For my first journey back to our nation’s capital after my move over Thanksgiving, I’d be spending the better part of the week at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. The Hilton is a famously iconic piece of architecture in the western part of Alexandria in a convenient corporate sector in town. The towering structure is clad in all glass and soars thirty stories into the air, taller than anything in the vicinity. I’d been here several times for meetings but I was never fortunate enough to be a guest of the hotel. Until now.Checked into the hotel rather late at night but they’d saved for me a handsome suite on the twenty-eighth floor. The suite had two entrances, both accessed by my keycard. The first room was a king sized bedroom with sleek, contemporary décor. And the second room adjoined to mind with French doors to a full size living room, the same size as my bedroom, with a small kitchenette complete with sink and refrigerator. There would be plenty of room for me to stick to my new “Insanity” fitness regimen indeed. And because of said regiment, I needed to be sure I’d be well nourished in the morning. As a precautionary measure I dialed room service this evening to place my order for breakfast at 8am. They asked which thirty minute window I preferred and I asked for 7:45-8:15.
Breakfast was promptly at my door at 7:45a, no joke. It was warm and exactly to my specifications. The room gave me ample space to dine and get the food out of my way for my workout. There was also plenty of room to set up comfortable office space and keep all of this away from my sleeping quarters.
Over the course of my next three nights I got to appreciate the hotel’s restaurant Finn & Porter, where I’d enjoy breakfast. Other values of interest for which I’d take complete advantage were the self-parking facilities, which conveniently adjoin to their ballroom areas, and the shuttle service to the Pentagon City Metro which left every thirty minutes. I’d also tour the impressive facility which is comprised of 581 guest rooms and more than 45,000sf of meeting space. I had a group meeting in house this week as well and could periodically check on them from above. The Hilton has a handy atrium lobby overlooking their ballroom space so I could wave to my client sitting at her registration table from time to time.
It wasn’t until my last day at the Mark Center that the rain subsided and revealed the majesty of the view from my room. Six miles from downtown DC but with no obstructions, I could see clear to the Washington Monument. It reminded me of home. Or was it the excellent service I was provided during my stay?
My photos – https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10150527746507674.450809.137517647673&type=1
On the web – http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/DCAAHHF-Hilton-Alexandria-Mark-Center-Virginia/index.do