Not every butler is a Jeeves or an Alfred. And not every butler is exclusively reserved for the fantastically rich. Lately, it has become more and more common for high-end hotels and cruise ships to offer in-room butler service for guests who choose to pay a small (compared to a full-time butler) premium for the service. These personal servants will help you dress, make dinner reservations, clean and organize your suitcase, pack and unpack your clothes, and of course, perform all requests and duties with the utmost discretion — some things never change.
But, buttling can’t stay the same forever. And Kimpton’s new Mason & Rook Hotel in Washington, DC, is at the forefront of the transformation of the idea of a butler from staid old Englishman with a penchant for white gloves and disdain, to a useful and modern style assistant. With sleek guest rooms featuring marble bathrooms with soaking tubs and full showers, a rooftop pool and bar area with exquisite views of our nation’s capitol, the Radiator restaurant, and a host of other amenities including 24-hour room-service, in-room spa treatments, and a 24-hour fitness center, Mason & Rook makes for an amazing stay in downtown DC. The icing on top of all this? Mason & Rook’s new “Watch Butler Service.”
Related: Guide to Rooftop Bars Around the World
Partnering with Shinola Detroit, Mason & Rook’s “Watch Butler Service,” allows guests of the hotel to rent out one of Shinola’s classic watch models at no additional cost. With eight Shinola timepieces available (including women’s watches), Mason & Rook have you covered for those all-too-common times when you realize you’ve left your favorite timepiece at home. While Mason & Rook do require a credit card on file in case damages are incurred, again, the cost of renting out a watch is included in your room fee. And though these watches aren’t for sale, if you really want to keep what you’ve been wearing, your watch butler can steer you toward Shinola’s nearby location, just around the corner on 14th Street where you can purchase one for yourself.
You can find full specs on all the available rental models below and if you’re in Washington, DC, be sure to check out the collection in Mason & Rook’s hotel lobby.
Available Models
- 47mm Runwell (Two Styles)
- 41mm Runwell
- 38mm Canfield
- 36mm Runwell
- 41mm Runwell
- 36mm Gomelsky
- 34mm Birdy
Related: Daniel Claudill of Shinola
Mason & Rook Hotel: 1430 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005; Telephone: 202-462-9001
