DC Film & TV Locations by Metro

That name everybody knows as a synonym for scandal? It started as a real estate brand for these six buildings, and the word "Watergate" referred to a literal ceremonial water gate where Potomac boats once docked for concerts on the steps below. The break-in came later and stole the name forever. The curves are what surprise people most — Moretti's design looks less like a Cold War office block and more like a wedding cake someone left in the rain. The sixth-floor DNC office where the burglars were caught is just another suite now, unmarked. Here's the local wink: the renovated Watergate Hotel leaned all the way into the infamy. The room keycards read "No need to break in," the bathrobes are stitched with the same line, and the front-desk staff have worn name tags reading things like "I have nothing to hide." It's the only crime scene in America with a gift shop punchline. Practical tip from someone who's stood here a hundred times: ride the hotel elevator up to the Top of the Gate rooftop bar — the Potomac sunset there beats anything you'll photograph from street level.