One person died and another four were wounded Thursday in a shooting at a hotel in Washington, local police said.

Five people were struck by bullets and transported to a hospital after shots were fired at a chain hotel in a residential neighborhood early Thursday, the DC Police Department wrote on Twitter.

"MPD has located four adult female shooting victims related to this incident at the Days Inn," the department tweeted.

Another female victim "in grave condition has been pronounced deceased."

The Washington police cordoned off the area for several hours and have opened an investigation.

Officers were called to the scene around 3:30 am local time (0830 GMT) when gunshots rang out during a party in a hotel room in a prime Washington neighborhood, where many embassies are located, several news outlets reported.

Police commander Duncan Bedlion told a local news channel they had received "complaints from the community" about the hotel in the past.

"We receive complaints related to drug activity and that's something we actively work to address with the community," he said.

A suspect has not yet been identified.