Charm in Historic District, Full Kitchen, Dogs OK, 95 Walk Score!

SUMMARY:

Dog/Family friendly English basement apartment attached to single family home with private entrance in charming, Historic Old Town. No guest cleaning or checkout tasks required.

Neighboring D.C. proper, but feels a world away. Sleeps 4 adults comfortably or a family of 6 (with younger kids). Approximately the size of 2 standard hotel rooms at nearby Old Town hotels (ex: The Alexandrian Hotel King Room Suite with Sofa Bed is a good comparison) A walking/public transit paradise & plenty of zoned street parking. Permit offered to guests worth $40/day compared to hotels. A full kitchen and Trader Joe’s 2 blocks away with many ready to eat meals is a money saver for families. 4 blocks to King St/waterfront retail & restaurants. 10 min walk to Braddock Rd metro.

DESCRIPTION:

Please note we are a DOG FRIENDLY property with appropriate Fee for dogs that meet our guidelines and are declared on the booking. However we are unable to accept cats under any circumstances (even service animals/ESA cats) as we have a documented, life-threatening allergy.

Since we want our guests to be able to relax and enjoy, we do not have lengthy cleaning requirements upon checkout. We simply ask that they start the dishwasher and put any wet towels in the bathroom if time allows, but it’s entirely optional. Our cleaning crew will do the rest.

PARKING: zoned, public parking pass for street parking available for 1 car. Please provide car info upon booking (license plate state and #). Parking longer than 7 days requires additional info for a pass from city hall. With a pass, guests are exempt from hourly parking limits. Without a pass, parking is subject to a 2 hour limit weekdays between 8am-5pm. Parking is first come, first serve but to date our guests have not had any issues finding parking on our block. For guests with electric vehicles, we are down the block from a charging station with multiple units.

LOCATION: Our location is unbeatable, Old Town has historically ranked one of the most desirable location in the DC metro. We boast an incredible 95 walk score and are only a couple blocks from 2 major grocery stores, 10 min walk in to the waterfront, 7 mins to King St, and 10 mins to Braddock Rd metro. Only a 11 min drive to the Smithsonian Museums and other DC favorite venues (or 35 mins walking/riding train). We are urban with a vibrant downtown and no shortage of activities, but once you are a couple of blocks off King St, you will find a quieter, neighborhood feeling with incredible historical architecture and charm. We are in the boundaries of the designated historic district and the house dates back to the 1820s, but was fully renovated in 2005 (down to the studs) to install all the best modern comforts. We are within a 10-15 min walk of at least 5 parks with plenty of green space.

GUEST SUITE: private, peaceful sanctuary with a large 15x13ft bedroom that includes a Cal King hybrid mattress (Allswell hybrid luxe) with bamboo sheets, and a 55” smart TV, perfect for when you are ready to wind down. Escape the heat of the summer with a fully air conditioned space and warm up on a cold or rainy night with our cozy electric, ventless fireplace. The 3/4 bath is equipped with a spacious shower with multiple shower heads and body jets for a true spa-like experience. Bring your own toiletries or we provide all of the essentials for your enjoyment.

In the sitting area that adjoins to the kitchen, you’ll find a custom Murphy bed/couch combo that is easy to convert from couch to a queen bed in under a minute with a thick hybrid mattress with individually wrapped coils topped with a generous layer of memory foam. Relax by the electric ventless fireplace which doubles as a whole unit space heater and creates a wonderful ambiance. The 65” 4K smart TV includes an Amazon Fire Stick with complimentary Prime, Netflix, & HBOMax as well as a full cable package including Big Ten Network and sports channels.

Fast, free WiFi (200mbps) available to allow for plenty of streaming and for remote workers and students, a rolling height adjustable laptop cart as well as a desk and chair in the bedroom.

The kitchen has bar seating for 4 and is kept stocked with all the essentials. Energize at the coffee bar with the keurig, drip coffee maker, or French press. For tea lovers, we have an assortment of teas and an electric kettle. We have all the essential pots, pans, and tools to make cooking a breeze including a crockpot and Dutch oven. Nearby farmers markets, Trader Joe’s, and the enormous Harris Teeter are only a 4 minute walk away!

For little ones we have various equipment available for guest’s use such as two 4Moms playards (30 lb limit) and a Regalo extra long cot (80lb limit). with a signed liability release. Please inquire at booking.

5 Star, personalized touches await you such as:

- Bath products including shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel

- local information including recommendations for restaurants, shops, and activities.

- metro and bus maps, “how to” advice on how to access and use all of the public transportation in the area, and guidebooks for seeing the surrounding by metro or days trips by car.

For our active guests, we are walkable to great parks and the famous Mt Vernon trail, an 18 mile long paved multi-recreational path that traverses the metro area. We are a 4 min walk to the Charles Houston Recreation Center with gym, sauna, and pool access for a small guest fee. Inside the unit, we have a yoga mat (resistance bands and free weights upon request). The wonderful 532 Yoga Studio is just a block away if you want to catch a class while here!

DOGS: If you plan to bring canine family please review the guidelines and message us prior to booking for pre-approval. Old Town is a dog’s paradise & Alexandria ranks 16th highest in the country for dog friendliness. We provide a list of dog friendly areas and there’s a top notch doggy daycare 2 blocks away. Additionally we have a preferred dog walker/sitter that lives just a block behind us. We also cater to our canine guests with the following provided:

Crates
Beds
Bowls
Poop bags
Towels
Blankets

While we live in the floors above, we have performed over $10K of soundproofing for our guests comfort and privacy to the fullest extent possible. However please note that similar to a hotel/apartment building, no soundproofing is 100% and you may hear us moving around.

We take great pride in the clean condition of our property despite being dog friendly. The health and comfort of our guests is important to us. We offer contactless check-in and check-out, entrances and all spaces are private, we have HEPA equipped air filtration units throughout.

GUEST ACCESS:

Guests have exclusive access to the front patio entrance area and the entire English basement (excluding any closets that are locked off by the owners). The upper two floors and the back patio are for exclusive use by the owners.

OTHER ITEMS TO NOTE:

We are an urban environment in an attached row home. Our street is very peaceful and the house has good soundproofing with layers of brick and insulation, but there is much we don’t control. Basically, if you are expecting a quiet country retreat with no one else around, our listing isn’t going to be the best fit.

Temperature control is upstairs. We keep it around 68 degrees and there is a whole apartment heater for guests who want to warm it up. For guests who like it cooler, just let us know and we are happy to set a schedule on the thermostat to your comfort.

The unit has two exterior security cameras, Ring security camera at front entrance and Ring floodlight facing out on owners private back patio. There are no interior cameras or recording devices facing the interior. There are additional Ring and Nest brand devices such as smoke detectors, motion detectors for security when vacant, WiFi routers, and temperature sensors. Any other devices that the guest doesn’t recognize or has concerns with should be reported immediately to the host upon check-in.

Everyone is welcome in our space no matter your ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, country of origin, etc.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

With more than 250 years of history and hospitality to its credit, Alexandria offers an array of historic and cultural attractions. Alexandria's many historic homes, churches, businesses, and museums allow residents and visitors alike to experience the hand of the past that makes our city the charming and historic town it is today. Visit City of Alexandria museums and historic sites and discover our past, present, and future!

Old Town Alexandria has been named A Top 5 Small City in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler and One Of The Most Dog-Friendly Vacation Destinations by Expedia (2019). Walking down King Street, you’ll see people not only strolling along the street with their dogs, but sitting in the outdoor restaurant seating areas with them. Take a Monuments Cruise to DC, go to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, or purchase tickets for the Water Taxi which will take you to National Harbor, the Wharf, or even a Nationals’ Baseball game!

Old Town is full of history, shopping, entertainment, restaurants (oh the FOOD....), and pubs to choose from in that sometimes it’s hard to decide what to see or do first! From guided and self-guided walking tours down cobblestone streets, live music in many restaurants and pubs during the evenings, to amazing views as you sit by the waterfront you are certain to fall in love.

GETTING AROUND:

10 min walk from Braddock Rd metro (blue/yellow lines). 20 min Walk from King St station & Amtrak station, a short hop on the free King St trolley, or a short Uber away.

If coming by car, we are just a couple blocks off the GW parkway.

Otherwise we are walkable to everything you would want or need with rental bike areas nearby.