Hotel AKA Alexandria, located in charming Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia, just minutes from Washington D.C., is Interior Design Magazine’s 2023 Best of the Year winner of the top prize for a hotel transformation in the United States.
With the leadership of co-CEO, Larry Korman, dedicated to quality and excellence in design and development, the experienced Korman Communities Asset Team assembled a group of knowledgeable and skilled architects, designers, and builders. The task at hand was to transform a rather bland and ordinary building with no unique character into a reimagined luxury hotel with a new level of style, sophistication, and distinction.
The redesign intervention, overseen by Lissoni and Partners, an Italian design firm, working on its first U.S. hotel project, involved the renovation of the brick exterior giving the entire building a new cohesiveness and visual harmony, as well as a more contemporary appearance. Lissoni chose an application of anthracite gray to the brick along with a complete redesign of all the windows and openings. The entrance facade has been transformed with the addition of a canopy, and the surrounding landscape has been embellished with gardens and public spaces. The most dramatic changes are the interiors.
In announcing the award for best domestic hotel transformation in January 2024, Interior Design Magazine described the exceptional changes of the interiors this way, “Lissoni’s signature move is the dramatic darkened-steel staircase connecting reception and terrace. Strictly unique, though, is the hotel’s galleryesque vibe. Adorning the lobby are artworks specially mounted on custom screens, which serve as a cocooning backdrop to contemporary furnishings from such upscale Italian sources as Porro, Living Divani, and Kartell.”
In keeping with the AKA brand’s signature style, Hotel AKA Alexandria balances modern minimalism and refined contemporary with unexpected elements that adhere to the classic colonial style characteristic of the neighborhood. The guest rooms at Hotel AKA Alexandria are tranquil spaces thoughtfully designed with the comfortable feeling of home. Created by world-renowned architect and designer Piero Lissoni, the accommodations are outfitted with luxurious fixtures and furnishings sourced from the world’s leading artisans and design studios.
Hotel AKA Alexandria is truly a gem in the AKA portfolio, and one of the world’s most livable hotels.
