House of Plenty Morrison Offers Area Visitors a Reason to Dine, Stay Night by Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana Just across the river, Alexandria, Va., has long been a popular local destination. Almost 50 years older than Washington, Alexandria is one of the most historic communities in the country. Although much of Washington burned, many of Alexandriaís 18th-century buildings have survived unscathed despite the conflicts in the area. These interesting historic properties, cultural events, riverfront festivals and good restaurants have enticed Washington-area residents over the bridges for meals or day trips for years. But tucked away on a side street off King Street in Old Town, the Morrison House offers a reason for both local residents and visitors alike to make the trip to stay the night or the weekend. In 1996, when Peter Greenberg acquired the Morrison House, he set about to gain a coveted place in the family of Relais & Chateaux hotels and restaurants. Although highly regarded for its elegance and charm, the hotel had not earned this distinction, nor had any other Washington-area hotel, and in fact there were fewer than 50 Relais & Chateaux establishments in the entire United States. For more than 5 0 years this European brand of exclusive boutique hotels and superior restaurants (currently comprising only 450 restaurants and hotels worldwide) has been recognized by travelers for adherence to five principles; courtesy, charm, character, calm and cuisineóknown as the five Cís. Morrison House already had the Cís for charm and character. Although not an original structure, the handsome buildingóa carefully designed reproduction of an 18th-century manor houseóblends unobtrusively into its surroundings. Being a modern building, however, it has none of the discomforts that frequently accompany authenticity. The rooms are large and airy, with substantial natural lighting, and each has its own climate control. All of the rooms (superior, deluxe and suites) are decorated individually and have their own character. In the common spaces, cool marbles, rich oriental carpets and period furniture create an atmosphere that is at once elegant and soothing, contributing to the pervasive sense of calm that is so often lacking in downtown hotels. Greenberg oversaw the refurbishment of the hotel himself, going so far as to personally consult a nationally renowned textile expert in the choice of carpets for the hotel. His attention to detail shows through in all aspects of the Morrison House, from the linens in the bathrooms and on the beds (Frette) to the environmentally and allergy-friendly cleaning system that leaves the whole space free of any chemical-cleaning smell. Morrison House easily earns it C for cuisine, in both its dining options. The Grille Room, offering a seasonal-set menu for both lunch and dinner, is comfortable and though elegant conjures up a feeling of an English pub, especially on a Thursday evening when regulars gather around the piano to sing show tunes. While a hamburger is to be had for lunch, however, the Grille Roomís food is a far cry from pub fare. A stilton risotto with glazed asparagus and English peas ($23) competes with a baby rack of lamb with tomato and kalamata olive fondue ($29) for creativity and flavor. Morrison Houseís formal dining room, Elysium, offers a unique dining opportunity with its chef-of-your-own menu ($74 per person). Unlike the increasingly common chefís tasting menu, in which the choice of what will appear on your plate is left to the chef, at Elysium, Executive Chef Robert Ulrich visits each table to discuss the dayís available ingredients and what each diner would like. Diners with a serious interest in cuisine will be able to discuss with Ulrich the ingredients they want, how they want them prepared, and in how many courses. For diners who wish to leave it up to the chef, Ulrich will identify any allergies and particular likes and dislikes and take it from there. Either way, the meals are both interesting and satisfying. Although his dishes are as varied as his customers, Ulrichís approach is consistent. Fairly simple and uncomplicated dishes that creatively balance taste and textures. The kitchenís handling of soup is particularly deft. Despite the number of courses (up to seven), the meals are never oppressive. Portion size is adequate, and Ulrich avoids heavy and excessive sauces. With its emphasis on freshness, quality and seasonality of ingredients (all produce is organic and all poultry and lamb free range), what is to be had varies daily, so you rarely will have the same thing twice. Frustrating perhaps, if you experience a dish you would like to order again. But the kitchen will do its best to recreate a dish if a patron wishes. However, ordering the same thing again takes away some of the fun of being your own chef. Each visit is an opportunity for a foray into culinary invention, much like playing bridgeódealing out a hand and seeing what you can make of it. At this game, Chef Ulrich is a master. Wine is an important feature of the meal, and in addition to a list of choice wines by the glass, diners can choose from two wine flights, regular ($38) or premium ($75). If diners choose the regular flight, the sommelier will work with Ulrich to match the wines to the dishes. With a premium flight, Ulrich will develop his dishes with the specific wines in mind. If there were no other reason to visit Morrison House, the service alone would make the trip worthwhile. Itís not just that you can get your shoes polished and have a meal literally at any time of the day or night, or have a handsome afternoon tea exactly to your specifications, all of which you can. Itís the attitude of the staff and their go-far-beyond courtesy and calm required for Relais & Chateaux membership. There seems to be a sincere desire to make each guest feel as welcome and as comfortable as possible. Morrison House staff manages to create the intimacy of a bed and breakfast without any of the awkwardness attendant to sharing close quarters with strangers. Although Morrison House itself has limited facilities, Greenberg has teamed up with nearby businesses to offer his guests a variety of interesting activities. To serve guests wishing a completely rejuvenating experience, for example, Greenberg is working with two local day spas that offer a broad range of services. Just minutes walk from the Morrison House, the Sugar House Day Spa offers a full range of spa and salon services in a perfect Old Town setting. The spa derives its name from the fact that it is located in a historic building, the former private residence of a successful Alexandria sugar merchant. The sugar refinery that stood next to the store is long gone, but at the spa you can see and feel the elegance of a bygone era in the architecture of the carefully preserved interior. Like Greenberg, Mary Steidel, the executive director and co-owner of the spa, worked side by side with her three partners to personally renovate the space for the spa, carefully overseeing every detail of the transformation to ensure that no harm came to building and that its historic character was preserved. The result makes a trip to the Sugar House worthwhile just to see the inside of the property. Once you get upstairs into the treatment area, you will feel its pervasive tranquility, which is aided by soft lighting, muted colors and the faint and interestingly varied music playing in the background. (Sugar Spa avoids the clichÈ of new age background music so common in establishments of this sort.) As with Morrison House, service is a key element of the spaís appeal, and of its success. Steidel and her partners have assembled a staff of skilled technicians and support staff who not only deliver their treatments competently, but also with grace and humoróan appealing mix likely to generate repeat business. Sugar House offers services to "refine, renew and refresh." In addition to its comprehensive salon service, it offers several types of massage, skin care and body care treatments, as well as several medical spa services under the supervision of an in-house physician. A signature service, the Sugar House Scrub ($75), an exfoliating treatment of sugar crystals and essential oils followed by a Vichy shower, will relax even the tensest of customers. Close as it is to Washington, Alexandria has always maintained its own unique identity, making it a place to visit in its own right not just as a side trip. With the Morrison House available to travelers who know the Relais & Chateaux brand, and those just learning of it, Washington might just become a side trip on a visit to Alexandria. Visitors wishing to be close enough to the nationís capital to make it easy to take advantage of all that the city has to offer, but who prefer to stay in a smaller more accessible community, will find the Morrison House a perfect spot. And local residents wh o wish to get away for an evening of total relaxation or a romantic weekend with no distractions need look no further. Morrison House is there at your service, and what service it is. Morrison House is located at 116 S. Alfred St. in Old Town Alexandria, Va. The phone number is (703) 838-8000, the fax number is (703) 684-6283, and the toll-free number is (866) 834-6628. The Grille Room is open for lunch and dinner. Lunch is served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Elysium is open from 6 to 9 p.m. and for breakfast 8 to 10 a.m. weekdays and 7 to 10 a.m. weekends. Sugar House is located at 111 N. Alfred St. in Alexandria, Va. The phone number is (703) 549-9940 and the fax number is (703) 549-9931. Hours of operation are Monday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana are the restaurant reviewers for The Washington Diplomat.