s, H St. Country Club and Fruit Bat.
Most overrated D.C. attraction:
Which one place/region/go-to destination is most worth the hype?
The Cherry Blossoms (when in peak bloom) during The Cherry Blossom Festival
If the District wasn’t known for politics, what would be its claim-to-fame?
What’s your number-one pick for families?
Take the underground railway from a Senate building to the Capitol building
For twenty-somethings?
I would explore the Atlas District in Northeast Washington and the stretch of 14th St. between Rhode Island Ave. and U St.
Most frequently asked question:
How do I get to my hotel room?
A couple is only here for one day, and they’re looking for an experience they can’t get anywhere but D.C. Where would you suggest they go?
If possible, get a private tour of the West Wing of the White House
Best job perk:
Being invited to places I have never been before, like a lobster bake on a private island in Boston, and Broadway plays in New York
