Link to Spanish boat in AirBnB
It is very interesting to see the options that people present on AirB&B. I should emphasize that I think it is a great model for people whom love that sort of thing! But read Emily's review for staying on the boat for $38 in Barcelona. Something tells me that $75 to $150 in Kentucky is not going to work.
My daughter loves the sense of community that Airbnb offers. She has stayed with hosts from so many countries and has met guests from all over the world and, like I said, she uses it as a staple for unearned income. She says that she has had only one guest that made her just a little bit uncomfortable, otherwise it is normally just business as usual or a great experience. She once had a couple from NJ stay with her and they loved to make all the meals (Italian cooking). She said the dining experience in her own home for 5 nights was fantastic!
She was traveling from Greece to Montana a few years ago in June and had to change flights in New York. Arrival was at Kennedy at 11 pm and departure was at La Guardia at 2 pm the next day. She asked "Daddy, can you come get me at Kennedy? (middle of the week workday for me) … "Uh, NO!" Ok, she says, I'll see where I can stay overnight in NYC. Obviously the cost for a night stay and transportation in NYC is a killer, but she's living the dream while I'm a working stiff, so I'm not that sympathetic to her traveling headaches. So she thinks, why won't Airbnb work? She finds a host that is close to Kennedy airport and arranges a visit. The host offered to pick her up at the airport so she is in bed not much later than midnight. The hosts are a lovely couple (but she knew that because of the reviews) so in the morning they invite her to relax on their patio and have a leisurely breakfast. Then they drove her to LaGuardia. It was only about $100, she said, and she was totally refreshed for the 2nd half of her journey home.
I know she lives under a lucky star, but COME ON!
In short, I think it is a niche for a selective group of travelers. I doubt it can be considered to be a realistic cash flow of any consequence. My daughter has to put a lot of effort in to it every day to make sure it is economically worthwhile for her. This is NOT easy money or a sure thing. She has to maintain a great reputation and she also has to hire a lot of trusted service people to keep it going when she is unavailable. Obviously, that eats into the revenue.
