Since Airbnb was launched in 2008, short-term rental apartments have become a popular travel or residence option. Tucson has also become a popular travel destination, with its saguaro cacti and limitless blue skies surrounded by mountains.
Between the busy streets and vegetation of Tucson are short term rentals that offer guests safe and welcoming spaces. The following Airbnb hosts discussed their experiences with renting out local homes and explained the importance of their location to the widely rated properties.
MORE OF THE DAILY WILDCAT
The agave caste
Airbnb host and Tucson born Teri Geunther owns property five miles north of the University of Arizona. After three years, 182 reviews, and just under a five-star rating on the Airbnb app, Geunther said, “People book it for the views and come back to enjoy the views.” Her property, La Casita de Agave , sits on a hill overlooking the city and mountains and is surrounded by the desert landscape of the Catalina foothills.
Hosting has become a full-time job for Geunther, who said her listing was “totally successful and a little bit surprising”. The house started as a renovation project. Then the people who came to renovate the floor of the house casually recommended that Geunther rent it out through Airbnb.
After the renovation, Günther “went out into the street” to shop at farm and property sales. “We found two beautiful blue chairs … that set off the entire design,” she said. After three years of updated furniture and handcrafted kitchen cabinets, the blue armchairs remain a staple of this classically designed casita.
Cleanliness is something that Günther was “super picky” even before the spring 2020 pandemic hit the USA [the guests] to think that you’re the first person to walk in here, ”she said. Günther hired professional house cleaners twice, but said they had “failed miserably”.
With toiletries, additional bed linen, fresh fruit and individual surprises for the guests, Günther said: “Hosting is somehow my personality”, as it was his lifelong dream to own a bed and breakfast. Airbnb, which stands for “Air Bed-and-Breakfast”, gave Günther this option without having to make breakfast in the morning.
Diane Kramm, artist and mother of Teri Guenther, becomes more and more personal and paints rocks with their names and southwestern landscapes for each guest.
Southwest Urban Tucson Adobe
Adam Lundquist, a real estate agent and founder / owner of Southwest Urban, is a general contractor and has acquired a rental property in Dunbar Springs as a “personal project”. With degrees in business and regional development from the UA, Lundquist said that “per month, [a short-term rental] makes more rent. ”After Lundquist rented properties to long-term renters, Lundquist said Airbnb renters were“ higher quality ”and would take better care of the property.
The property was built in 1899 and still retains its white adobe frame. Lundquist renovated the space to make it more functional while showing off its charm and character.
In his work, Lundquist tries to use sustainable or local materials. In this Airbnb case, the renovation used cork flooring throughout, which uses a renewable resource.
Lundquist described the Adobe house as “cool and clean” with lots of natural light and decor that, in his opinion, exudes a “Tucson feel”. When Airbnb unveiled its COVID-19 cleaning policy, Lundquist said he was “well positioned” as he had already followed many of the protocols in addition to providing contactless keyboard access for travelers.
Beard and braid: desert houses
On a journey to self-discovery, Erin Warren went on a van trip across the country with her husband Kassidy Warren. During this time, the couple reflected on the “idea of offering a cool home in cool places”. Warren stated that the van broke down on their trip in Tucson that was not on their list of stops.
Warren was from the Pacific Northwest and was stunned by Tucson’s “magic”. After moving to Tucson, the couple have now become Airbnb entrepreneurs under the company name beardandbraid.com. After viewing an estimated 30 homes in Tucson, the Warrens are now renting two Tucson homes, a Tucson casita, and an estate in Cleveland, Ohio.
Even before their van adventure, the Warrens rented their guest room in a condominium in Kirkland, Washington. Warren said that at Airbnb, starting small served in some ways as “research” as they were able to host, communicate with travelers from around the world, and see what it takes to make a meaningful one To provide guest experience.
Desert Vibrations, located in the foothills, embodies the natural beauty of the “Tucson Experience”. Through her interior design, Warren wanted to provide a warm and inviting experience while adding a personal touch that she referred to as the “subtle southwest”.
Desert Hues, ironically located in the eclectic Midtown neighborhood of Sam Hughes, was inspired by the warm tones of Tucson’s desert sunsets. With a newly renovated bathroom with pink tiles, Warren described the interior design as “fun and fresh”.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Warren has noticed that the way people travel has changed. Guests have started booking longer trips, traveling with their family and pets, or looking for a new job to work remotely. “People will always want to travel, it will just look a little different,” said Warren.
As 2020 was a difficult year for people around the world, travel became a high point of the year for many. Warren said that “especially during the pandemic,” hosting guests in an otherwise busy year has been a rewarding experience.
What landlords Günther, Lundquist and Warren have in common is gratitude for the Airbnb hosting experience: fulfilling creativity, enjoying it, making guests happy and doing everything possible to provide safe travel accommodation during a pandemic.
Follow the Daily WIldcat on Twitter
Let us come to you. The Daily Wildcat, straight to your inbox. News. Science / health. Sports. Art / lifestyle. You choose. You can cancel at any time.
