Hotel Heron Alexandria Old Town, Curio Collection by Hilton

Hotel Heron sits in Old Town Alexandria, a short walk from the Potomac waterfront and the city’s compact grid of brick streets, independent shops, and neighborhood dining. Set in a historic landmark building, it mixes a sense of place with the practical comforts modern travelers look for: 134 rooms, a fitness center, meeting space, and on-site dining. The food-and-drink lineup gives the hotel its personality, with KILN for hearth-inspired Mid-Atlantic cooking, Francis Hall for low-lit cocktails, and Good Fortune for rooftop drinks and views over the river and rooftops. It feels local first, branded second, which is exactly the point.