The Peake-Fairfax House

The house is a wonderful change of pace from the usual Washington area hotels. Its authentic period charm and location are without rival in Old Town Alexandria.

My wife and I stayed two nights in this elegantly furnished, well restored historic home. We enjoyed walking in the historic district of Alexandria, VA, looking at the other historic houses in "Old Town" visiting the shops and restaurants that were close by. The owners were very gracious and made us feel right at home.

$175 third floor room with tiny, Spartan bath down hall with display-only towels (don't use, carry your own from room plus toiletries each trip to wc) whos central air sounds like a 747, tinyimpossible to see tv in corner of room without cable that got no major network stations or even CNN (got Islamic and Russian newscast stations), dark and welcoming as a funeral home with most lights turned off, wifi that would not connect, no external facilities save two metal chairs in backyard, difficult to find due to lack of external signs and no street number on web sites, flexible breakfast hours because you fix it yourself from supermarket frozen bread, juice, yogurt, one type of fruit; like staying in a beautifully furnished antique store (which is what it is, complete with price tags on decorations). Grossly inflated prices underscore this one stay only establishment as being run for the owners benefit not the guests. Probably wrote their own glowing reviews. Rooms at less than $175 plus tax and fees are on 4th floor up a ladder. Facilities are extremely well cleaned as is you wallet by your rarely present hosts.