Stay two nights at the historic yet modern Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, Virginia, where they don't just make history - it is history. The hotel sits on the site of the former Marshall Inn, the location of the beginning of the Civil War. On May 24, 1861, an altercation between the innkeeper, secessionist James W. Jackson, and Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, leader of the 11th New York Infantry "Fire Zouaves," led to a melee and both men became the first two martyrs of the Civil War. Beyond the remarkable Civil War significance of the hotel's location, the city was founded in 1749 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Alexandria was once a colonial seaport and home to George Washington. With easy access to the nearby metro station plus award-winning restaurants and eclectic shopping, Alexandria strikes a perfect balance between the charm and interest of the past with the comfort and convenience of the present.