Five extended family members and I stayed in this lovely apartment for four nights. I was in town for a conference near Capitol Hill, and my family members were in from southern California on vacation. The apartment was ideal for us.

Apartment: Pleasant appearance, well-decorated, appears as in photos, though interior is a little darker and backyard area not as nice/usable as photos suggest. Comfortably slept three adults and three children. Ideal layout in that the front and back bedroom/bathrooms are on opposite ends of the flat. I took the front bed/bath (allowing me privacy and the ability to come and go without disturbing anyone), other two adults took the back, and all three children slept in the living room (two on pull out couch, one on a twin mattress). Kitchen pantry was well stocked, and Crystal thoughtfully left some snacks in counter and in refrigerator, and a bunch of metro smartcards. Plenty of pots/pans/silverware-not a ton of dishes/bowls but this is minor. Because this is a lower floor, there is a SLIGHT musty smell when you first come in, but it quickly dissipates and didn't bother me one bit even though I'm a stickler for odors.

Location: Excellent. 1.5 block from Potomac Ave metro, 1 block from a Bike Share station, 1 block from major grocery store, 6 (longish) blocks from hip area with restaurants/shops. I used the bike share to commute to my conference and when I wanted to go to restaurant area, family used blue line metro to get to all major landmarks easily. You could walk to the Capitol but it was better on bike (might be too long young children). I did a nice run through the Capitol grounds to the National Mall and back~a little more than 4 miles round trip. Immediate neighborhood was nice and felt safe, though some of the adjacent streets would feel uncomfortable at night if you're not used to the urban life.

Hosts: Marvelous, wonderful, terrific. Crystal and her family who live upstairs were accommodating, helpful, and generous. Crystal and her husband hit the right balance of being there for needs, but remaining totally unobtrusive. They also must walk with pillows on their feet because we barely heard their footsteps even when right overhead!

Excellent value for the money and a place I would stay again for similar purposes.