Guests -Oct 3 - 10, 2011- Family of 6. 2 Grandparents, 2 Parents, 2 Children ages 12 and 14 years

Guest: Jo (Dallas, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 10/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/10/11

This house was large enough for our family of 6. It was wonderful being within 3 short blocks of the Metro Stop.The description on line was accurate regarding location and photos. The manager on site was helpful in answering questions. Re: cleanliness, I would say it was average. There was food in the fridge which we weren't sure to whom it belonged. Also some foods in the cupboards and again, we didn't know who that food belonged to. There was a note that we could use the spices. It looked like someone lived in the house and moved out for us to come in. It would have been nice if either the food cupboard would have been locked shut, or at least a note of explanation. The bathroom on the second floor had "moderately" warm water and the shower on the 3rd floor had "hot" water. There was no instruction as to what we should do with our garbage. If there was a garbage can, we didn't know which was ours to use. After 7 days our garbage bin in the kitchen was full to overflowing. The beds were comfortable and linens clean. Lots of towels available for our use. Laundry was in the basement which we used, however the stairs both to the basement and the 3rd floor are very steep and possibly not safe for older people. No hand rail on stair going up to 3rd floor. Our children took care of the "stair" situation by using the 3rd floor and making Grandpa and Grandma stay on the 2nd floor. If we had the opportunity to go again, we probably would stay at this home, knowing what we know now about the location and we'd be more assertive about asking the manager about specifics. Our experience in D.C. was a memorable one which we will treasure for many years to come.

Owner response:This renter addressed his own issues at the end by adding, " next time we will be more assertive in asking the manager questions. " Yes, it always helps to ask. Sorry about the several steep staircases, but that is how they built them one hundred years ago. Nowadays, we have the DC government to tell us how to build things. Are we lucky , or what ? We now send a memo to renters asking if they want food staples left in the kitchen by prior renters. If they do not, we will just throw everything out. Some renters complain, some love it....go figure !

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, adventure seekers, families with teenagers.

Good vacation rental close to the Metro

Guest: Travelers (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 09/17/11

Jack’s home is located close to the Jennifer Street entrance/exit of the Friendship Heights station on a quiet street. There is plenty of shopping nearby. We used the Giant supermarket at the other entrance of the Friendship Heights station for groceries. We would stay again, but certainly look around the city for a better option. The home was about as clean as an average hotel room. The property manager, Tor, is friendly and worked around our schedule to return the security deposit prior to our departure. Tor is quiet, however his apartment is attached to house and he can be heard on the phone and coming and going. This makes some parts of the house feel more like an apartment/condo as opposed to a single family home. The neighborhood is quiet and seemed to be safe. The washer and dryer in the basement are helpful for when on a long trip as we were. The kitchen was well stocked (pots, pans, utensils, spices, dishes, etc). The linen closet had plenty of towels and sheets. The detached garage is located in the rear of house. It is accessed via a sliding glass door that did not seem to close all the way and didn’t appear to be lockable. While this is certainly more secure than parking on the street I would have preferred to park in a secured garage. Jack was very accommodating with our vacation schedule; however communication during the process was sorely lacking (unanswered phone calls to multiple numbers, unanswered emails, etc). Upon arrival, both Jack and Tor were out-of-town. We spent 15-20 minutes calling multiple numbers to determine how to get in the house.

Owner response:Driving in DC is difficult for out of town visitors, but if one does have a car, I should think for a rentor to have the choice of a garage or on street parking might be sufficient. As to arrival instructions, they are sent to the renter with the rental contract. Both the manager and owner are always instantly available by phone or email. If that doesn't work, one needs to check the number they are dialing.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children, families with teenagers.

A truly special home

Guest: Amanda (Canberra, Australia)
Date of Stay: 10/21/10 Review Submitted: 11/08/10

Our family of four and grandparents stayed in this beautiful home in October 2010. What can I say, Jack's home is even more gorgeous than the pictures on the site. The home was perfect for our party of six and it's location so close to to shops but a moment from the Metro was second to none. As international visitors to experience American neighborhoods was part of the wonderful experience. In fact the people of this neighborhood are so delightful, that when on the Metro on our way to this property, a local women, offered to show us the way from the station and even helped with our luggage! The resident manager is professional and delightful, as is his gorgeous puppy that our daughters enjoyed playing with. The home itself is equipped with everything that you need and more to ensure a relaxing and comfortable stay. Washington was amazing, this home was perfect. Thank you for having us in your home. I would recommend this rental unconditionally.

Owner response:This neighborhood is truly homey and yet close to the Metro. There is also within three or four blocks, stores ranging from Joe's bar to Tiffany's, and everything in between. Every concievable type of restaurant from Pete's pizza ( where the vice president was seen ) to a new Whole Foods super store..( whole paycheck ? ). movie theaters, and on and on. Some renters never make it down town to the National Mall. Come see for yourself and enjoy .

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Perfect in every way--We Loved Our Stay in Your Comfortable, Relaxing Home-Away-From-Home

Guest: Wendy (Saint Michael, MN, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/11/10 Review Submitted: 10/26/10

(Thank you to the owner) We are home now, but I just had to write and let you know personally how much we loved staying in your home while in Washington, DC! It was perfect in every way. Our 10 days there were wonderful. The home was more lovely than the photos, the neighborhood friendly and safe, the home well-cared for. All my emailed questions were quickly answered. We enjoyed meeting the resident manager, who was professional, yet very personable, attending to our every need, yet not intrusive in any way, always with a smile on his face. He was easy to reach and eager to be helpful and met us at the house with keys. The area has nearby restaurants (many deliver!) and great shopping. Your sheet of helpful tips was much appreciated, including restaurants, which we enjoyed! I have to say I absolutely loved our 3rd floor private sanctuary. I loved awaking in the "treetops," with windows all around, and having a sitting area right there, being able to check weather and news in the morning, and watch movies at night--very relaxing. The front porch was a favorite of both my husband and me, and we took advantage of the quiet setting to catch up on reading or writing in our travel journal in the late afternoons, especially enjoying the cool breezes and peaceful privacy. Additionally, the kitchen was very well stocked, and easy to use, homey and comfortable, and allowed us "a home away from home" in which my daughter and I were able to cook a few meals, saving our family some money. We loved the decorating throughout the whole house, as we do love antiques, and I appreciated the choice of colors, white woodwork, and antique mirrors throughout. The comfortable furniture, especially after a long day of sightseeing, was very welcoming, and my son was found relaxing often in the living room, reading on his kindle. Speaking of sightseeing, the location was ideally suited to our taking the Metro into town, which we did on most days. An added perk for me, a dog-lover, was throwing the ball to the little dog on the back doorstep, who entertained us, but was very "polite" (not going to get his ball until he was sure he would be accepted) and obedient, sitting and lying down on command. It made me feel "at home," a part of the neighborhood. What can I say, I was sad to leave! We would recommend your rental home to anyone, and if ever we are back in the area, we hope to stay there again. Thank you for opening your home and sharing it with us!

Owner response:renting your home to strangers can be, and is, often dodgy. but in response to those few who can never be satisfied, there is always one who loves and appreciates it. thank goodness for them for they are thrice blessed.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

Beautiful house, wonderful property manager, nice amenities and great location!

Guest: Regina R. (Oak Park, IL)
Date of Stay: 07/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/29/10

My family stayed at this wonderful house for 1 week. We had four children with us and a dog and we were very comfortable. The kitchen is gorgeous and fully stocked with pans, plates, etc. The bedrooms are very comfortable -- the sheets and towels in wonderful condition. The house was spotless. Onsite is a property manager, he was very responsive and accomodating. Two days in 4 out of the 6 of us got very ill (not related to the house!), not something we expected on our vacation but we were so thankful to have this wonderful haven to recover in. The house is very close to the nearest metro stop (short short walk) and there are cute restaruants and a movie theater within walking distance. The neighborhood is quiet and very homey feeling. We received our deposit back immediately upon departure. Oh and we were in DC during a heatwave and wow was this home nice and cool -- the AC is fabulous. I cannot say enough good things about this house. Thank you for allowing us to stay.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Loved this place!

Guest: Faulks (Danville, KY)
Date of Stay: 04/18/10 Review Submitted: 04/26/10

This property was well maintained and clean. The photos depict the exact way the house looks. The beds were very comfortable with nice linens. Baths were clean and plenty of towels. The kitchen very well equipped if you want to cook. I didn't, with all the nice restaurants within walking distance. Armands Pizza, Cheesecake Factory, nice Mexican restaurant close, and great frozen yogurt place only 5 min. walk. A grocery store within walking distance. I really liked the location of this place, upscale neighborhood, quiet... Shopping was wonderful! All within walking distance! And the person living in the back was hardly seen. He was there to welcome us and show us around, gathered the mail a few times during the week we were there, but totally no bother. I would definitely recommend this place to family, friends or anyone going to DC. We will use it again.

Owner response:Rentors are like a box of chocolates.......you never know what you're going to get. Most, however, are quite nice.....and that is true of this responder. They thoroughly enjoyed the house and all of the benefits of staying in a home, its location and all of the amenities available. I thank them for their courtesy and graciousness.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.