DC GuestHouse: Your own Personal Museum for the Night

By Marilyn Loeser 

Washington DC is a city of memorials, monuments and museums.

The best way to see the national’s capital is on an on-off tour bus or tram and an idea of what’s most important to your particular pursuits.

If history and art are your focus, you may want to reserve your accommodations at DC GuestHouse, located in one of Washington DC’s oldest and most elegant neighborhoods.

Only one block from the new DC Convention Center and minutes from the White House, museums and monuments, it seems miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. In fact you can see the National Museum of Natural History from the street in front of the guest house by looking to the south.

As soon as my cab pulled up, Tom Bell walked out the front door of the 1867 Victorian mansion. “Marilyn?” he called.

Taking my bag, I followed him into the front hall and was immediately surrounded by art: Asian, African, American Indian; modern, folk art, sculptures and paintings.

“Wow,” I breathed.

To my right was “the pit,” a sunken living room filled with an eclectic collection of art and furnishing from several eras framed in vivid colors and accents.

Bell and three lifelong friends — Randy Kuczor, Ron Wilkerson and Mike Molock — bought the house in 1999. In February 2003 they opened the house as a bed and breakfast.

The bed and breakfast features six spacious guest rooms filled with beautiful artwork and rare pieces from all over the world. Each suite is named for its prime color: Blue, Chocolate Gold, Green, Purple, Red and Sage.

Tom gave me a quick tour of the common rooms and then escorted me up to my room — Chocolate Gold.

My suite had a living room area complete with working fireplace, sofa and coffee table, and satellite TV, DVD player and wireless Internet access. The bedroom was separated from the living room area by an ornate curved archway.

In this neighborhood, most of the original wood frame houses were razed after the Civil War to make way for brick Victorians.

Most of these structures, though modified a bit over time, are still as they were more than 125 years ago. In fact, many have been restored to their Victorian splendor, inside and out.

In addition to excellent service and accommodations, historic and cultural surroundings and convenient location, your day will begin with a delicious breakfast and great conversation with your hosts and other guests.

Business or pleasure, the DC GuestHouse is a destination all by itself!

If you go:

The guest house features a business center and meeting space can be reserved for up to 15 people.

Children are welcome and the guest house is pet-friendly.

For more information check the website at www.dcguesthouse.com.