I had never booked an accomodation with airnb. I can say that it was a positive experience. It's not a hotel but an apartment. It wasn't really clean but it was cosy and it was really close to everything. We could take the bus, the metro or walk to the mall. Walking to Washington dc main sites takes only 30 minutes. I would recommend to a friend only if I know that he/she wants to save money and he/she is able to adapt in any situation.