English Basements: A More Authentic DC Experience

Washington, DC is a city of layers—historic and modern, political and personal, iconic and quietly local. You can visit DC and see the monuments, the museums, the marble steps of power. Or, you can live DC—wake up on a tree-lined street, grab coffee from the neighborhood spot around the corner, and come home to a space that feels like it belongs to the city itself.

Nothing is more of an iconic intro to DC living than an English basement in a classic row home.

While hotels place you in DC, English basements place you within it.

What Is an English Basement?

An English basement is not a basement as you may have experienced it.  It is a ground-level or slightly below-grade apartment found in many of DC’s historic rowhomes, townhouses, and brownstones. Unlike traditional basements, these spaces typically feature:

• Private entrances

• Full kitchens and living areas

• Thoughtfully renovated interiors

• Windows, which allow for natural light.

They were originally designed to house staff or extended family, functional but not subterranean. In modern DC,  they’ve evolved into some of the City’s most charming, livable residences—especially for extended stays.

Why English Basements Feel More Like DC Than Any Hotel Ever Could

Hotels are designed for efficiency. English basements are designed for living.

When you stay in an English basement, you’re not entering a lobby—you’re stepping into a DC neighborhood. You pass neighbors walking their dogs, kids heading to school, and locals grabbing their morning coffee. You start to recognize faces. You learn which corner gets the best light in the afternoon and which café knows your order by day three.

This is DC as locals know it.

Instead of elevators and key cards, you have:

• Your own front door

• A quiet residential street

• A sense of rhythm that mirrors everyday life in the city

For professionals on extended assignments, fellows, consultants, or remote workers, this shift is subtle—but powerful.

Space, Privacy, and Comfort—Without the Hotel Feel

One of the most overlooked luxuries of an English basement is privacy. You’re not sharing walls with dozens of transient guests or waking up to hallway noise and housekeeping carts. Your space is yours (of course if you stay with a company like Sojourn, you can book cleanings on demand sans the housekeeping cart)

English basements often offer:

• Separate living and sleeping areas

• Full kitchens for real meals (not microwave dinners)

• Comfortable workspaces with room to spread out

• In-unit or easy-access laundry

It’s the kind of setup that supports real productivity—and real rest—during longer stays.

Historic Character Meets Modern Living

Many English basements are located in DC’s most iconic neighborhoods—Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Bloomingdale, and beyond. These homes carry history hooking into modern renovation.

Think:

• Original brick or stone walls paired with modern finishes

• Updated kitchens tucked into century-old rowhomes

• Design that reflects DC’s heritage without sacrificing comfort

Sojourn is a furnished property management company that has many gorgeous English basement offerings in these hip neighborhoods. If you look on their website, you can see how these units vary within neighborhoods. 

A Smarter Alternative for Extended Stays

For stays longer than a week or two, hotels start to feel limiting—both financially and emotionally. English basements offer a smarter alternative, especially for guests who value comfort, authenticity, and flexibility.

Compared to hotels, they provide:

• More space for less cost

• A residential feel instead of a transient one

• The ability to settle into routines

• A stronger connection to the city itself

Feel at home, while away from home, so you can just focus on the task at hand.

Who English Basements Are Perfect For

English basements are especially ideal for:

• Professionals on multi-week or multi-month assignments

• Government, legal, and consulting travelers

• Medical fellows, academics, and researchers

• Remote workers seeking a true DC lifestyle

Anyone who wants to experience DC beyond the tourist lens, not that it isn’t great for tourists who like to live like locals too!

If you value feeling grounded while away from home, english basements are a perfect option for you..

Live DC, Don’t Just Visit It

DC isn’t just monuments and meetings—it’s morning light through rowhouse windows, neighborhood walks after dinner, and the quiet pride locals take in their blocks.

Hotels can show you the city. English basements let you belong to it—even if just for a while.

If you’re looking for a stay that feels thoughtful, residential, and unmistakably DC, an English basement might be exactly what you didn’t know you were missing.

Live like a local. Stay at street level. Discover DC from the inside out.

See a full list of our English Basements here.