• The secured apartment is ground level and has all the necessities you may need for your stay. Coffee, teas and some basic breakfast items are provided in addition there are condiments and spices etc, if you prefer to prepare your own meals. While there is no dishwasher there are a full range of appliances both big (gas stove) and small including a rice cooker and a waffle maker, there is also a washer & dryer within the apt.
• Yes, towels and bed linens are supplied, there is an Iron & iron board to make your outfit niftier and no apt is complete without a First Aid kit! There is also two hairdryers and a necessity for today’s world: WIFI! A recent addition is safety rails in the bathroom.
• There is ample Washington related literature in the apt for guest to peruse. Kids are not forgotten as there are board games and toys for there entertainment. Sorry there is no
Cable TV.
• Weather permitting, there is a back patio and gas grill for my guest to relax and use, it also provides a relaxing area for smokers.
• There is non- competitive street parking directly opposite the apt, I have been providing my guest with a “Temporary Visitor Parking Permit” courtesy DC Gov’t which has allowed them to park there for their entire visit without fear of being ticketed.
• Grocery Shopping: There is a local Safeway about a 15 minute walk up Benning Rd, however as it is more convenient to shop at the Harris Teeters which is obliquely opposite the Potomac Ave Metro Station; 2 stops and 6 minutes away where there is also a large Safeway supermarket. There is also a Costco conveniently located at the Pentagon City Metro Station and yes I do have a shopping cart in the apt for bulk shopping. There is another Costco within driving distance (max 15 minutes), this one, to the joy of every Washingtonian sell alcohol! For those that prefer organic products there is the Sun Market and a Trader Joe’s plus an old style market (a must visit on weekends!) near the aptly named Eastern Market Metro Station and Whole Foods near Foggy Bottom Metro Station.
• I recommend using the Metro while here in DC. The apt is very near to the Benning Rd Metro Station (0.13 mile/021km) which is served by both the Blue& Silver lines; All the major historical sites such as the Capitol Building, Library of Congress the many Smithsonian Museums and the White House are directly on the route of the Blue and Silver lines the exception being the National Zoo which is on the Red line.
• Arlington Cemetery, the Pentagon and Reagan National Airport are all directly connected to the Blue Line route, while there is a shuttle bus linking the Silver line to Dulles Airport. DC is also a walking friendly city; it is small, with great leafy neighborhoods to explore, and a monument around each corner.
• Other than the conveniently situated metro station (3 minutes walk max!) there is the 96/97 Bus line that plies East Capitol Street which is directly behind the apt, the 97 route takes you via the beautiful and historic Capitol Hill neighborhood(worth exploring) to the Folgers Shakespeare Library, Library of Congress (Jefferson building is a must see!) Supreme Court, the Capitol Building ending at Union Station. The 96 Bus also goes to the National Cathedral via Union Station and the trendy U St corridor. It is an inexpensive way of viewing DC’s interesting communities and landmarks.
• The neighborhood is in transition (judge for yourself) other than the newly renovated Denney’s Restaurant, a 711 Convenience Store, the newly established Shrimp Boat Plaza and some takeout shops in the not too appealing Benning Plaza, there nothing needing exploration in the area. Yes it’s safe to walk from the metro station even late at night, the street is brightly lit and no, you will not encounter people idling on your route from the metro station to the apt, however If you are not comfortable sharing the pavement with people of color, my apt is not for you. Be advised; DC is a wonderful diverse city with an international flavor and 40% of the population being African American!
