If you follow me over on Instagram, then you know what a great staycation I had over at Morrison House in Old Town Alexandria! It’s no secret I love Old Town—you can check out my local guide to this charming town on the Potomac River here—and so when Morrison House invited me for a complimentary stay, I jumped at the opportunity. Whether you’re a DC local like me or coming in from out of town, I’d recommend Old Town Alexandria to anyone. It boasts a beautiful waterfront, so many cute stories and restaurants, and has an old world, colonial-era charm that really makes it feel distinct from anything else in the area.

This my first trip to Morrison House, but I knew it was going to be an amazing experience because anytime I mentioned the hotel to someone who’d been, they became super excited and told me I would love it. Well, y’all—all those people were right! For those of you unfamiliar, Morrison House is a cozy 45-room, Federalist-style boutique property located right in the heart of Old Town Alexandria. It’s part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, and I’d call the hotel one of Alexandria’s best kept secrets—it’s perfect for leisure travel like I did, but they also have a beautiful conference room if you’re looking for an inspired space for business purposes. Because of all the small details and thoughtful nods to the region, it has a really homey feel that you often don’t get in larger, cookie-cutter hotels.

Morrison House also has a super exciting new program that’s right up my alley called Bedside Reading, where they provide hotel guests with a carefully curated selection of free (!) books that guests can enjoy during their stay and then take home. Each month, a new selection of titles will provide guests with the opportunity to unplug and relax with some of the most highly anticipated books of the season. During my stay at Morrison House, I was able to enjoy Night Justice by Diane Capri, Come Home by Patricia Gussin, and Freckled by TW Neal. There also was an audio book available, Depth of Winter by Craig Johnson, and the hotel has several e-books for guests as well. Bedside Reading curates the selection to align with the region and the hotel, so guests can develop a connection to the hotel and destination through the books during their stay. I thought this was such a good idea—it’s a great way to introduce authors to new audiences and vice versa, while also giving travelers easy access to great books without the airport bookstore price tags.

When you walk into the Morrison House’s lobby from its beautiful front entryway, you’re greeted by a beautiful piece of art—open old books with an outline of the Potomac River painted on. (How fitting for their new Bedside Reading program, right?!) The service was outstanding at the front desk, and the concierge checking us in asked if we recognized the gold lines. I knew immediately it was the Potomac River, and answered without skipping a beat. Because I guessed correctly, she treated us to a glass of wine at the beautiful bar located right off the lobby.

In the bar area, there were several pieces of art—one of which is shown in the left photo below—which contained my favorite line from The Great Gatsby, another perfect fit for Bedside Reading! Across the hallway from the bar is a beautiful lobby living room, complete with fireplaces, several distinct sitting areas, and a coffee/tea bar.

My sister came along with me for the night, and we were blown away by our hotel room! Not only was the bed super comfortable—so comfortable we didn’t want to leave the next day!—the bathroom was stunning. Federalist blue runs throughout the property, as seen on the wall behind the concierge desk, the hotel room doors, and on the vanity in the bathroom, and it’s such a unifying design detail I loved.

When we weren’t enjoying this beautiful hotel, it was so easy to walk to everything we wanted to do in Old Town—we were at the waterfront within five minutes, which is a total win in my book. I can’t wait to get back to Morrison House soon—and see what titles are up next in their Bedside Reading program.

Thank you so much to Morrison House for hosting me for a complimentary night to check out your new Bedside Reading program. As always, opinions are my own!