The Metro DC area is chock full of hotels of every type from shiny new skyscrapers along the river to bustling buildings accommodating political and international VIPs.

If you’re looking for charm, hospitality, and a serene place to shut out the blare of the city, then you want to head south to Alexandria and check in to the Archer Hotel in Old Town Alexandria (known as the Lorien Hotel & Spa until July 2024 when it changed its name and management).

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It’s a place where you can have it all when it comes to leisure travel: great food, communal spaces, and a quiet room covered in artwork.

They go the extra mile to provide a blissful stay, to create an oasis where, as they say, “do not disturb” is a lifestyle. Located on King Street, they are the only Alexandria hotel with a full-service spa.

Why You’ll Love It

The Archer Hotel is a destination in a city full of destinations. It’s in the middle of a busy downtown, but as soon as you pull up, a valet will sweep your vehicle away so you can enter into a place where all your needs will be attended to.

The pathway to the front desk is through an outdoor courtyard filled with lawn furniture, tables, and umbrellas. It’s a place where people gather to socialize, enjoy meals al fresco or sip wine during the receptions.

Inside, the hotel is decorated in warm hues of blues and grey. The elevator speaks softly, announcing your floor in a gentle voice. Contemporary art dots the walls, often in murals leading you down a corridor.

This is not a place where you go for corporate consistency. Everything here feels as though it was placed with an individual touch, a sense of whimsy an attention to what a traveler needs to have a restorative and rejuvenating stay.

What to Expect

Expect to be cared for. The front desk staff in particular were dedicated to meeting guest needs. Their goal was always to see that guests had the experience they were seeking, to respond to their individual needs and to solve any issues that came up. You never felt like you were a number or a task to be checked off the list. They were warm and professional.

The Archer Hotel has an emphasis on wellness, a philosophy that permeates the property. The rooms are designed for comfort and to provide a good night’s sleep. There are blackout drapes in each room and the noise of the street doesn’t invade the rooms.

The public spaces provide room to unwind and the spa offers a range of services to meet a variety of needs.

Key Features

The Archer Hotel invites its guests to unwind, to find their place of bliss. It’s filled with thoughtful touches to make that a possibility. These include such things as:

• Nightly wine receptions

• Complimentary morning coffee

• Valet parking (with an EV charging station for those who need it)

• A fitness center

• Bicycle rental

• 24-hour concierge

• A full-service spa (see below) with a sauna and steam room

• 6,000 square feet of event space

• Dog-friendly hotel

Cuisine

The Archer Hotel is home to two food and beverage outlets, both offering delicious cuisine in two different settings.

The Tasting Room is in a historic brick building connected to the outdoor courtyard. The more informal of the two dining rooms, it serves up “authentic European cuisine with an American twist.”  It’s a place that features menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hour.

With a wood-fired stove and an extensive bar, it’s a place with a neighborhood feel. We went there for lunch sampling items from various areas of their menu including “lite bites,” “starters” and “sandwiches.”

A dirty martini dip was a fun and tasty way to start the lunch, served in a martini glass and filled with cream cheese, blue cheese, sour cream, and olive. Pieces of crunchy crostini bread held up well to the strong blend.

The French onion soup came with a rich veal broth with crispy onion twists and croutons topping the gruyere cheese melt, making for a different twist on the traditional soup—one that was tasty and memorable.

Our sandwiches were served with our choice of kettle chips or arugula salad—we each chose one and neither of us was disappointed.

The chicken cordon bleu sandwich was warm and melty and exploding with flavor. The Caprese sandwich was stacked with mozzarella, arugula, Roma tomato, and pesto with a dash of a balsamic vinaigrette which popped with piquancy.

The Brabo Brasserie is their fine dining outlet. Over the 10 days we spent in the DC area, we ate at many outstanding restaurants with memorable menus and fine food. The meal I had at Brabo Brasserie ranked among the best.

They serve breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner—uniting contemporary American cuisine with European techniques and locally sourced food. We went there for dinner, arriving before it got busy.

The ambience of the restaurant is an elegant fusion of traditional and modern aesthetics, creating a sophisticated yet inviting atmosphere. The dim lighting casts a warm, intimate glow over the space, highlighting the rich brown tones that dominate the decor.

Upscale furnishings and decor elements reflect a commitment to luxury while subtle colonial touches add a sense of historical charm. The result is a harmonious blend of contemporary style and timeless elegance, offering diners a refined and comfortable dining experience.

It’s a place where you go and stay awhile, savoring each course of the meal. We started with a beer and a cocktail and then asked the very enthusiastic server to guide us through the meal with his recommendations.

For an appetizer, I indulged in a local favorite: the Maryland crab cake. It was rich, lightly browned, and served atop a generous amount of their “sauce supreme” and haricot verts (aka green beans).

My husband took great interest in the Jambon Beurre, a new dining experience for him. The quintessential French sandwich arrived with a fresh, crusty baguette that had a crunchy exterior and soft interior. The Parisian ham was sliced thin and curled up boat-shape to cradle the rich, melted butter.

Duck is one of those dishes that must be ordered with care. In the hands of a skilled chef, it can be some of the tastiest of poultries. Without the care and attention of a good chef, it can come out gamey and tough.

At Brabo Brasserie, the duck l’orange definitely fell into the former category with the tender meat and rich sauce making it clear why this is a classic dish. Add the firm asparagus to the mix and it was the perfect entrée.

My husband went for a vegetarian offering—the spinach gnocchi. Having passed on it at another dining locale in the city because the server said it wasn’t very good, he was eager to have it at a place where the server could vouch for its preparation.

He wasn’t disappointed and cleaned his plate. The spinach gave the gnocchi a delicate, earthy flavor that balanced with the tender, pillowy dumplings.

We kicked off our dessert course with two ports—a 10-year and a 20-year. They were amongst a wide selection of desert wines that included port, brandy, cognac, and Moscato.

Given that the French had yet to let us down, we ordered two French-themed desserts: a plate of macarons and a dish of crème brulee. Both were a sweet top-off to a leisurely meal.

Insider’s Tips

• While there is a lot to do in the surrounding area, it’s well worth it to plan to spend some time at the Archer itself. Take advantage of all they have done to provide a restful atmosphere to enjoy a respite from packed schedules, business meetings or sightseeing tours.

• Gather those you love around the firepit in the courtyard to sip wine in the Adirondack chairs and rockers. Tuck your phone away and instead enjoy some of the magazines they’ve laid out that focus on luxurious living.

• If the weather allows, enjoy a few cocktails in their outdoor areas, sinking into the cushions and being mindfully present in the restful atmosphere.

Spa & Wellness

Up until their recent name change “spa” was part of its title, an indication of the importance of the spa to the property. The spa continues to be a key part of their wellness offerings and they are the first hotel in Alexandria to offer a full-service spa.

Spa Profile: King Street Spa at The Archer Hotel in Alexandria, Virginia

The elevator button takes you to the floor with the spa and fitness center doesn’t have a number, but instead says “spa” and the elevator audio system announces “spa” in an inviting, serene voice when it arrives there.

More than just a place to get a spa service, King Street Spa (formerly The Lorien Spa) provides a place to relax, to tarry, to shrug off the stressors of life and enter into a place of serenity and bliss. The architecture features circles and curves while design elements from throughout the hotel are carried over into this space.

The five treatment rooms provide space for facials, massages, body treatments, and waxing services.

The men’s and women’s locker rooms are separated from the common areas with curtains leading into a place with loungers and bathing amenities. One particular treat are the sprays that turn the showers into an aromatherapy experience.

The relaxation room are filled with infused water, teas, snacks, and champagne that can be enjoyed between or after services.

Accommodations

Each room overs spacious comfort with the hotel’s signature green and blue ombre art splashed onto the wall behind the bed. They are fitted with Nespresso coffee experiences, Frette robes, slippers, a modern bathroom, and an HDTV.

With the new management, plans are being executed that will put 5-star bedding in each of the rooms and include a locally curated treat for turndown service.

Guest room types include queen and king rooms and several suites. You can choose between rooms with spa rain showers or oversized clawfoot tubs. Some rooms have balconies and terraces and some suites have dining room tables and lounge areas.

In addition to their rooms designed to be physically accessible, they have sensory kits that include a weighted lap pad, fidgets, strobe reduction glasses, and noise-canceling headphones.

Nearby Attractions

Just a hop, skip, and a jump from Washington D.C., The Archer Hotel is surrounded with things to do. If you’re looking to explore Alexandria (and why not since you’re in the heart of downtown?) there is a wealth of things to do in the city that “Southern Living” ranked as one of the South’s best cities.

The King Street Mile is filled with brick-lined streets, centuries-old architecture, and dozens of independently owned boutiques and restaurants. You can walk there or take the free King Street Trolley that gives you a tour of the entire downtown area.

There are several different history tours that can be booked directly on the sites of such companies as Alexandria Colonial Tours, Alexandria History Tours, Gravestone Stories, and Manumission Tour Company or through places such as Viator or GetYourGuide. Popular sites on these tours include the Carlyle House, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, and Barrett Library.

Alexandria’s waterfront is a popular destination with plenty of dining options. You can also tour the tall ship Providence, which is a reproduction of the first ship the Continental Navy commissioned. You can take a one-hour immersive tour or drop in at sunset on the weekends for a sail.

The Torpedo Factory Art Center is a building that transformed from a facility for building torpedoes during World War II to the largest collection of publicly accessible working artist studios. There are 72 studios plus 10 galleries that feature 150 artists.

The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum was founded in 1792 and operated continuously until 1933 when it was preserved as a museum.

For more information and to book a stay at Archer Hotel Old Town Alexandria, call 855-212-6783 or visit their website. Follow on Instagram: @archerhotelalexandria

1600 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

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[Photos courtesy of Archer Hotel and Bridgette Redman]

Bridgette, who is a second-generation journalist, fell in love with spas and travel while working as a writer and editor for 16 years at the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. As a freelancer for the International SPA Association, she co-wrote two textbooks, nine workbooks, and numerous case studies on spas. Her freelance career began in the 80s and she has written for publications in Michigan, Arizona, California, and Texas along with several regional and national publications. She is a committed storyteller who loves sharing narratives which improve people's quality of life and build community. Born and raised in Michigan, she currently lives in Lansing with her husband and son. See more of her writing at bridgetteredman.com.