The Alva is actually a restaurant, hotel & grocery store, and is owned by a very friendly & kindhearted family from Cairo, Egypt. The restaurant's head cook walked with me to ensure my nightime safety in the neighborhood per ownership's request, & he was a fascinating conversationalist. The restaurant & grocery are street level. The Alva serves wonderful food at a very reasonable price. Hotel rooms are upstairs (no handicap access). This establishment is located right next to the Amtrak station, and truly caters to all walks of life. Weekly/monthly rates are available. One night's stay costs $40. While the ownership & staff of the Alva would have to work very hard to get the upstairs hotel portion of this 100+ yr old building up to the traveling standards of the U.S. mainstream public, I personally had a wonderful stay there in a charming room with xlnt cable reception, scratched up thrift-store furniture & an antique 'claw-foot' bathtub. The full-sz'd... more