A Staycation in Old Town, Alexandria

Can I admit something to you all? I don’t spend nearly enough time in Old Town, Alexandria. I grew up minutes away from this super cute community, but for some reason, we would always beeline to D.C. city limits or Arlington if we wanted to eat, shop and play.

After participating in the Old Town Blogger Crawl and popping in and out of the neighborhood to visit some friends over the last few years, I knew I needed to spend a bit more quality time in the area. I teamed up with Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria for a staycation and to check out their Refresh + Recharge special package to kick off the new year.
 

How to Get to Old Town

Old Town’s public transit situation is interesting, to say the least. There’s no direct metro stop for Old Town, but you can take the Blue/Yellow Line to the King Street, and then hop on the Free King Street Trolley to get to the waterfront. It’s minutes away from DCA, and it was only a $16 Uber ride from Union Station. If you drive to Old Town Alexandria, metered street parking and parking garages are available. However, it’s a super walkable neighborhood, so I would consider leaving your car at home!

Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria – First Impressions

You know I’m a sucker for a good boutique hotel, and Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria fit the bill. I loved that it was right on the waterfront, and steps away from amazing shops, restaurants, and attractions. There’s an amazing restaurant on-site, Hummingbird, it’s pet-friendly, and it has a darling little courtyard that would be perfect to relax in during warmer months.

We stayed in a King Riverview room, which I would highly recommend. The room was a lot more spacious than other D.C. area properties I’ve stayed at, we had a gorgeous view of the Potomac, and it had one of the cutest hotel bathrooms I’ve ever seen.

Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria – Refresh and Recharge Package

From now until March 31st, 2018, Hotel Indigo Alexandria is offering a special Refresh and Recharge package — which we had the opportunity to try. This package includes an overnight stay in a King Guest Room, complimentary breakfast of cold-pressed juice, an egg white frittata, and quinoa from Hummingbird Restaurant, an in-room spa kit made by the local company Truly Life, and a choice of a one-hour class at Barre3 Old Town or Refresh Yoga Center.

This was a great way to kick off 2018 — while I was unable to try the barre or yoga class due to my knee injury, the healthy food options at Hummingbird were a pleasant surprised, and it was a delight to see cold-pressed juice in our room upon arrival. My only complaint is that I wasn’t able to use some of the items in the spa kit during our stay — ex. it included instructions on how to make a face mask, but we didn’t have the supplies in our room to make the mask. Overall, it’s a great way to relax, recharge, and it’s a great package for folks who need a little downtime to better themselves. 

Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria – Dining at Hummingbird

I was very excited to try out the restaurant on the property, Hummingbird — their Head Chef, Chef Cathal Armstrong, is a James Beard Award nominee, so I knew I was in for a good meal. We went on a Sunday, so the head chef, unfortunately, was not at the restaurant when we dined, but overall we still had a good experience. I loved the coastal decor of the restaurant, and the amazing seafood dishes that only the Chesapeake Bay can do best — the Virginia oysters, crab cakes, and Old Bay Popcorn were naturally dishes I gravitated towards as a local! 

While I liked Hummingbird, I want to come back when it’s a little warmer out to enjoy some of the outdoor dining and when the head chef is present. I thought most of the dishes I tried were fantastic, and it’s a must-visit if you’re ever on the waterfront in Old Town.

Photos by Tom McGovern