Short-Term Room Rentals in Washington, DC

"Short-term" means different things to different landlords. Here's exactly what it means with us — and how to compare short-term options across DC.

Our short-term structure

Two of our rooms rent month-to-month with a 3-month minimum stay:

• Lincoln Room — $797/mo (Columbia Heights): 9'x15' basement apartment room, in-unit washer/dryer, full kitchen, private patio.
• Washington Room — $997/mo (Columbia Heights): 24'x16' attic suite, window nook, smart TV, personal AC.

After the first three months, it rolls monthly — give standard notice when you're ready to move on. No lease-break fees, no finding your own replacement, no sublet paperwork.

Short-term room vs. Airbnb vs. extended-stay hotel

• Airbnb: convenient, but a private room in DC runs $90–$150/night — that's $2,700+/month for 30 days, usually with no kitchen access and strict house rules.
• Extended-stay hotels: $3,000–$4,500/month in the DC area. Fine for two weeks, punishing for three months.
• A month-to-month room: $972–$1,172/month all-in with utilities, a real kitchen, laundry, and a neighborhood you actually live in.

For anything over a month, the room wins on price by a wide margin — and you get a far more normal life.

Situations where short-term rooms fit

Common ones: internships, contract and consulting assignments, travel nursing rotations, relocating to DC while house-hunting, visiting scholars, and gaps between leases. If your timeline is 3–6 months and fuzzy at the edges, month-to-month is the lowest-stress option.

What's included

Both rooms are furnished, and the flat $175/mo utilities package covers gas, water, electric, Fios internet/WiFi, monthly professional house cleaning, and laundry. Move-in is first month + utilities + one month's refundable deposit + the $48 tenant screening — and that's the entire fee schedule.

Related guides

• Temporary Housing in Washington, DC
• Furnished Short-Term Rooms in Washington, DC
• Month-to-Month Rooms for Rent in DC: How It Works