I have really mixed feelings about this place. On the one hand, I want to give points for “as advertised.” But there are a few things I wish I had been clearer on before I stayed, and a few things that easily/cheaply could have improved my stay.
PROS:
- the price, obviously. Mike’s rooms are among the cheapest available in central DC. But, you get (to some degree, less than) what you pay for, IMO.
- Check in/out couldn’t be easier. You can do everything on your own, any time of day (within the check-in/out timelines).
- I thought the bed was very comfortable. And I appreciated the heavy blanket and extra pillow provided.
- There is a free-standing closet unit and a desk, both of which were handy. There was a power strip so I could plug in all my devices, and Mike provided towels and Wifi. Basics are all covered.
- Location. The building is close to multiple bus lines and very walkable to either Columbia Heights or Georgia Ave metros (Green/Yellow line)
- Anonymity. Many times, if you’re paying just for a room on AirBnB, you’re in someone’s house, which usually means you have to engage with or talk to another person. Mike is a silent landlord—he told me out to get in and then I didn’t see or speak to him again. This is a big plus in my book. When I’m traveling, I just want to be left alone in my accommodations.
- The room itself appeared clean.
CONS:
- The noise: As advertised, the room is directly above a bar, and the music is *loud* until 2am, every night (except Monday?). This is the one drawback I felt like I was fairly warned about, yet the music was louder than I possibly could have imagined. It’s not just a bar that plays music; it is like club music/volume and your room is IN THE CLUB. That said, I’m a hard sleeper and I didn’t have a huge problem with it. Ear plugs and a sleep mask worked like a dream (I say sleep mask b/c flashing lights from the bar come through the curtains even when closed).
- The premises outside of the room: I couldn’t really figure out what was going on with this place. You enter the second floor, where there are 6 numbered rooms. It’s not clear that all the rooms are AirBnB’s, which made me concerned about who else was in the building. The place had a hostel vibe, minus the fun social aspect of a hostel. The kitchen and the bathrooms looked “wiped down” at most (as opposed to deep cleaned), and both bathrooms smelled like urine. Water pressure in the showers not great, but hot. I would not use the kitchen, but I saw others using it.
- Room security: Each room appears to only be secured by a doorknob lock (the kind that you turn)—i.e., the rooms are not very secure. Further, Room 6’s (this AirBnb) door opens to the hallway, not the room interior, so you would not be able to block the door if someone tried to get in. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving valuable property in the room when I wasn’t there. As a solo female, security is a big concern for me.
- Room utility/ambience. This room is good for pretty much one thing—sleeping (though not if you are a light sleeper). The only light is a single overhead light in the middle of the room, giving a interrogation room/prison cell vibe. Not super appetizing to hang out in. I really would have appreciated a bedside table with a lamp, not just for ambience but to give me something to put my phone, etc. on, and to save me from having to turn out the lights before getting into bed. It was also quite cold in the room a lot of the time.
BOTTOM LINE: I would (maybe?) stay here again, for the price. If you just need a place to crash and you’re a hard sleeper, this may be the spot for you. But there are some issues (cleaning, security, ambience), and I don’t know that the low price of the room makes those deficiencies worth it.