Courtyard Washington, DC/U.S. Capitol in Washington

The hotel is located behind Union Station, next to a relatively new residential area. Although it's called the Capitol Hotel, it's actually about a half-hour walk from the Capitol. The room window overlooks the station tracks, but thankfully the soundproofing is good, so you can't hear the trains passing by. The room is large and comfortable. It has a refrigerator and microwave, which solves many problems. It's right next to the Noma Gallaudet University subway station, where many people commute to work every morning. Washington has a high density of Black people, and the area around the hotel was teeming with them. Homeless people were everywhere, some oddly shaped and unkempt, and one even approached me asking for cigarettes. Groups of Black children seemed to be idling around, making me feel unsafe, so I didn't linger near the hotel entrance. Within 50 meters of the hotel are a 7-Eleven, Domino's, Subway, and a Deli store, making life quite convenient. When I checked in, the air conditioning in the public areas, including the lobby and corridors, was broken. Two temporary air conditioner units were stuck in the center of the lobby, with two thick pipes running straight to the ceiling—very incongruous and ineffective, making it very stuffy. There's a Starbucks in the lobby, and breakfast is provided by Starbucks (see picture). It's amazing.