Jays has the perfect place to stay. It has the privacy you want as well as the proximity to downtown. We never got to meet Jay, but did see him walking his dog. We did rent a car and did a few day trips (Leavenworth, WA and San Juan Island, WA). The walk to the Columbia St light rail station would suck as its about 8-10 blocks up and down hills. The Columbia city area is a nice quiet oasis. Lots of great places to eat as well as bars and nightlife. We had a good time and enjoyed our stay. It was advertised and a very nice place to stay.