Washington, DC: Rudy Reviews the Morrison House

Morrison House ****   (see end of this item for an explanation of the one-to-six star rankings)

116 S. Alfred St.

Alexandria, VA 22314 (just outside Washington, DC)

Room rates: $149-$349 + packages

You could drive right by the Morrison House, a 45-room hotel just off the most lively commercial street in the Old Town section of Alexandria, VA, a close-in suburb of Washington, DC.  The signage is discrete, and the Morrison House blends in so well with its neighbors that nothing says "HOTEL" about it.  You'd also be forgiven for thinking the hotel was built 100 years ago--its architecutre mirrors the Georgian and colonial brick homes that make Old Town Alexandria so desirable.  In fact, the Morrison House was built in 1984.

Until earlier this year, the hotel was a member of the Relais & Chateaux group, a Paris-based association that's been a reliable indicator of lovely lodging in Europe for years.  The Morrison House owner and Relais & Chateaux, however, decided they didn't see eye-to-eye on how to run a hotel, so they parted ways.  But if you like a well-priced hotel that is understated, with a staff that is literally standing at attention in the intimate lobby, awaiting your request, the Morrision House is your kind of place.

In the interest of full journalistic disclosure, I want to tell you that hotel's owner, Peter Greenberg,  and I have become friends.  (And this Peter Greenberg is no relation to another Peter Greenberg who is also a close friend of mine, the travel editor of "The Today Show" on NBC-TV.)  However, I can assure you that even if I didn't know the owner, I'd recommend the Morrison House as a hotel of special merit.

And because I do know the owner, I can also tell you that he had no hotel management experience prior to buying the Morrison House. Which explains why the doors of unoccupied rooms stand open--Peter thinks it is interesting for guests to see the different decor and configuration of other rooms.  There are bowls of apples on each floor and at the reception desk free for the taking, and a big bottle of sparkling water and a couple chocolate chip cookies with a modest fruit basket greet you upon check in.  The high-speed, wi-fi Internet connection in your room is free.  The towels and sheets are Frette, and the bathroom bath & shower gel, shampoo and conditioner is Gilchrist & Soames.  In the morning, tea and coffee are complimentary in the hotel's main floor sitting room.

Rooms are of varying sizes, but there are only a few with two beds--most rooms come with one queen or king-sized bed with oversized pillows.  There are three suites. The decor is colonial comfortable, with deluxe rooms sporting romantic, canopied beds.  A small, quite good restaurant serves breakfast and dinner seven nights a week, and the cozy bar turns into a crowded sing-along headquarters on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights peopled by locals.  With a kindly piano player who looks like everyone's favorite Sunday-school teacher at the keyboard, men and women who probably performed in high school and college musicals belt out entertaining renditions of show tunes from Les Miserables, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, and dozens of other faves.  Can't quite remember the words to "Get Me To the Church On Time" or "There is Nothing Like a Dame"?  No problem--a few songbooks with lyrics are available.  Even if you're not a frustrated thespian, it's actually great fun just to listen and watch.

A half block from the Morrison House is King Street, a popular shopping, dining and nightlife street that bisects the commercial district of Alexandria.  Follow it to the Potomac River and browse the Torpedo Factory, a multi-story warehouse converted into artists' studios and galleries.  There are restaurants that run the gamut from Tex-Mex (the Austin Grill) to seafood (The Flying Fish) as well as Thai, South American, Italian, Greek and French lining King Street. 

Rooms at the Morrison House come with dozens of channels of TVs but no music player.  Evening turn down includes ice and a couple of squares of chocolate on your pilow; there's a Washington Post outside your door each morning, and room service breakfast is available though you should not miss the impeccable breakfast servied in the hotel's dining room.  It may be time to spiff up the elevator interior a bit, but overall, the hotel is in good shape.  And the staff, many of them from European backgrounds, exhibits the kind of can-do spirit that makes the difference between a hotel that's just a place to stay and a hotel that makes you want to return time and again.

Footnote: Is Alexandria a suitable place to stay for a Washington, DC, tourist?  Absolutely.  There's a Metro (Washington's above ground and underground rapid transit system) stop a few blocks from the Morrison House, and taxis are easily available.  Figure on about a $20 (including tip) taxi ride into the center of DC.  Reagan National Airport is a six-minute ride away.  There are great hotels in alexandria.

A thumbnail guide to Rudy's ratings of hotels:

One star: A clean, simple, utilitarian and inexpensive hotel, usually in a location of little note.

Two stars: A property with a better location than a one-star and rooms with modest amenities.

Three stars: Guests can expect more amenities, such as a restaurant or breakfast in the lobby as well as, in warmer climes, a swimming pool and, in the bath, toiletries and thicker towels.

Four stars: Usually a mid-priced business or leisure hotel that provides upgraded bedding and bath aminities along with a fine-dining restaurant, high-speed wi-fi access, room safe, in-room mini-bar and other touches.  At this level, you should find a knowledgable staff available to answer any questions and meet most any need. 

Five stars: Expect top-shelf bedding and bath products, a pleasant design, good location, and extras such as around-the-clock room service, a handsome setting, striking interior and exterior design or landscape, impeccable rooms, spa or noteworthy fitness facility and an ultra-accommodating staff. 

Six stars: This over-the-top rating applies to only a handful of hotels and resorts in the world.  Expect to find most imaginable amenities, a spectacular setting, a highly trained staff that anticipate your wishes, and an ambience that makes you never want to check out.