Yolanda is the consummate hostess, and staying at her place was easily the best experience I've had on airbnb! From the moment I requested the stay to the day I departed for home, she was on top of all the details, made sure I had good directions, even helped me to track down sundries I'd left behind. It was like staying with a good friend who gives you LOTS of space.

When I say space, I mean space. The apartment is in a deluxe development about 10-minutes' walk (or 3-minute bus ride) from the Cathedral. Yolanda vacates to another apartment on a different level of the same large building, so you really do get the whole place to yourself.

And what a place it is. I live in Brooklyn, and the lovely bedroom is the size of my entire apartment! Walking into her living room is like entering an in-home art gallery, with plush white carpet, gorgeous art and classical music humming in the background. Ahhh ...

The fact is, I figured I'd just crash here at night. Instead I found it was a real sanctuary during a harried business trip. Thanks Yolanda! I hope my work takes me back to DC again, and if it does, I know exactly where I'll stay.