Big Pippinthe
Self-taught painter from West Chester, PA. “Pictures just come to my mind, and I tell my heart to go ahead.” That sentence is on the wall in the room.
Second-floor king room with private bath, walking distance to Capitol Hill.
Sealed for your stay.
The walkthrough.
Two minutes of orientation that save you a midnight text.
When you arrive, you'll punch your code into the security gate first — push the gate inward firmly until it clicks. Then the same trick on the front door (push the screen door in right away when you hear the unlock).
Inside, head up one flight of stairs. Big Pippin is on the second floor, on the right. Your room has its own keypad code, different from the front door; we'll have both ready for you.
Parking
Free street parking out front, plus tandem driveway space if you want to lock your car off-street for multiple nights.
Late arrivals
Late arrivals are completely fine. Guests have rolled in at 1am, 2am, 3am — totally normal. Just text when you're 10 minutes out and we'll make sure the porch light is on.
Welcome to The Big Pippin — our second-floor king room, named for Horace Pippin, the self-taught painter whose work hangs in the National Gallery a few miles from here.
You're on the second floor in a private king room with its own bathroom. The room is spacious enough to settle in: king bed, couch, and an air mattress available for an extra sleeper. The third floor is where we live, so your space is the room and bathroom, not the whole upper level.
Most of our guests who book this room are here for two reasons: they want a real bed after a long day in DC, or they're working remotely and need a door that closes.
If either is you, you picked right.
How we live.
This is our primary residence, not a guest house. A few things that shape the experience.
You'll probably meet us.
We're around. We love practicing our French and Spanish with international guests. We're often in the kitchen or on the deck and you're welcome to join us — many guests have ended up sharing a glass of wine with us at the dining table. Equally welcome to keep to yourself; we read context.
The kitchen is open to you.
We keep it impeccably clean and you're welcome to use it — fridge space, coffee, full kitchen. Just clean up after yourself the way you'd want a guest in your home to.
We host friends and family on the deck or at the dining table sometimes.
Brunches, dinners, an evening with a bottle of wine. We're considerate of quiet hours; if a gathering ever feels disruptive, text us. If you're the kind of traveler who'd happily join us, you'll feel right at home.
Quiet hours: 12am–6am.
There's an elementary school across the street and things can get loud during pickup/dropoff. We've left earplugs and sleep masks in the nightstand if morning light is a problem.
Shoes off, please.
There's a basket of slippers near the front door — help yourself.
No smoking inside.
The back porch is fine — there's a Solo Stove out there and firewood on the patio if it's a fire kind of night.
This isn't a child-friendly home.
Three levels, open stairs, vintage furniture, art at toddler height. We don't host kids under 12.
Getting around DC.
These are real recommendations from people who know DC closely: Slli'm by birth, Charli by college and adult life. We update this as places change.
01Breakfast / coffee
Breakfast / coffee
- Call Your Mother — Multiple guests have raved about this on Charli's recommendation. Get the everything bagel.
More breakfast picks coming — Charli's adding her nearest coffee spot, weekend brunch favorite, and a breakfast under $15.
02Dinner
Dinner
- Walter's — By Nats Park. Same group owns several restaurants in that family — ask Charli for the cluster.
More dinner picks on the way — special-occasion, weeknight casual, vegetarian-friendly, late-night.
03Drinks / nightlife
Drinks / nightlife
- U Street Corridor — For live music and cocktail bars.
Charli's adding specific bars worth the trip vs. tourist traps to skip.
04Walks + outdoor
Walks + outdoor
- Anacostia Riverwalk — 8 minutes from us, beautiful, underrated.
- Frederick Douglass Bridge to The Yards — Anacostia views, restaurants on the other side.
- Eastern Market on a Saturday morning — Flea market, food stalls, the actual market hall.
05Museums
Museums
- All Smithsonian museums are free. — Plan around government shutdowns — they close. Charli has a list of non-Smithsonian alternatives if that happens during your stay; ask.
Charli's working on which Smithsonians are worth the time, lesser-known museums, and the Phillips Collection if you like art.
06Neighborhoods worth wandering
Neighborhoods worth wandering
- Capitol Hill — Colorful row houses, walkable, a mile from us.
- Georgetown — Cobblestone streets, shops, restaurants.
- U Street — History, music, food.
Want personalized recs? Text us at (202) 455-6633 with what you're into — food, art, history, walking, nightlife — and we'll send you specific picks. We do this for every guest who asks; some of our best reviews come from it.
Where everything is.
In your room
- Towels
- A bath sheet and washcloth on the dresser per person. Extra bath towels in the coffee table drawer.
- Linens
- Extra sheets in the bottom drawers of the dresser.
- Iron + board
- In the closet.
- Air mattress
- Queen size, in the closet — plug it in, it self-inflates. Linens in the plastic "bed in a bag" container in the closet.
- Workspace
- A collapsible desk and chair in the closet you can set up if you need to work.
- Recycling
- Small wicker basket in the room — paper, glass, plastic.
Bathroom
- Hair dryer
- Under the sink.
- Toilet paper
- On the stand across from the toilet.
- Cleaning supplies + toiletries
- Under the sink.
Common areas
- First aid kit
- In the laundry room above the dryer — the cabinet with the glass front, you'll see it before you open the door.
- Fire extinguisher
- Under the kitchen sink.
- Laundry detergent + dryer sheets
- Above the washer and dryer.
- Trash bags
- Large bags under the kitchen sink, small bags in the laundry room.
- Solo Stove + firewood
- On the back deck and patio.
How we try to be green.
- 01
Glass water bottle in your room. Refill at the fridge — we change the filter monthly. No plastic bottled water.
- 02
Cloth hand towels in the bathrooms instead of paper towels.
- 03
Compost bin under the kitchen sink for food waste.
- 04
Recycling basket in your room (paper, glass, plastic).
- 05
Toilet paper is Who Gives a Crap — bamboo, no trees.
- 06
Linens are washed in Australian Sandalwood laundry sauce — distinctive scent, in case you're sensitive.
Checking out.
Checkout is 11am. Need a later checkout? Text us — we can usually accommodate, just ask.
- 1Towels, eye masks, throw blankets — in the laundry basket next to the tub.
- 2Recycling basket (the small wicker one) — paper, glass, plastic only, please.
- 3Earplugs — if you used them, in the trash.
- 4Bedroom door — leave it open with the key in the door inside.
- 5Lost keys = $25 charge — please don't take them with you.
That's it. Safe travels — Charli + Slli'm
A kind word goes a long way for a small family-run place like ours.
Word-of-mouth is most of how we get found. Even a sentence helps — but no pressure either way.
Come back any time.
Sometimes we open up direct stays for guests we've already met. Drop your email if you'd want to know.