Hospitality:
Maria was so thoughtful & picked up a few groceries before we arrived. She also let us know about local road closures due to a marathon & helped us figure out public transportation, which was affected by the run. She checked in every few days (we stayed for 8) and was on-site to help when we needed it. She gave good suggestions when we asked. We met her, her husband, and their 2 dogs our last night there and all were very friendly.
She provided amenities like laundry detergent, soap, shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer, coffee pot, electric tea kettle, stocked kitchen with pantry staples, and plenty of pillows, towels, etc.
Comfort:
The apartment was a good size for 2 people, though space was a bit tight...but that’s typical for DC. I was impressed by the size of the shower; standup but plenty of room to shave my legs. The bed was comfortable and the furniture was new & clean.
Location:
I would have felt uncomfortable coming & going if I were staying by myself (I’m a female from the Midwest suburbs), but I think that’s more about my lack of life experience than any actual danger in the area. Since the apartment is above the garage and accessible only by the alley, walking to & from took some getting used to. By the end of the week, I was fine doing it alone since it had been quiet all week (and there are cameras on several garages, including Maria’s). But if you’ve lived in a big city before, this will likely be no problem for you.
Transportation:
We drove to DC but left our car parked in the garage all week. We had very easy access to the free DC Street Car, Metrobus stops, DC bicycles, and of course, Uber/Lyft. The apartment is about 2 miles from Union Station, so a short ride or nice walk on H Street. I recommend having a backup plan if relying on the StreetCar. It worked most of the time but the first 3 days I tried using it, I couldn’t (the marathon Saturday, I was out too early Sunday morning, & it was broken down Monday morning).