When I saw there were more than 40 reviews with straight 5.0s on LA's listing, I knew I were in the right place. Lillian's place has been my best Airbnb stay so far.
The location -- pretty much unbeatable in Washington, D.C.; The place is about 10-15 minutes' walk from the United States Capitol and thus close to all major attractions in Washington, D.C. (some within walking distance, if not, biking should do) and the neighborhood is beautiful with parks and nice-looking houses. I walked to the Nationals Park/waterfront area (about 10 minutes' walk) several times and walked to the Capitol Hill/National Mall/Lincoln Memorial almost everyday during my stay. Walking between the Capitol Hill and Lillian's place felt safe as several of my walks were after 11pm. Despite being in the middle of it all, it still felt quiet because the house is located in a residential area a couple blocks away from the real busy places. Lillian's neighborhood has been having some modern development so there are many modern and fancy-looking places just a few blocks away (and in the waterfront area). Based on my visits, there are some grocery stores/pharmacies with wide selections for travelers; there are some fancier restaurants down the street, including at least one restaurant with a current Michelin Star and another with a former Michelin Star; there are some other nice, diverse restaurants with lower price tags; there are ordinary sammich places. Major transportation hubs are close and I was able to access DCA and IAD via D.C. Metro and buses. Washington Union Station is about two miles away, from which I was able to catch trains to New York City/Virginia. There is a bus route about two blocks away to Landover station (Maryland), where I just took a Uber to Annapolis, Maryland ($30, unfortunately the bus transfer to downtown Annapolis was suspended). So if you wish to visit government places and museums in D.C., Lillian's place is convenient. If you wish to have some nice food and interesting city life near the waterfront, it is convenient. If you wish to have the flexibility (like I did without driving) of having daytrips in nearby towns in Maryland and Virginia, it is convenient.
The room -- clean, cozy and private; Getting in and out was smooth. The room on the first floor fit me perfectly as a solo traveler. There is an ensuite bathroom, a wardrobe/luggage area, a tv, and some brochures to D.C. attractions. The suite had some nice and cozy touch/decor which may make you feel at home. The bed was comfortable (never experienced any back pain at Lillian's place unlike, well guess what, at home). The first-floor guest room gets its own AC and you may adjust the temperature yourself. Lillian also had water/soda/tea/coffee prepared for her guests in the second-floor kitchen. She allowed me to use her nice washer/dryer set for free. There is a rooftop balcony with views of the neighborhood. Wi-Fi signal was strong -- I could get some signal outside in the street! Things in the kitchen and bathroom seemed well-stocked.
The host -- nice, friendly, welcoming, communicative; Lillian accommodated my request to extend the stay by several days very fast. On the day of my arrival we coincidentally attended the same event at Nationals Park and she offered to give me a ride and we had some fun conversations about the event. She responded very fast via Airbnb message whenever there was communication from my side. Her introductions/instructions (about the neighborhood and how to check in and check out) were very clear. Lillian seems to genuinely care how well she hosts her guests.
The value -- well worth the price, especially when everything was almost a bargain compared to my own HCOL area. And I learned about another interesting place on Airbnb!