Playing Capital Hooky

Wandering around Capital Hill is a great experience. My wife and I both live and work in the northwest quadrant of DC, so we seldom have reason to go to Hill. After spending a night there, it became apparent just how unique and delightful the neighborhood is. Apart from the facts that the Capital dome is a visible landmark, and that famous legislators routinely walk the streets, Capital Hill has much more charm and character than any other part of the city. The historic rowhouses sit only a few feet from the treelined sidewalks; small cafes and community markets are easy to find; and only a handful of streets carry large volumes of traffic, which brings a discernable sense of harmony to the area. It would be worthwhile to put aside a full day just to explore the various parts of this neighborhood so rich in charm and history. One caveat, although DC has become measureably safer over the past 5 years, Capital Hill still has some mean streets, so it's very important to understand where the safe parts are.

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DC's metro is easy to understand, and will get you almost anywhere in the District, except Georgetown. Cabs are cheap, but their rates can be confusing because DC uses zones instead of meters. People in the District who routinely use cabs know where the zones are, and save a few bucks by either getting in or out a few blocks before or after they cross over into a new zone. If you intend to use cabs, it is worth your while to familiarize yourself with how the system works, and how the zones are drawn up. If you get a dishonest driver, you may cross more zones than necessary.

Although named a B&B, my wife and I found it to be more of an inn. I say this because unlike most other B&Bs where we've stayed, you are not greeted at the door by the owners when you arrive. Instead, prior to arrival, guests are provided with the code to unlock the front door, and upon entry, room information is provided in a marked envelope lying on the foyer table. Also unlike most B&Bs, the Bullmoose only asks that you keep the front door locked, but beyond that, you have liberty to do whatever you want. Given this freedom and inn's large common areas, we thought that it would be an exceptional place for a group of people to stay at while in the city.

We were given the Sequoia room on the second floor, and we scampered up the steep flight of stairs to find a comfortable room (with a private bathroom) situated in the corner turret of the Victorian house. The bed was a queen-sized iron sleigh bed, and it was placed in the turret in such a way that it was surrounded by the windows. There was also a full-sized day bed in the room. There was one issue with the beds, but I'll get to that at the end.

The inn's theme is centered around Teddy Roosevelt, but the owners have used it with tasteful moderation. For example, the rooms are named after significant events, people, and things in TR's life and administration, but guests are not haunted with his portraint or bust at every turn. On the contrary, the decor is handsome and warm. The hardwood floors are worn, but well preserved, and the furnishings and decorations complement the floor's soft glow with rich green and brown themes.

In addition to the tasteful atmosphere, the breakfast is excellent. The innkeeper, Elizabeth, is very warm and talkative. She lives nearby on the Hill, and impressed us with her knowledge of the city. We were presented with fresh-from-the-oven muffins and banana bread, as well as bagels, hard-boiled eggs, fruit salad, strong fresh coffee, juice, and 3 or 4 cereals. As my wife had a deadline to meet that day for work, she left shortly after breakfast. I, on the other hand, had no such obligations, and spent the rest of the morning reading the Times, the Post, and the Wall Street Journal in the parlor until it was time to check out.

The were only two negative marks against the place. First, our sheets were not clean (both beds!). We were pretty astounded given the inn's attention to every other detail. Second, the inn and especially our room was not that well air conditioned. DC gets very hot in the summer, and guests bothered by the heat, may find the temperature in the inn to be uncomfortable.